Trevor Penning NFL Draft Overview
Position: Offensive Tackle
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 325 Lbs
School: University of Northern Iowa
Pro Day Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.89
Vertical jump: 28”
Broad jump: 9’3”
225 Lb. Bench Reps: Did not test
Trevor Penning 2022 NFL Draft Profile
When declaring for the NFL Draft, Trevor Penning was considered a Day 2 candidate from a small school. However, his pre-draft process has elevated him into top-10 pick conversations across the board. Staring during Senior Bowl week and again at the NFL Combine, teams are falling in love with Penning as a prospect. On film, he’s everything teams would desire in a young, rising, franchise blocker. Penning plays with a mean streak that just doesn’t quit. Further, that nastiness results in tremendous power. While he will need to cool a bit at the pro level to avoid penalties, refinement is only going to make him a better player. Granted, when that power works right, he just embarrassed his competition. In the run game, that results in a lot of pancake blocks and defenders hitting the turf.
Not a good run play here from Northern Iowa, but Penning crushes his man.
This offense loves their option runs and while the QB keeps the ball, Penning still dominates his assignment on the opposite end of the play. pic.twitter.com/f55tlYamkp
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) March 5, 2022
Plus, he has the technique and hand power to make a lot of pass rushers pay on the field. His one-hand punch is already a strong weapon in his toolbox, which goes quite well in tandem with his skillful footspeed. Penning does a tremendous job shuffling his feet and beating edge rushers to their spots. Already, his skillset appears ready for the pro game, and could enter camp as a leader to win a starting job. Sure, it may take Penning a rookie year of pits and peaks to excel as a pro. Still, he’s among a small group of plug-and-play tackles in the 2022 NFL Draft. Plus, the young tackle has the physique of a young star. Running a sub-five-second forty-yard dash at 6’7”, he’s a bit of a freak of nature. Interestingly, Trevor Penning also posted a 9.96 relative athletic score, which ranks atop the entire 2022 class of tackles.
Strengths
- Plays with tremendous nastiness
- Prototypical size for a franchise left tackle
- Foot speed shows quite well
- Performed well against Power 5 competition
- Shows excellent use of leverage
- Consistent, powerful bases set in pass protection
- Punches on edge rushers show serious power
- Good one-hand punch technique
Weaknesses
- Needs to clean up some of his aggression
- May take a little time getting up to speed against pros
- Occasionally gets hands a little too high
- Foot work does need play-to-play refinement
NFL Comparison: Taylor Lewan
Teams With Need at Position: Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens
Projection: Top-10 Pick
Bottom Line on Trevor Penning
Rising from small-school standout to top draft prospect, Trevor Penning gives teams a lot to like on the field. Sure, he needs to learn to cool his motor at the professional level. Once that issue clears itself, Penning is a high-reward prospect that gives teams a chance to land a franchise cornerstone. Further, his ready-made NFL skillset and size make him appealing for any team who hopes to take a playoff leap in 2022. Additionally, his ceiling could easily make him this year’s best tackle.
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