Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, the 2019 Outland Trophy winner, will opt out of the 2020-21 college football season and prepare for the NFL draft, he announced Monday.
Sewell is ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the country by ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., behind Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Sewell’s decision comes a little over a month after the Pac-12 postponed all athletic competition through the calendar year as a result of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Thank You. pic.twitter.com/5j5agPK82r
— Penei Sewell 🇦🇸 (@peneisewell58) September 7, 2020
Sewell, who is from American Samoa and attended high school in Utah, burst onto the scene as a true freshman for the Ducks in 2018.
In his sensational second season, he became the first sophomore, and first Polynesian, to win the Outland Trophy. He also was a unanimous first-team All-American selection.