CINCINNATI -- The way Penei Sewell shuffled his feet and struck his opponents convinced Oregon coach Mario Cristobal the budding offensive lineman was going to be special.
Cristobal was recruiting the 6-foot-5, 349-pound Sewell, a Class of 2018 tackle from Desert Hills, Utah, located less than four miles north of the border with Arizona. Cristobal believed Sewell was destined to be a playmaker, a descriptor reserved for players who touch the ball.
Sewell needed a mere two years with the Ducks to establish himself as a projected first-round pick in this month’s NFL draft.