When the New Orleans Saints drafted offensive tackle Trevor Penning out of Northern Iowa in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, it came with a lot of skepticism. His rookie campaign was an immense struggle, as he didn't see the field until Week 12 due to a torn ligament in his foot, and didn't record 90% of offensive snaps until Week 18, in a game where he eventually suffered a Lisfranc fracture.
In 2023, things started to spiral downwards. Penning started the first five games of the season before eventually losing his job due to constant penalties, missed blocks, and poor footwork. He still played in all 17 games, but in limited roles, and never saw more than seven percent of the offensive snaps the rest of the season.
Saints fans, rightfully so, began to worry that yet another Dennis Allen draft pick had failed to pan out, making 2024 the most important year for Trevor Penning. While it was clearly a make-or-break year, expectations were low for the young lineman, who switched from left to right tackle.
However, Penning has finally started to live up to expectations, starting all 10 games the Saints have played this season, while allowing just two sacks all year. Penning's 647 offensive snaps played ranks fifth in the entire NFL.
Trevor Penning among OTs in Week 10:
— PFF NO Saints (@PFF_Saints) November 12, 2024
⚜️ 92.8 PFF grade (1st)
⚜️ 94.7 run-blocking grade (1st)
⚜️ 27 pass-blocking snaps
⚜️ 1 pressure allowed pic.twitter.com/lszD491kT4
His growth was on full display in New Orleans’ Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, as he was not only the highest-graded Saints player for the week, but the highest-graded offensive tackle in the league.
Trevor Penning, for the first time in his NFL career has established himself as one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL and was recognized for it by PFF. Penning has always played with grit and passion throughout his career, and now he's finally piecing it all together. If he keeps this up, the future is bright on the New Orleans offensive line.