I can hear the collective “forehead-slapping” going on out there as everyone is trying to understand why Mr. FishDuck would begin to pick on one of the most celebrated recruits coming to Oregon and a rare 5-Star at that?
It is because of a story shared on the Pac-12 Network by Yogi Roth in the Rose Bowl wrap-up show where he and Mike Yam discussed the future of Oregon football, the recruiting and a special Noah Sewell tidbit that is especially entertaining for Oregon fans. You know me … and it got me pondering after hearing it, and made do a little more homework and consequently launch that pondering project onto my favorite group of devoted Duck fans.
The challenge is the weight combined with the talent; his size at 6’2″ and 266 lbs. already, shouts for an ultimate destination at defensive end, and even defensive tackle by his final year. We are not new to observing how this works over the years as we all have watched how players fill out and add solid weight in their time at Oregon. And he is beginning his time at Oregon at 266 lbs.?
That is a crazy weight for running back or linebacker; no, let’s call it the way it is, as we never see that. Usually it goes the other way like Sampson Niu at 6’1″ and 206 lbs. Noah could be at 285 lbs. in a heartbeat with Aaron Feld‘s program and I just cannot wrap my mind around a running back or linebacker effectively playing at the weight. (In pass coverage?)
Noah is a pretty determined young man…
The section below is from Chris Courtney of Whole Flock of Ducks
Notable weaknesses:
Somewhat positionally ambiguous: It’s going to be interesting to see where Sewell winds up at the next level. Though he has a decent enough frame to develop into a defensive tackle, he’s on the smaller end of the spectrum in terms of the players you see at the collegiate and professional level. Linebacker may be his best fit, but he’s a little too bulky at his current weight. Running back could be a potential landing spot, but that’s a position he may be a bit overgrown for as well. In many ways, his ability to be a position-less football player is a strength, but his body type is such that it kind of makes him an odd fit at every position.
Weight could be an issue: He may be a multi-faceted physical marvel who has shown he can absolutely dominate at the high school level, but as Sewell transitions to college, his weight and the way his body matures will be something to note. The Ducks’ strength and conditioning program will no doubt relish the opportunity to mold Sewell into whatever they envision for him, but the direction his body will take him in is a bit of a mystery.
Notable strengths:
One of the rarest athletes you’ll see: It’s almost comical the things Noah Sewell can do on a football field. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 266 pounds, Sewell is a player who is built like a defensive tackle in-training, excels at linebacker, and moves like an elite-tier safety. And that’s just on defense. When lined up as a running back for his Orem High School team, he looks like a potential future All-American in the breath-taking way he combines size, speed, power, and agility. There are so many things that are remarkable about a prospect like Noah Sewell, but the physical quality that strikes us the most is the suddenness and agility he plays with for a person of his size. This is an athlete who was not just born to play football, but born to dominate from a physical standpoint.
Sewell plays with a seek and destroy mentality on the football field and is a player who understands the value of playing with a high level of physicality.
As an intense fan … how do you not get excited after a description of talent like that?
The Pac-12 Network pundits were howling about the upside of Noah Sewell…
There is an intriguing story about a performance by Sewell at The Opening shared by Yogi Roth of the Pac-12 Network that will confound your pondering even further…
“He was pegged as a guy who is going to put his hand on the ground. He’s going to be a defensive lineman (others were saying) and gonna maybe be a defensive tackle. There’s a drill where a defender has to chase down a running back in a small area, and Noah is hawking the dudes, I mean he is hawking dudes… As this is happening he is screaming at the coaches, to the opposition and to us as staff, (Pac-12 Network) and to the players..
You thought I was a D-Lineman? NOW what do you think?
He literally looked the part as a linebacker and is the most explosive player I’ve seen in shorts and a T-shirt, let alone when you watch him on tape. He’s going to be a star… I think right now when Mr. Sewell gets on campus–you’re going to feel him, and we’re going to feel this guy next season in the Ohio State game. He’s going to have his presence felt!”
My friends–these fellows such as Yogi Roth and Chris Courtney have been doing this type of analysis more in-depth than any of us, and it sure stirs the pot about where Mr. Sewell will play and end up at Oregon. Heck we don’t even know which side of the ball he’ll be on for certain! What I do know is that watching this player is going to provide that much more drama and entertainment this fall as someone like this could prove us all wrong.
“Oh how we love to ponder about Our Beloved Ducks!”
Charles Fischer (FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon Top Photo from Twitter
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Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 35 years and has written reports on football boards for over 23 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He and his wife Lois, have a daughter Christine, reside in Eugene Oregon, where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years and now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations.
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…
