Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell has been among the NFL’s best offensive linemen, but he took his play to another level in 2025, earning PFF Protector of the Year honors.
Sewell has ranked among the three highest-graded offensive tackles in each of the past three seasons and led the position in PFF grade in both 2023 and 2025. He did so with a more balanced profile this year, earning a PFF pass-blocking grade (80.3) for the first time in his career.
The fifth-year right tackle's PFF overall grade (95.5) ranks third among all offensive linemen over the past three seasons and first among right tackles in that span, while his PFF run-blocking grade (95.1) is the highest by any right tackle over the past five years and trails only Trent Williams’ 2021 season among all offensive linemen.
Penei Sewell: PFF grades since 2021
SeasonSnapsPFF Overall GradePass-blocking GradeRun-blocking Grade202599895.580.396.820241,21390.475.491.520231,37993.579.295.120221,14282.374.28320211,03980.269.484.5The biggest development for Sewell in 2025 was his improvement in pass protection. He allowed pressure on just 3.3% of pass plays, a career best that ranked second among right tackles and fifth among all offensive tackles.
His PFF pass-blocking grade (80.3) also ranked second among right tackles, trailing only Lane Johnson (80.4).
However, it is still Sewell’s run blocking that truly separates him from the pack. His PFF run-blocking grade (96.8) led all offensive linemen by a significant margin, with the gap between him and the second-highest graded run blocker, Trent Williams, equaling the gap between Williams and the ninth-ranked offensive lineman.
Sewell led all offensive tackles in positively graded run-play rate (21.9%) and was the only player at the position to clear the 20% mark. He also recorded a negatively graded run-play rate (10.8%) that ranked sixth-lowest among right tackles.
Sewell beat out several strong candidates for the award, including Kansas City’s Creed Humphrey, who led all centers in PFF grade for the fourth time in his five NFL seasons. Sewell also led all 195 qualifying offensive linemen in pressure rate (1.1%) in 2025. Denver’s Garett Bolles was another serious contender after a strong campaign, leading all offensive linemen in PFF pass-blocking grade (90.8) and ranking first among offensive tackles in pressure rate (3.1%). He was also the only left tackle to play at least 230 pass-blocking snaps — logging 714 — without allowing a sack.