When & Where Will Trevor Penning Go?
Trevor Penning stands 6'7" and weighs in at 325 pounds. He's been a starter for Northern Iowa the last three years and he has NFL fans perplexed. Some love him, some love to hate him. If Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus want a high motor and aggressive tackle who plays with a chip on his shoulder, look no further. There have been films released showing his ruthless aggression and finishing abilities. This is where fans start to argue.
Depending on which network or website you follow, Penning is ranked as high as the third-best tackle in this year's draft and as low as the sixth-best. Going in mock drafts to the Seahawks at #9, Chargers at #17, and some don't even have him going in the first round. Penning has a quick first step, able to get into position before the defender can throw a move. He has raw power, has the ability to drive, throw, and hold his ground. Finally, he has a motor that never seems to stop.
Some look at Penning's film and love it. They see a Quentin Nelson at a tackle position. Experts say he's comparable to Joe Staley. Others think of him as an offensive Ndamukong Suh, a bully that will end up hurting someone; opponents as well as teammates. In the Senior Bowl film, you can see Penning literally throwing a lineman, but the throw was directly into his quarterback's legs. He shows he's strong, though he didn't bench at the combine. He's aggressive, consistently playing to and through the whistle.
In the video below, Penning gets driven back, past the quarterback's position in the pocket. It was a bull rush from Kyron Johnson. Johnson is a 6'1" 225lb linebacker from Kansas. Penning had a two-step drop, Johnson made a jab to the inside, planted, and drove Penning straight backward. Leverage is huge when it comes to linemen, with the low man usually winning. Now, this is just one play, but Penning shows poor attitude after the whistle, still holding on to Johnson and then pushing him away. Again, some will say not wanting to lose is a good sign, it means he'll push to never lose. Others say it's blatant poor sportsmanship, a bad attitude is bad for the locker room.
The question remains; if Trevor Penning is on the board, who takes him? Is he the type of guy you trade up for? Or do you hold tight and go with someone else like an underrated Tyler Smith of Tulsa. What to do, what to do.
