Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa OT | NFL draft scouting report

The UNI Panthers produced a Day 2 pick in 2021 nfl draft at Spencer Brown. Is there another OT from northern Iowa with an NFL Draft scouting report worthy of early-round hype in Trevor Penning? It’s early days, but Penning is already a long way from the path Brown followed in the winter of 2021. Could Penning be a Day 2 pick like Brown, or perhaps transcend that boundary altogether?

Trevor Penning NFL Draft Profile

• Position: offensive tackle
• College: northern iowa
• Current year: major red shirt
• Height: 6’7″
• Weight: 340 pounds

Trevor Penning’s scouting report

When you think of offensive tackle factories, the Northern Iowa Panthers probably aren’t the first football program on the list. But when all is said and done in the 2022 NFL Draft, UNI could end up producing more early-round offensive tackles in the last two drafts than programs like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgia and Oklahoma. set.

The supreme talent behind this achievement may ultimately be Penning. Penning is a monstrous behemoth at 6’7″, 340 pounds, and in the field, he’s exactly as imposing as you’d expect. A dominant FCS competitor who has shone brilliantly against the talented Power Five, Penning has the tools to rise. But what makes your game so exciting?

Trevor Penning Athletic Profile

Let’s start with the numbers. Again, Penning is 6’7″ and weighs 340 pounds. It has an extremely well-proportioned frame with excellent density and length. That length gives Penning a wide range of impact when locked in motion. With his long, smooth strides, he can cover a surprising amount of ground in space. Meanwhile, with his size, he has the ability to lower his pad level and also has good knee flex.

Also, Penning is a great athlete. he is on the list Feldman’s monster list, and according to Bruce Feldman, Penning could run close to a 40-yard dash in five seconds at his size. He also has a program record squat of 625 pounds and power clean of 385 pounds. That athleticism and strength are clearly on display on tape.

Penning is a powerful blocker who overpowers lighter defenders at the point of attack. It has great upper body torque and a ton of potential energy stored within its frame. The OT from northern Iowa brings a nice straight-line explosion when he moves to the second level, and he’s exceptionally explosive out of his stance. When pairing up runners along the rim, Penning is a pretty efficient player. He moves his hips to match defenders around the rim and walls of the pocket.

In addition to Penning’s athletic traits, he is also extremely strong. That is evidenced not only by his numbers in the weight room but also by his game on the field. Penning has an imposing grip strength. He can latch onto players and fight them into submission.

Execution beyond athletic traits

Like Brown before him, Penning is a top-tier athletic talent. While he may not be as purely athletic as Brown (that’s a high bar to beat), he may be more equipped to stay strong in the face of top-level competition than his counterpart.

One of the first things that stand out about Penning is his hands. The OT from northern Iowa has fast, violent hands, actively aiming for his opponents’ arms to deny lunges. He has shown he can rack up fast breaks in pass protection and his hands have good synergy. You can set an anchor while inflicting strong lateral force.

Penning’s hands are only made more dangerous by the mentality that goes with them. Penning is an absolute mauler. If he gets influence, he will try to bring you down. It’s as simple as that. The UNI product craves opportunities to dominate their opponents. He has an aggressive help mentality when not busy in pass protection and knows how to transfer his weight to take advantage of off-balance opponents.

Although proactive in replacing defenders, Penning has an underrated balance of patience and aggression. While he sometimes dashes, most of the time he lets defenders get into his range before attacking and doesn’t often compromise his center of gravity. To that end, he’s a relatively instinctive blocker who understands positioning and leverage at an angle.

Areas to improve

Penning is an extremely fun player with a legitimate early lead. With that being said, the OT from northern Iowa can clean up a few things as he moves into the NFL. There are several inconsistencies in Penning’s tape, but his balance is one of the most notable qualms.

Penning’s base is not always stable when anchored. Can lose balance against longer opponents. Sometimes he also fails to keep his balance through offensive maneuvers. This can affect your ability to hold blocks at the second level. Also, you can work on better countering force with your feet.

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As good as Penning’s center of gravity is, he sometimes plays a little off balance. Another factor that affects your balance is your extension time. Although Penning has good patience, she can still better complement her extensions with proper positioning. He can also rely on these extensions and get past his opponents, a strategy that may need adjustment in the NFL.

Going further, Penning can soak up power, but he doesn’t always hold up when he can’t make first contact. Penning’s grip strength, while solid, can be broken with forceful movements. Also, there is some stiffness present when you need to recover laterally. His feet are a bit heavy at times, although he generally moves well.

Among other notes, the level of the Penning pad can sometimes be high. His hand accuracy still has room for improvement, and his hands and feet may have better synergy. Penning can be aggressive and prone to penalties when he loses leverage. Also, you can focus on bending your elbows more often to maximize the potential energy of your punches.

Penning’s NFL Draft Scouting Report Overview

There are some areas where Penning can further refine his game. Both athletically and operationally, though, there are a few things to be excited about. While Penning isn’t as athletic as his former teammate Brown, he’s still a great athlete. Penning’s short-range explosiveness allows him to get into position quickly, and he has enough lateral mobility to match running backs around the rim.

In addition to his athleticism, Penning has a massive, well-proportioned frame. It has elite length and wears it quite well. Sometimes shows great use of the hand. And to top it off, he’s a mean, nasty mauler who could be one of the most aggressive linemen in the 2022 NFL Draft. There’s very little to suggest he can’t be one of the top tackles off the board.

The level of competition will be an issue for some, but Penning shut down Iowa State EDGE McDonald IV? when they played in early September. NFL scouts no doubt picked up on that, and as PFN chief NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline reported, in late 2021, some scouts they already have Penning ranked as the best tackle in the class.

Evan Neal still number 1 for me, and others like charles cross Y Ikem Ekwonu they are also comfortably ahead of the UNI OT. However, Penning is in that early-round mix. Through off-season testing and the larger bowl, it should just keep trending up.

Penning Player Profile

Northern Iowa’s recruiting staff has proven adept at finding offensive line talent to mold. Brown was a long, underweight tight end before adding mass and becoming a book blocker. Same thing with Penning, who was a lanky 6’6″, 235 pounds. two way player leaving Newman Catholic High School in Mason City, Iowa.

Penning played defensive end and tight end for his high school team, but the Panthers drafted him as a draft. Penning was brought in as a moldable talent and, years later, he would emerge as one of the most dominant offensive tackles at the FCS level.

Penning’s run in northern Iowa

Penning redshirted for the 2017 season in northern Iowa as he prepared to transition to the offensive line. He put on weight, and by 2018, he weighed 289 pounds, approaching the 300-pound mark.

Penning began gaining experience in 2018, playing in four games as a blocker. But his first real experience as a starter would come in 2019. That year, the OT from northern Iowa started all 15 games. He rose through the ranks with Brown and ended up starting opposite him at left tackle. That duo of size and athleticism became kryptonite for pass-rushers everywhere.

In a truncated spring 2021 season, Penning gained more valuable experience. He started six games, including one at right tackle, displaying great positional versatility. However, the 2021 fall season was the biggest showcase for Penning. And as expected, he crushed it.

Penning started all 12 games and earned consensus first-team recognition in all conferences. He was also the only offensive lineman to be honored as a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the best offensive player at the FCS level.

Penning’s Ascension to the NFL Draft

Learn Penning’s name if you don’t already. The small-school tackle may not have the name recognition of other tackles, but he’s certainly a top draft prospect with a head start in the NFL.

Penning isn’t as athletic as Brown, but that shouldn’t be used to diminish his own athleticism. Brown literally proved himself as the most athletic tackle in recorded history, and Penning is no slouch. Videos show him diving into a windmill at 6’7″ and over 300lbs. He’s got the goods and the road leveling mentality too.

With his full mix of size, length, athleticism, power and good natural leverage for his frame, Penning has a stellar foundation to build on. Add in his instincts and tenacious puncher’s mentality, and it’s not unreasonable to say that Penning could overtake Brown and maybe even challenge for a Round 1 spot if all goes well.

That may seem out there, but Penning will be in the Senior Bowl. You can inflate your shares in Mobile, and it’s going to perform extremely well for its size. Plus, his contagious and commanding attitude on the field is sure to win over scouts from all 50 states. He will have to continue to refine his hands at a professional level and strive for greater technical consistency, but the qualities and mindset of a dominant tackle are there.