Prospect Rankings: Ja'Marr Chase Ranked Much Higher Than Penei Sewell

Sewell has quickly become a Bengals fan favorite

Author:
James Rapien
Updated:
Jan 26, 2021 1:00 PM EST
Original:
Jan 26, 2021

CINCINNATI — Bengals fans have had their eye on Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell for months.

From creating a sign for the world to see on Monday Night Football to looking at countless mock drafts hoping he falls to Cincinnati with the fifth pick—plenty of fans are hoping the Bengals take Sewell.

The thought process is understandable. The Bengals' offensive line has struggled for the past five seasons. They've gotten it wrong in the draft. They haven't spent enough on the offensive line in free agency and it cost them last season.

They were forced to scheme around a poor offensive line. That can't be the case for Joe Burrow in 2021. He needs time in the pocket, especially coming off of a devastating knee injury.

Is Sewell the solution to the problem?

Not if you ask former scout and current NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah.

He released his top 50 prospects list on Tuesday, which included Sewell, but not where most expected him to be. The Oregon left tackle was 10th on Jeremiah's big board.

He was behind Ja'Marr Chase, Rashawn Slater, DeVonta Smith, Kyle Pitts and Jaylen Waddle.

Those five players have been tied to the Bengals in mock drafts or a possible trade down scenarios.

The interesting debate is Chase vs Sewell.

The Bengals shouldn't wait until April to address their offensive line issues. They need to spend money in free agency and add proven talent in the trenches.

If they do that then picking Sewell at No. 5 might not be nearly as tempting.

Chase is second on Jeremiah's big board, followed by Pitts. He had the Bengals taking Slater over Sewell in his first mock draft.

Giving Burrow an elite offensive weapon to go alongside Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon would be ideal—especially if they can beef up their offensive line in free agency.

Chase is a better prospect than Sewell. He dominated the SEC at 19-years-old.

Chase had 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2019. He was Burrow's No. 1 wide receiver in an offense that also included Vikings star Justin Jefferson.

The Bengals need a deep threat that can make plays downfield. The former LSU star averaged 21.2 yards-per-reception in 2019.

"Ja'Marr's a really good player, it’s pretty easy to throw to him when he has five yards of separation every snap," Burrow said with a smile earlier this month. "He’s an exciting player and a great guy and a friend as well. He was fun to play with."

Odds are Chase might not make it to the fifth pick. The Jets could use him. So could the Dolphins or Falcons.

Don't be shocked if a team considers moving up a few spots to land the LSU star.

If Chase falls to the fifth pick, the Bengals are going to have to seriously consider taking him, regardless of who else is available.

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