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Utah native and Oregon Duck Penei Sewell selected No. 7 in NFL draft by Detroit Lions

Sewell’s family moved from American Samoa to St. George in 2012 before he starred at Desert Hills High School

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2019, file photo, Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell (58) looks on as Oregon plays Auburn in an NCAA college football game, in Arlington, Texas. Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Oregon tackle Penei Sewell are among 11 players selected to The Associated Press preseason All-America first-team, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, who are not slated to play this fall. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins, File)

  | April 30, 2021, 1:37 a.m.
| Updated: 1:44 a.m.

Penei Sewell will be charged with making sure Jared Goff stays upright for the foreseeable future.

Sewell, a junior offensive tackle from the University of Oregon and the 2019 Outland Trophy recipient as the nation’s best interior lineman, was selected by the Detroit Lions with the No. 7 overall pick Thursday evening as the NFL draft conducted its first round in Cleveland.

Sewell’s four-year rookie contract, plus a fifth-year team option, is projected as being worth just over $24 million, which will include a $14.9 million signing bonus.

After his family moved from American Samoa to St. George in 2012, Sewell became one of the nation’s most-coveted recruits in the class of 2018 while excelling at Desert Hills High School in St. George.

Upon arrival in Eugene, Sewell started all seven games he played in as a true freshman missing the other six due to injury. In addition to winning the Outland Trophy in 2019, Sewell won the Morris Trophy, presented annually to the Pac-12′s top lineman.

Sewell opted out of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season on Sept. 7 with the intention of declaring for the NFL draft. Without Sewell, Oregon still finished 4-3, winning the Pac-12 championship game against USC and gaining a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.