Why The Chargers Should Bet The House And Trade Up For Penei Sewell

Autzen Stadium. Photo Credit: Al Case | Under Creative Commons
Autzen Stadium. Photo Credit: Al Case | Under Creative Commons

It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Chargers need a stalwart offensive tackle to keep Justin Herbert upright these coming years. Then, why not trade the house in order to draft Oregon’s, Penei Sewell?

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco should go either pass rush or offensive tackle at where the team currently sits come April. With that being said, Sewell in all likelihood would be gone. So then the question becomes if the team should trade up for the tackle prospect.

Recently, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports wrote that he believes the New York Jets will trade out of the number two pick. Gaining more draft capital would be the end goal for New York obviously. This could, in theory, leave the door open for the ‘Bolts.’ Wilson added that as it stands, he has the Chargers selecting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. This is mostly due to the fact that Hunter Henry is playing on a franchise tag. If the Chargers could pull off such a trade, naturally then, another question would arise.

Would Penei Sewell Sewell Be Worth All That Trouble For The Chargers?

The short answer is that yes, Sewell would be worth all that trouble that involves such a big trade up. The six-foot-six, 330-pound tackle showed a lot of promise playing in the Pac-12. Drae Harris of the Draft Network believes he would be an instant starter on an NFL offensive line.

If you watch Sewell’s film, you’ll see a tackle that has speed, length, and great overall quickness. Harris also agrees on his length, adding that Sewell demonstrates his competitiveness and length on the perimeter. I noticed that Sewell’s size is imposing, he constantly dominates defenders. Ironically, his power isn’t even listed as a strength according to Harris. He mauls down defenders in both passing and rushing plays. You can see both his athleticism and sheer power on display when opening up running lanes.

A Final Thought…

Herbert will require optimum protection moving forward so as to maximize his potential and growth. Having an effective running game, which Sewell would also contribute to, will also help Herbert. The Chargers do have many holes to address come April, but should they swoop in if a trade up for Sewell presents itself?

Autzen Stadium. Photo Credit: Al Case | Under Creative Commons