Note: The NFL Draft begins April 28 and the Green Bay Packers have the 22nd and 28th pick in the first round. Between now and then, I’ll examine 20 players the Packers could select with either of those picks.
Today, we look at Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning.
TREVOR PENNING, OT, NORTHERN IOWA
THE SKINNY
Overlooked, rail-thin high school player who had just two Division 1 offers coming out of Newman Catholic High School in Mason City, Iowa. The 6-foot-7 Penning was just 250 pounds when he arrived at Northern Iowa — and he left 80 pounds heavier.
Penning started the last three years at left tackle, dominating lesser competition throughout. In essence, he was a big fish in a small pond.
Penning allowed four sacks and 21 pressures in 2019, then made dramatic improvement during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.
In 2021, Penning allowed just one sack and 11 pressures and was named first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference. He was also named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award as the top player at the FCS level.
Penning then had an impressive Senior Bowl and has likely worked his way into the first round.
MEASURABLES
Height: 6-7
Weight: 330
Bench press: —
40-yard dash: 4.89
Vertical jump: 28
Broad jump: 9’3”
Arms: 34 1/4”
Hands: 10 1/8”
SCOUTING REPORT
Penning is one of the nastiest, most violent players in this draft — something offensive line coaches love.
He has rare size and athleticism. He also has long arms, big hands and a tremendous wingspan making it extremely hard to speed rush him.
Penning’s nastiness is most evident in the run game, where several plays have finished with his man on the ground. Penning’s lower body strength is tremendous, meaning he anchors extremely well and is tough to bull rush.
What Penning doesn’t do well is bend, which makes leverage against smaller defenders a concern. His lack of experience against top-flight competition will also be an issue for many teams.
Due to Penning’s size and vast potential, most teams project him to play left tackle. Penning is extremely versatile, though, and has a skill set ideally suited to the right side — especially early in his career.
PACKERS’ PREDICAMENT
Green Bay had one of the deepest offensive lines in football last season. In the past month, though, the Packers released starting right tackle Billy Turner, while starting guard Lucas Patrick signed with Chicago in free agency. In addition, key reserve Dennis Kelly remains a free agent and it appears unlikely Green Bay will resign him.
The Packers have a solid starting five if left tackle David Bakhtiari and guard/tackle Elgton Jenkins can return to past form from ACL injuries. Those are big if’s, though, and either way, Green Bay’s depth must be replinished.
If the Packers draft a tackle like Penning, they could play him on the right side and leave Jenkins at left guard. It also gives them options if Bakhtiari and/or Jenkins struggled to regain their past form.
THEY SAID IT
AFC national scout told Pro Football Network about Penning: “That guy has a legitimate mean streak, and he can flat-out play. He’s for real. I would definitely want him on my team. Sign me up for a tough guy like that. He’s a little bit raw in terms of technique, but we can teach that and make him even better. He’s got a great future in the NFL ahead of him.”
Penning said: “I just want to show I can translate my game from the FCS level to the NFL. Senior Bowl was a great upgrade from what I was playing. Not as much as what you guys think competition level. There’s some really good players at the FCS. But going to that NFL level, the next step, you’ve just got to be ready for it and get ready to work.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper on Penning: “He makes things look easy. Yes, it’s a big leap to the NFL, but I think he has the traits to be an early starter.”
Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley on Penning as a high schooler: “He could really run well, and it was, ‘What could we make him into over the course of time?’ ” It’s more about getting the sense of if they will put the effort in and the time in to be the players we think they can be.
“Now, he’s elite and he’s elite because of how hard he plays. He will test as good as anyone. Go watch his film. It’s how hard he plays and the passion he plays with. You can’t hide that on film.”
PREVIOUS PLAYERS SPOTLIGHTED
• Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave
• Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann
• Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks
• Purdue outside linebacker George Karlaftis
• Boston College offensive tackle Zion Johnson
