By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: For the 2021 NFL Draft, Northern Iowa had an offensive tackle who created a buzz in the scouting community with Spencer Brown, and the program has an even better prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft in Trevor Penning. Penning was a 3-year starter at Northern Iowa and then performed well at the Senior Bowl against the higher level of competition.
Penning is a gifted pass blocker with a combination of length, athleticism, quickness and agility. His quick enough feet help him get depth in his drop to take away the edge from speed rushers, and his long frame makes it hard for defenders to get around him. Penning plays with good leverage to stop bull rushes and is able to bend at the knee. Occasionally, Penning opens up his chest too much and is slow to adjust to moves to the inside or outside that he doesn’t anticipate. Thus, he is not a finished product and needs some developmental time. Coming from his lower level of competition, it could be in the best interest of both Penning and his pro team to spend half the 2022 season acclimating him as a backup before working him into the starting lineup.
In the ground game, Penning has some real nastiness to him. He can knock defenders out of their gaps and ride them around the field. Penning blocks through the whistle and is very physical at the point of attack, regularly planting defenders into the ground with serious force. Penning will violently shove defenders, push theming around and challenging them to hold in their gaps. Penning is a bully on the field who fights hard and finishes off defenders with zero hesitation. He might earn some penalties for being too physical, but he sets a nasty tone and defenders are in for a long day of work when they face him. Additionally, Penning is quick out of stance and can get to blocks on the second level, so that combined with his drive-block ability makes him a great fit for either a zone blocking or power man scheme at the next level.
Penning looks like he possesses the ability to be a good starting left tackle in the NFL. His team could also use him as an excellent right tackle. Penning is likely a future first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Player Comparison: Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga (6-5, 314) and Penning are similar size, with both having plus athleticism and some nastiness as blockers. Bulaga was a late first-rounder, and Penning should go in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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