NFL Draft Profile: Nephi Sewell, Linebacker, Utah Utes

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Utah OLB Nephi Sewell

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#1
Pos: OLB
Ht: 5114
Wt: 226
Hand: 848
Arm: 2938
Wing: 7138
40: 4.67
Vertical: 32
Broad: 1000
3 Cone: 7.01
Bench: NA
Shuttle: 4.33
DOB: 12/19/1998
Hometown: St. George, UT
High School: Desert Hills

Nephi Sewell
Utah Utes

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One-Liner:

Sewell is a fluid athlete who despite a smaller frame, plays aggressively and flys around the field

Pros:

Sewell has a smooth lower body with exceptional lateral agility, mirroring that of a defensive back. With a background as a corner in high school and safety in college, his athletic traits become noticeable early. He can align over the slot where he rushes as a blitzer or covers the boundary in zone or matches backs in pass concepts. In the run game, he diagnoses the play quickly and uses finesse moves to beat linemen and arrive with thumping tackles.

Cons:

While the defensive back skillset adds to his ability, his frame is still reminiscent of a safety and at less than 230 pounds his size is a liability against bigger linemen. Because of this, he tends to try and win with speed which can leave him being washed out on stretch plays or flowing into traffic. His ability to shed blocks is also mitigated due to his stature which forces him to crash the wrong gap at times.

Summary:

Sewell comes from a family of great athletes and he is no exception with spark and explosiveness radiating from his lower body to the pop in his hands. His smaller size will leave some questioning his ability to play linebacker in the NFL but a sub package scenario may be a good fit as his body acclimates to the professional game.

Background:

Sewell was born in American Samoa where he then moved with his family and group of athletic brothers to the U.S in 2012. A state champion football player at Desert Hills high school in St.George, Utah, Sewell played running back and corner before committing to the University of Nevada. After two seasons of play, he walked on at the University of Utah where he played safety before switching to linebacker and earning AP Pac-12 All-Conference First team honors in 2021. He is the younger brother of Detroit Lions tackle and seventh overall pick from the 2021 draft Penei Sewell and majored in International studies.

Grade:

7th Round/Undrafted Free Agent

Quotable:

“He’s not the biggest man in stature but he does pack a powerful punch. He is physical. Probably his best attribute is just how he can find ways to get to the football. He has an unbelievable knack for finding the football.” Colton Swan on Nephi Sewell

“An undersized but athletic defender, Sewell will have plenty of NFL teams lobbying for him on draft weekend.” Luke Easterling, DraftWire