When discussing Chicago Bears draft picks, the name that seemed to get glossed over the most was Noah Sewell. Not only was he a 5th round pick, but he was a linebacker. After the additions of Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards in free agency, fans weren’t much interested in seeing another addition to that position. It didn’t help that some draft experts felt he was a two-down player with limited athletic upside. However, others believe last season at Oregon didn’t reflect the real player he is. Coaching changes and some health setbacks masked what Sewell could be.
The rookie provided a taste of that on the final day of rookie minicamps. The defensive and offensive units were squaring off in 7-on-7s. Tyson Bagent, the Bears’ top quarterback in attendance, fired a pass over the middle to wide receiver Daurice Fountain. It proved to be a mistake. Sewell read the play well and skied to tip the ball out of the air. It dropped into the waiting hands of fellow draft pick Kendall Williamson for an interception.
Noah Sewell demonstrated an ability some said he didn’t have.
Analysts insisted he had limited pass coverage prowess because of his supposed lack of range. They seem to gloss over his two interceptions and nine pass breakups over his final two years at Oregon. It’s also easy to forget the guy had a better 40 time than 1st round pick Jack Campbell in Detroit. Maybe he has more juice than the testing numbers indicate. His instincts and awareness in zone coverage were on display. He read Bagent all the way and was ready when that pass came out.
Hopefully, this is merely a taste of what’s to come. One thing is clear. The Bears 2023 draft class hasn’t wasted time making noise in practice. Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith stood out in the first minicamp practice. Now Noah Sewell is getting in on the fun. No doubt Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, and Darnell Wright can’t wait for training camp when the pads go on. As first impressions go, the young linebacker is signaling those draft experts may have sold him short.
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