Cowboys 2023 Draft Preview: Oregon LB Noah Sewell could be in play

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The Oregon Ducks have had six players selected in the top seven of the NFL draft since 2013, with three picked over the last three straight years: Justin Herbert (2020), Penei Sewell (2021), and Kayvon Thibodeaux (2022). Prior to that defensive end Dion Jordan was the third overall pick in 2013, two years later Marcus Mariota (2015) was selected number two overall, and the following season DeForest Bucker (2016) was selected with the seventh pick.

Only time will tell if the same fate awaits linebacker Noah Sewell, but what is clear is that he has first round talent and should be in the mix to be the first linebacker off the board come April 2023 should he declare.

Sewell is the brother of current Detroit Lion, Penei, and Saints linebacker, Nephi. Like his brother Penei, Noah was a heavily recruited player out of high school and the film shows why he had powerhouses like Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, and Utah all vying for his services. His range and physicality jump off the tape as he racked up 159 tackles over his first two years at Oregon. Armed with a quick processor, Sewell has all of the baseline traits to be a productive starter very early in his pro career.

We take a break from the on-field work of training camp to take a look at Noah Sewell and how his skill set would fit with the Cowboys.

Measurables and Statistics

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 251

Position: Inside Linebacker

Hometown: Malaeimi, American Samoa

High School: Orem, HS(Utah)

  • Five-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports. Finished No. 13 overall in the 247Sports composite ranking. The fifth-highest ranked recruit all-time at Oregon according to 247Sports.  Consensus No. 1 player in Utah and top-3 inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports

  • Named first-team All-USA Defense by USA Today.

  • Named “Mr. Football” for Utah by The Deseret News.

  • Named to the prepstar Top 150 Dream Team.

  • Named the Alpha Dog by 247 Sports in the 2020 All-American Bowl.

  • Named 2019 Utah Valley Football Player of The Year.

  • Led Orem High School to the Utah 5A State Championship.

  • Finished four-year career with 224 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles. Rushed for 2,316 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Career Statistics:

2020: 44 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble.

2021: 114 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception.

Honors and Awards:

Coaches Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.

Phil Steele Pac-12 All-Conference third team in 2020.

AP Pac-12 All-Conference first team in 2021.

Coaches Pac-12 All-Conference first team in 2021.

Butkus Award Semifinalist.

Evaluation

Sewell’s college dominance was expected not only because of his bloodlines, but because of his phenomenal high school career. He accomplished everything a high school player could dream of. He was a five-star recruit, then won a state championship supplemented by a long list of individual accomplishments. That success continued when he got to Oregon, leading the Ducks in tackles as a freshman and winning PAC-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.

It was much of same in 2021 as he was voted first-team Pac-12 and was a Butkus award semifinalist. Over his first two years in Eugene, he has become the unquestioned leader.

“I like leading by my actions,” Sewell said. “That’s why I haven’t talked to (reporters) in the past couple of years; I like to show off what I do by my actions because talking (can) do so much, but your actions will.”

Highlights

Games Watched: Fresno St. (2021), Stanford (2020), UCLA (2020)

Evaluation: Strengths

  • Thick and compact player with both a strong upper and a thick lower half. Checks the boxes with his size for the position. Listed at an unofficial 6-foot-3, 251 pounds

  • Good athlete who moves well in space and has good overall speed. Sideline to sideline range.

  • As a pass defender he has the athleticism in man coverage to carry tight ends and backs. He has above average instincts in zone coverage and a good feel for picking up crossers.

  • Forceful on contact as a tackler, using his strength to wrap and drive ball carriers to the ground.

  • Impressive key and diagnose skills. Sewell is patient letting things develop Infront of him and uses his eyes to quickly react and work over top the play showing exceptional closing burst to the ball.

  • He anticipates the snap count well when he’s asked to blitz and can create negative plays either at the quarterback or getting ball carriers to the ground.

  • Exceptional take on skills. He is able to play off blocks using his powerful hands to keep blockers off his frame. He has the strength to displace blockers and make his way to the ball.

AREAS TO IMPROVE

  • Will occasionally miss a tackle in space because he arrives a little out of control and doesn’t breakdown and secure the tackle.

  • His eyes get out of place sometimes on some misdirection plays taking him away from the action, but he does recover well and often gets himself back into play.

  • Room to improve as a coverage defender. Poor technique forces him to grab in coverage.

  • His lack of length shows up every once and a while as a tackler, there are a couple snaps against UCLA where he tries to wrap the ball carrier up but slides off and misses the tackle.

PROJECTION

Sewell’s athleticism and movement skills he is a perfect fit for today’s NFL. He has a legit chance to be drafted on Day 1 despite the linebacker position being devalued in recent years. The belief is Sewell can be an inside linebacker in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense.

 

How He Fits the Cowboys

WHAT THEY HAVE

The linebacker position for the Cowboys is filled with a lot of youth and uncertainty outside of Micah Parsons. The club signed Anthony Barr recently, and his four Pro Bowls sets the pace, but injury and the low-cost of a one-year deal means very little in terms of long-term position outlook.

Leighton Vander Esch has the most experience of the other linebackers on the roster but has not reached the level of success he had his rookie year and has dealt with his fair share of injuries despite the fact he played all 17 games last year.

There are a lot of expectations for second-year player Jabril Cox and rightfully so. He was considered a steal by most draft analysts after slipping to No. 115 in the 2021 draft but Cox is still rehabbing from an ACL tear.

Luke Gifford is in his fourth year but has mainly been used as a special team’s player.

The Cowboys have a couple of rookie linebackers in Damone Clark and Devin Harper in which the future appears bright, but there is no guarantee they will have an impact this season. The rest of the linebacker depth is filled with undrafted free agent Storey Jackson and and journeyman Malik Jefferson and Christian Sam.

WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE

Parsons, Jabril Cox, Damone Clark, Devin Harper and Storey Jacksonwill all be returning for 2023, but they will have decisions to make.

Even with the multi-faceted Parsons it appears the linebacker position will be a blinking red light come April’s Draft. Thats where Sewell comes in. He would be a match made in heaven with the Cowboys. He could play all three linebacker spots if need be and would immediately be the second-best linebacker on the team. Drafting Sewell would allow Parsons to play on the edge without losing the physicality up the middle as a run defender. Sewell would give the Cowboys another leader of the defensive side and another playmaker on a young and exciting defense.

Sewell has become as popular pick to the Cowboys in early 2023 mock drafts. The Cowboys may have to spend a first-round pick on Sewell but his skill set is well worth the value they would have to spend.

 

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire