2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

Nick looks at UNI's Trevor Penning, who has the basic toolset to develop into an NFL offensive tackle.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Mar 21, 2022 8:00 AM EDT

Trevor Penning, OT

Height: 6’7
Weight: 325 lbs.
Class: RS-Senior
School: Northern Iowa
Arm length: 34 ¼”
Hand size: 10 ⅛”

An under recruited offensive tackle prospect out of Newman Catholic High School. In Mason City, Iowa, Penning was a standout high school athlete, who earned first-team all-district, and he letters in basketball and track and field. Penning committed to UNI and then received a scholarship. Penning was a teammate of current Giants’ EDGE Elerson Smith.

Notables

Penning had a phenomenal senior season where he only allowed eleven pressures and a sack. He saw minimal action in 2018 before starting in 2019; he allowed four sacks and 21 pressures.

His 2020 season was shortened by COVID-19, but his play was seemingly better. However, he had one of the highest run-blocking grades in Pro Football Focus history with a grade of 99.9.

The context of Penning playing at the FCS level allowed him to dominate competitors that were never going to be NFL players. Penning accepted his invite to both the Senior Bowl and Combine.

He was one of the most discussed players at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, due to his pugnacious nature through the whistle. Penning and defenders almost fought several times throughout the event. That nastiness is much desired by offensive line coaches.

Penning was a big fish in a small pond. He’s a great athlete with unique size, and he earned a spot on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List before the 2021 season.

Penning earned first-team All-MVFC, and was an FCS All-American. He played mostly left tackle, with a game started at right guard through his career. Here is his testing from the NFL Scouting Combine:

40-yard-dash: 4.89
Vertical jump: 28”
Broad jump: 111”
3-Cone: 7.25
Short-shuttle: 4.62

Strengths

Rare size/athletic ability combination
Good overall length - meets the “threshold” for OT
Players of his size shouldn’t move the way he can
Good low angular build presnap, with excellent bend through his body
Covers ground laterally with quickness and good foot speed
Solid processing to adjust during plays
Inital quickness off the snap is solid
Pass sets are solid, has explosiveness to gain necessary depth when vertical setting
Hands pop on contact
Excellent play strength when attacking, finishes blocks with authority
Good anchor, does a solid job absorbing contact and resetting his hips with a wide base
Does a solid job mirroring once engaged (could be better at sustaining blocks and disallowing defenders from accessing his outside shoulder)
Excellent run defender who has the quickness to reach & finish, the strength to wash defenders down the LOS, and he does well with positioning and hip placement in base block situations
Physical finisher when in combo blocks
Does a solid job climbing off combo blocks (can stay a bit too long on them)
Solid at the second level (can lean a bit, but has the AA to locate)
Insane competitor who would eat glass to win a rep
Elite finishing ability that could get him trouble at the next level - too firey
Always looking for work, looking to hurt

Want to check out more NFL Draft profiles by Nick Falato?

Click here to see those already posted.

Gallery

1 Images

Can Improve

Went to jump set when he should 45 at times, led to him leaning too far with his punches
Pad level is too high after snap (product of being 6’7)
Balance wasn’t consistent, it would wain when moving despite his bend
Hand technique needs work
Timing/placement is inconsistent
Wish he had stronger hands
Hand deficiencies allowed defenders to get into his outside shoulder - hip to hip

Opens hips prematurely up arc

Hand replacement once hand fighting isn’t as clean as other first-round tackles
Stuck to the penetrator too much on twists, allowed looper easier alley to quarterback
Love his meanness, but he can be very undisciplined at times - had 16 penalties in 2021
Can also get grabby with his hands; through 1,995 total snaps, he was penalized 34 times
Finished a lot of blocks with brute strength - how translatable is that in the NFL?
Played at the FCS level

Summary

Overall, Trevor Penning offers an excellent blend of size, speed, nastiness, and strength. He possesses the necessary bend, length, and athletic movement skills to be a dynamic tackle in the NFL.

Offensive line coaches will love his fire, but he may have to tame some of the extra shots he gives to defenders after the whistle. I understand the intrigue with Penning, but he still has issues. His strike timing, placement, and inconsistent hands in pass protection allowed smaller-level athletes to get into his outside shoulder far too often.

His hands need work, and he has to be a more disciplined player. Penning has a high ceiling and the necessary work ethic and physical traits to reach that ceiling. It may not happen in year one, but he has the chance to be a good starter in the league.

GRADE: 6.63