Lions Penei Sewell Ranked as PFF's Best Player Under 25

The Detroit Lions were once again well-represented on Pro Football Focus' annual list of top 25 players under the age of 25.

In fact, it was Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell who took the top spot, beating out Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. It is a back-to-back title for Sewell, who also was ranked first last season.

Sewell has waisted little time becoming one of top offensive linemen in all of football since the Lions drafted him seventh overall in the 2021 draft. He has earned Pro Bowl recognition in each of the last three seasons, and First Team All-Pro honors in each of the last two.

The Oregon product graded out as the best player to meet the age requirement over a three-year span, with a 92.6 overall grade.

"Sewell led this list last year, and after another dominant season as one of the three highest-graded players at his position, his spot at the top remains solidified," wrote PFF's Jonathon Macri. "Sewell’s run-blocking ability is his best asset, as he owns a 95.2 PFF run-blocking grade for his career — the second-best mark among all offensive linemen since entering the league in 2021."

Detroit had four other representatives ranked on this year's list, including safety Brian Branch (No. 8) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 10) rounding out the list's top 10. Elsewhere, tight end Sam LaPorta was ranked No. 23 and safety Kerby Joseph was ranked 25th.

Branch, Gibbs and LaPorta are all members of the Lions' 2023 draft class, with Gibbs being a first-round pick and Branch and LaPorta being selected in the second round.

Gibbs has quickly become one of the league's most dynamic players, as he offers speed and versatility as both a ball-carrier and pass-catcher out of the backfield. Branch has also shown plenty of versatility, as he switched to safety full-time last season after playing nickel cornerback as a rookie.

LaPorta has been an often-utilized safety blanket for quarterback Jared Goff. He set the NFL record for receptions by a rookie tight end in 2023, and was once again very useful for the offense in a solid sophomore campaign in 2024.

Joseph, meanwhile, was a third-round choice in 2022 and earned First Team All-Pro honors last season after leading the league in interceptions. Because his third NFL season was a breakout campaign, his production didn't fit the billing to move him up the list.

"Joseph would have been much higher on this top-25 list had his All-Pro 2024 campaign — which earned him a large new contract — extended to his previous seasons," Macri wrote. "He was the top-graded safety overall (90.4) and in coverage (91.1) this past season, but he ranked 50th or lower in PFF coverage grade in each year before 2024. However, while those first two seasons were used as a tie-breaker that pushed him down the list, he ultimately deserved to make the cut after an excellent 2024 season."