NFL Mock Draft: Commanders Go Off-Script For O-Lineman Trevor Penning

Having a quarterback in the NFL certainly helps win games and make runs at championships.

As much as the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals demonstrated this fact with Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow leading their squads respectively, the image of defensive tackle Aaron Donald harassing Burrow in the final moments of the biggest game of the year will be burned in the memories of everyone who witnessed it.

Perhaps this explains why the latest mock draft from Sports Illustrated has the Washington Commanders securing protection for a quarterback rather than, well, a quarterback.

With the 11th overall pick in SI's latest projections, the Washington Commanders select offensive tackle Trevor Penning of Northern Iowa. Says SI:

“Penning possesses powerful hands that can uproot defenders. He plays in a calm and composed manner, his footwork is smooth. He isn’t the most athletic, free-moving guy but he showed enough competence to block in space.”

SI continues by identifying Penning as a high-motor guy with a "mean mentality" who boasts powerful hands, the ability to block in space, and would be a future star on Washington’s offensive line.

While the front line unit for the Commanders' offense performed better than most expected in 2021, not many would call the unit the best in the league.

Still, the addition of Penning here feels a bit like a stretch, especially with Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh still on the board.

Pickett is viewed as the most "NFL ready" quarterback in this year’s class and - with Malik Willis (Liberty) going No. 9 to the Denver Broncos - is the best option at the most important position for the Commanders (assuming the team doesn’t land a veteran prior to April’s selection meeting).

In fact, the Pitt quarterback was the selection for the Washington Commanders in another recent mock draft.

It’s hard to say selecting one of the best pass protectors in the NFL Draft is a waste of a pick. But for a team that feels one or two players away from making real noise in the NFC East, bolstering one of the stronger parts of the roster instead of improving a weakness could prove costly down the stretch in the 2022-23 NFL season.

It’ll be fun to see how these continue to develop, as the pre-draft rosters take shape, with the new league year less than one month away.