4-star OL Penei Sewell commits to Oregon, where he’ll play under former offensive lineman Mario Cristobal

The top prospect out of Utah has made his final decision between some of the top programs in the FBS.

Four-star offensive guard Penei Sewell committed to Oregon on National Signing Day. The No. 1 prospect out of Utah, Sewell is the No. 2 overall guard in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 57 ranked player at any position, according to the 247Sports Composite.

The 6’5, 349-pound powerhouse held offers from a slew of Power 5 conference teams, including Alabama, USC, and Oklahoma. Sewell also received offers to stay closer to home from programs like Utah and BYU. He chose Oregon, where he’ll play for a former lineman and offensive line coach in Mario Cristobal.

Despite suffering a torn labrum earlier in the season, Sewell pushed through and finished out the year with plans to undergo surgery ahead of his transition to college ball. The injury did nothing to slow down his recruiting, with a late-season push to nab one the highly coveted 2018 targets.

The Crimson Tide had stepped up their recruiting efforts throughout late-November and into December, with Alabama’s outside linebacker coach Tosh Lupoi making several visits to the prospect, including a final one along with head coach Nick Saban.

What makes Penei Sewell a star

Sewell is one of the top offensive linemen in the nation. It starts with his physical size. At the high school level, few defenders can handle his bulk. But this should translate to the college level as well because while Sewell is heavy, much of it is good weight. And while it would be easy for Sewell to simply rely on his size, he also shows strong hands and footwork, with an attention to detail. He should only get better in college as he unlocks more quickness. — Bud Elliott