Allen Park — Drafting is hard.
But if it wasn’t evident going into the 2022 season that Lions general manager Brad Holmes hit a home run with his first swing, it is now. Right tackle Penei Sewell, the No. 7 overall pick in 2021, is hitting another level going into his third season.
“I can’t say enough good things about Sewell,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Friday.
“There’s a reason why he was the first pick we had two years ago because we wanted to build around a guy like him. He’s our foundation. He’s one of those pillars that we talk about.”
In Year 2, Sewell earned his first Pro Bowl nod. His success so far at the tackle position bodes well for the future of Detroit’s football team, but his growth as a person and as a leader is what really separates him as a true X factor in the locker room.
“I mean, he’s something else,” Campbell said. “He’s a man on a mission. I feel like we’re a team on a mission, but he is a man on a mission. You talk about being wired right, a guy that comes in every day, puts in the work, and he’s got so much ability, but the right attitude, too. I think that’s what makes him dangerous if you’re the opponent…he’s right where he needs to be.”
After the first padded practice at training camp, Sewell demonstrated that mindset Campbell spoke about while answering a question about what people are expecting from the Lions this season.
“When we talk about expectations and pressure, I feel like pressure is kind of from the interior,” Sewell said. “So if you put a lot on yourself, if you kind of feed yourself into that mindset, you’re going to kind of get overwhelmed, right? But if you come out here each and every day, like it’s the same game I played since I was 2 years old, or the same game since I was on the island, it’s just the same passion.
“So, all that (pressure) is what it is, but I’m going to come out here cause I love to do it.”
If the 22-year-old Sewell sounds wise beyond his years, that’s probably a fair assessment. On this roster, he’s not unique in the way he approaches the game — but that’s something that can partially be attributed to him for setting the standard.
“Once you have a group of guys that are kind of same-minded, same goals, they kind of put (themselves) out of the picture, just because the team needs you,” Sewell said.
“Everyone is asked of different things, everyone plays a different role, so once we all come together — shoutout to Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes for bringing these types of guys — it just makes it that much easier.”
Sewell’s maturation isn’t only obvious to himself and the coaches. His arrival in Detroit back in the 2021 offseason coincided with the addition of veteran edge rusher Charles Harris, who’s entering the seventh season of his NFL career.
“That guy, man. I mean, he’s a rockstar. He really is. He just loves the game of football, you know?” Harris said. “His leadership is amazing. Consistency every single day. He is who he is. You guys see the production, it’s not just that. He’s just also a great all-around individual and it shows up in the locker room.”
Right now, Sewell is not too concerned with where he ranks amongst the league’s best. He’s just focused on himself.
“You guys decide all that stuff, but at the end of the day, it’s just me and the man in the mirror,” Sewell said.
If there is one thing Sewell would like to get better at before the season, it’s his technique.
“Everyone knows the great ones in this league do it at every play, every day and every Sunday, so just to be one of those. I’ve got to come into work with a purpose to lock in on those techniques,” Sewell said.
No word yet on whether he worked on his route running with Jared Goff over the summer.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi