​The best offensive tackle in the NFL is the Detroit Lions’ star, Penei Sewell. In an ESPN survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, Sewell was ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle entering the 2026 season. While a few Lions players already cracked top-10 rankings at their respective positions, Sewell is the first Detroit superstar to lead his position group.
A veteran NFL defensive coach described Sewell as “still the most complete player at this stage—physical, powerful, smart.” Sewell’s standing as the top tackle in the voting came from consistent results across ballots. Although he didn’t claim all first-place votes, he remained in the second- and third-place ranges, which boosted his overall average in the composite score. One NFC executive offered a blunt assessment of Sewell’s strengths: “He has the most ‘f— you’ attitude plays in the league. Always brings the juice.”
Even with the top placement, Sewell’s 89.6% pass-block win rate last season finished outside the top 40 offensive tackles, marking his lowest mark since his rookie year in 2021. This season, Sewell is transitioning from right tackle to left tackle, a move that fans and analysts will be watching closely. “He’s got short arms, and he doesn’t win a lot in pass protection against real guys, just like everyone else,” one NFL coordinator said. “But they pretend like he doesn’t [struggle].”
The Lions selected Sewell No. 7 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Standing 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds, he is embracing the shift from right tackle to left tackle this season. In the rankings, Sewell surpassed big-name tackles such as Trent Williams of the 49ers (No. 2), Tristan Wirfs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 3), Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 4), and Laremy Tunsil of the Washington Commanders (No. 5). Detroit rewarded Sewell with a four-year, $112 million contract extension in April 2024, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season. His $28 million average annual salary places him among the league’s highest-paid offensive tackles.
For more Lions coverage, you can follow updates on X, @TheLionsWire, and like the Lions Wire Facebook page. You can also follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions. This article originally appeared on Lions Wire under the headline: Lions’ Penei Sewell tops NFL OT rankings by league execs, coaches, scouts, highlighting his standing as the premier offensive tackle entering the 2026 season.