The 2022 NFL Draft takes place April 28-30 this year, emanating LIVE from Las Vegas, Nevada. As it stands, the Tennessee Titans have one first round draft pick. General manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel currently hold the 26th overall selection. Over the next few months, your boy “Big Natural” Stoney Keeley will be taking a look at some of the prospects who are either rumored to be tied to or who make sense for the Titans. Today, we’re lookin’ at Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning.
We’ve established that the Titans are going to need some offensive line help through the draft. All due respect to Jamarco Jones, he ain’t coming in here to start at left guard, right tackle, and provide competition and depth. My man can’t do it all. I know it’s not the most exciting idea in the world among Titans fans, but after seeing how they’ve approached free agency so far, I’m thinking the pick at #26 is going to be offensive line more and more each day. One of the guys who could be in play, and a guy I’ve seen mocked to the Titans several times, is Trevor Penning.
While Penning has some experience at right tackle during his career at Northern Iowa, he is primarily a left tackle. To me, I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of moving him to another spot. He looks like a left tackle. Since I’m a ‘bad news first’ kind of guy, let’s get the concerns out of the way first. Penning needs a lot of work on his technique. I thought he was moved around a little too much at the Senior Bowl, though the media consensus was that he absolutely crushed it in Mobile that week. He kept leaving his feet for some reason in pass pro sets – I’m not sure if he was being moved that way or what, but it wasn’t the tightest technique from a form standpoint. He plays a little too high, and that could be part of the problem. He can be reactionary with his hands instead of dictating the play. These things combine to put him in poor positions on occasion. I think the ‘small school’ concerns are valid in Penning’s case because he could easily overcome those things at Northern Iowa because of his size and power.
But, there is plenty to like about him as a prospect. Namely, he is aggressive and plays chippy…maybe too chippy at times, but he is mean and nasty. That’s something you typically like in an offensive lineman. He is quick into his stance and has the movement skills to get in front of anybody. I did think he did a good job of rerouting guys in 1:1 drills at the Senior Bowl. The hallmark of his game, in my assessment anyway, is how good his play strength is in the running game. He can be an anchor and really seal the edge. I just think he’ll need to end up in a situation with a great offensive line coach that can fine tune his technique, and I think he needs a little more time than people are thinking right now. I don’t know that Penning is going to benefit from being in a situation where a team needs him to immediately be the franchise tackle.
With immediate needs at guard and right tackle, I don’t think the Titans are in a position to take a left tackle to groom under Taylor Lewan, even if this guy is supposed to have the potential to be the next Taylor Lewan. And, I’m not sure that you’re successfully moving Penning to the right side either. This one just doesn’t seem like good timing.
Further Reading: Senior Bowl: Trevor Penning Is Destined To Headline WrestleMania
2022 TITANS FIRST ROUND OPTIONS
- Jahan Dotson
- Zion Johnson
- Tyler Linderbaum
- Roger McCreary
- Trey McBride
- Desmond Ridder
- Jalen Tolbert
- Jalen Wydermyer
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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