Ja'Marr Chase Ranked Ahead of Penei Sewell on Final NFL Draft Big Board

There's a clear gap between the two players in these rankings

Author:
James Rapien
Updated:
Apr 27, 2021 5:23 PM EDT
Original:
Apr 27, 2021

CINCINNATI — The debate about the fifth pick is almost over with the 2021 NFL Draft just two days away.

Some want the Bengals to take Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell, while others believe LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is the right choice.

NFL Draft analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah released his final big board this week and there was a clear gap between Chase and Sewell.

The star wide receiver is Jeremiah's third ranked player in this draft behind Trevor Lawrence and Kyle Pitts. Sewell is 11th on his board.

There's no doubt that the Bengals' rankings are different than Jeremiah's. They have Sewell higher than Pitts, but he may be lower than Chase—assuming they take the LSU product at No. 5 on Thursday night.

^{"Chase is a dominant player on tape. He lined up both outside and in the slot at LSU. He defeats press coverage with a combination of foot quickness and upper-body strength. He creates separation off the line of scrimmage and he can also find another gear when the ball is in the air," Jeremiah wrote. "He is a clean route runner. He won't gear down in traffic and has very strong hands to pluck and play through contact. He attacks 50/50 balls and consistently wins. Chase is at his best after the catch. He routinely breaks tackles and can make defenders miss, too. He did have a couple drops when the ball was on his back hip, but I have no concerns about his hands. Overall, I love Chase's attacking style of play and see him as a faster version of three-time Pro Bowl selectee Anquan Boldin."}

That's high praise for Chase, who has not only drawn comparisons to Boldin. Some believe he's a stronger and bigger version of former Panthers and Ravens great Steve Smith. Others think he's the next Torry Holt. One thing is clear, most people in NFL circles expect Chase to have a major impact right away.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah likes Sewell's potential, but has some concerns about the 20-year-old lineman.

^{"Sewell has a huge frame, quick feet and strong hands. He has the foot quickness to kick out and cover up speed rushers in the passing game," Jeremiah wrote. "His hands can get too wide at times, which allows defenders to get underneath him (see: matchup against then-Auburn DT Derrick Brown in 2019). However, he stays connected and usually wins when he locks on. He has the ability to bend and drop his weight, but he gets too upright on occasion. Sewell does some special things in the run game. He can uproot defenders over his nose and he is explosive as a puller. The more I watched, I did have some concerns about his balance. He lunges at times and ends up on the ground more often than you'd like. Overall, Sewell isn't the most polished blocker in this class, but he does offer the most upside."}

Both Chase and Sewell will be upgrades for the Bengals. Is the drop off from Chase to the next tier of wide receivers greater than the difference between Sewell and the potential offensive linemen that could be available in round two?

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