The 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl has come and gone and there were a number of players who saw their draft stock rise throughout the week.
One such player is Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning, who proved to be one of the best offensive tackles in Mobile. While he wasn’t flawless, he got better each day and earned high marks for his effort and aggressiveness.
Penning is highly experienced, playing nearly 2,000 snaps over the last three seasons. However, he doesn’t have a ton of work against high-quality opponents. That’s why his performance at the Senior Bowl will go a long way to helping him his draft stock as he blocked some of the best pass rushers in the country.
In a recent article by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, he wrote that Penning would make a ton of sense for the Raiders in Round 1. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the senior offensive tackle:
“The Raiders should look to bolster an offensive line that allowed 40 sacks in 2021 while paving the way for a rushing attack ranked just 27th in yards per carry. Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning could help do exactly that.
The 34th-ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s big board, the 22-year-old has experience at both right and left tackle and could be a great replacement for impending free agent Brandon Parker on the right side.”
It remains to be seen what the new coaching staff thinks of Alex Leatherwood, who was drafted at No. 17 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The previous front office believed that he could be a starting right tackle in the NFL, but they quickly moved him to guard after just a few games.
If the new front office and coaching staff come to the same conclusion, then right tackle will be a big need for the Raiders this offseason. Penning has the size, length and athleticism to be a long-term solution on the right side for Las Vegas. But will he be available at No. 22? That remains to be seen.
