Wherever he goes, Oregon T Penei Sewell focused on playing with 'violent intentions' in the NFL

[Miles]

Clad in Oregon green and tipping the scales at 6-foot-6, 360 pounds as a true freshman in 2018, Ducks offensive lineman Penei Sewell may have looked something like The Hulk to his opponents at times.


Then, as a sophomore, he started to play like him, too.


Sewell had been promising as a freshman, as evidenced by his all-conference honorable mention selection by Pac-12 coaches, but he took his talent to a new level in 2019. That was when Alex Mirabal, Oregon's offensive line coach, introduced the catchphrase "violent intentions" into Sewell's vocabulary and into his mindset.


"Once he introduced that phrase, it kind of stuck with me," Sewell said during his pro day media session on Monday. "Like, it never left. And that kind of carried out through my whole 2019 season, once I heard that. … Coming off in between those lines, I turn it on and I turn on that violent intentions every time, whether it's pass or run block."


Cutting a leaner profile in 2019 at 325 pounds, Sewell was able to demonstrate a unique combination of physicality and domineering mentality as one of the most impressive offensive line prospects in years.


On run plays, Sewell was like a boulder on a downward slope. Running backs could follow in his wake for guaranteed yardage, while linebackers or defensive backs unlucky enough to be in his path often found themselves on their backs. He was also extremely agile and quick for a player of his size, able to get downfield in a hurry to the second level or beyond, including on screen passes.


In pass protection, he could more than hold his own in one-on-one scenarios and displayed a combination of strength, agility, awareness and instincts to make him a successful player protecting Justin Herbert's blind side. In his Oregon bio, he is credited with allowing zero sacks, two hit and just seven pressures in 2019.


"I like to play real physical," Sewell said. "I like to use my body type to my advantage and to really get up and under people's chin and to really showcase my mentality, also, to go along with my physicality. That I'm coming off the ball every play with violent intentions and that nothing less is coming from there."