John Penisini Overview
Position: Interior Defensive Line
Height: 6’-1”
Weight: 318 pounds
School: Utah
NFL Combine Performance Data
Bench Press: 23 reps
Vertical Jump: 25.5”
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.93 seconds
John Penisini 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After spending the past three seasons at Utah, Juco Senior John Penisini is taking his talents to the professional level. The 6’-1”, 318-pound interior lineman is coming off arguably the best season of his collegiate career. Anchoring the defensive line, Penisini recorded 16 run stops, two sacks, two quarterback hits, and 11 hurries on 545 snaps.
Penisini hardly received any interest coming out of high school and had to start his collegiate career at junior college. He quickly outshined the opposing competition and, after two seasons, became the top junior college prospect in the nation. He eventually committed to Utah and spent the majority of his first season on the bench. However, he earned a starting job in 2018, recording 19 run stops, four sacks, three hits, and 27 hurries in 541 snaps.
Strengths
- Old-school nose tackle capable of holding his own against double teams;
- Strong upper body strength combined with great hand work;
- Creates great leverage with upper and lower body working in unison;
- Eats up space so linebackers can make plays against the run;
- Effective club move creates separation between him and the blocker.
Weaknesses
- Not much of a threat in the passing game;
- Holds his ground, but rarely forces pressure and collapses the pocket;
- North-south type of defender that struggles when forced to move laterally;
- Slightly undersized for the position;
- Limited rushing toolset – could stand to add an extra move or two.
NFL Comparison: Danny Shelton
Teams With Need at Position: Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins
Projection: 5th/6th Round
Bottom Line on John Penisini
John Penisini would be a highly coveted prospect if he were draft-eligible in 1992. The interior lineman thrives against the run and is capable of eating space and holding up against double teams. It’s rare to watch him ever lose his footing or get pushed backwards, regardless of the competition he faces. While he doesn’t have the best stats, his job in Iowa’s defense was to eat space and allow linebackers to accumulate the numbers. He’s fundamentally sound with powerful hands and a full-body unison that allows him to gain ideal leverage on a high percentage of his reps. His main pass-rushing move is an effective club move, although it can get repetitive after a full game.
Unfortunately for Penisini, his game simply isn’t that valuable in today’s NFL. True nose tackles are basically extinct, and it’s hard to see the field if you don’t show up against the pass. Penisini is not a pocket-collapser by any means and doesn’t have the speed to get past guards and centers. Nobody questions his strength, but his quickness, agility, and lack of moves make it unlikely that he’ll ever be a good pass-rusher. Barring a dramatic change in play style, Penisini is capped at being a solid early-down rotational run stuffer. It’s hard to justify more than a mid- to late-round pick on a player like that.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
