Noah Sewell, the younger brother of Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell, is a strong linebacker prospect who reminds me a lot of Manti Te’o from Notre Dame almost a decade ago. Sewell has received much media praise for his abilities as a defender, but the tape shows many limitations in the modern game. He will have to go through a position change to stay in the league, but the question is, what position does he play?

Personally, I don’t see a ton of upside with Noah Sewell and his game. The struggles that he consistently has are all pretty much based on his lack of athleticism or natural feel for the game. I don’t see a path where this prospect is a reliable starter in the NFL. 

#Oregon ILB Noah Sewell 6’3 260lbs
(Younger brother of Penei)

If your team needs a BULLY at LB, I got you a guy.

High motor, aggressive LB who moves really well for his size.
Can over commit at times.

2-3rd round player who will contribute early!
pic.twitter.com/g4MrqRMtom

— Jared Tokarz (@JaredNFLDraft) January 23, 2023

Suffered a knee injury in 2020. Played through minor injuries for most of 2021. He suffered concussion symptoms at the end of the 2021 season. 

Noah Sewell’s scouting report

Athletic Ability (30)

Speed/Athleticism: 20 

• Speed (5.5/8) – Strong athlete. Isn’t going to be among the fastest in the class. Not as quick either, might not impress at the Combine. 
• Lateral Quickness (5/7) – Moves well laterally. Plays very well inside of the box. 
• Body Control (3/5) – Hips just aren’t as fluid as they need to be. Can get turned, especially in pursuit. Doesn’t adjust well when closing, too susceptible to a fake or move to make him miss. 

Strength/Power: 10

• Upper Body Strength (2.5/3) – Very stout upper body. Goes through people at times that he shouldn’t. 
• Lower Body Strength (2.5/3) – Shows good lower body power as well. 
• Brute Power (3.5/4) – Definitely more of a brute than most linebackers in the league. Has the size and strength to be a bully. 

Defending Ability (40)

Tackling/Pursuit: 15

• Tackling Ability (7.5/9) – Good tackler. Punishes ball carriers and wraps up well. 
• Pursuit Angles (3/6) – Will miss in pursuit simply under pursuing the play and trying to get there too quick, especially when working toward the boundary. They’ve started to get better in 2022, but still not quite there yet. Doesn’t work through traffic as well as he could. 

Blitz Ability: 5

• Blitz Timing (4/5) – Great timing with his blitzes. Does a great job pressuring the quarterback. Doesn’t finish like he could due to his poor closing ability and pursuit angles. 

Coverage Ability: 20

• Space Defending (6/10) – Sewell is in position a lot to make plays, but struggles to finish. Closing in an issue as he’s too susceptible to making a deadline and can’t adjust well. 
• Man Coverage (2/5) – Lack of reactive athleticism makes it difficult to project him being much of an impact player in man coverage. Wasn’t asked to do it a lot at Oregon. 
• Zone Coverage (3.5/5) – Good zone defender. Does a good job getting depth and keeping the play in front of him. 

Intel/Instincts (25)

Football IQ: 10

• Play Recognition (3.5/5) – Inside of the box, quickly finds the hole and diagnoses the run play. Excellent run defender. Seems to struggle more with pass concepts. Often reads run and takes play action bait. 
• Understanding of Concepts (3/5) – Constantly all over the field, both in and out of position. 

Instincts: 15 

• Natural Instincts (7/10) – Consistently in place to make a play inside of the box. Not consistently in place to make a play outside of it. 
• Consistency (3/5) – Average consistency. When he played against top-tier offenses, it really showed. 

Overall: (73) – 5th/7th Round