Trevor Penning
Sometimes an athlete has to evolve their game to become a role player. Sometimes a role player evolves into being a star. This week’s Moonlighter went from being a backup on his middle school team to becoming a first-round pick in the NFL draft. Trevor Penning grew up, and we certainly do mean grew, in small town Iowa. He went to a small high school and then an FCS school. But now, at 6’7 and 330 pounds and as a first-round draft pick, everything about him is big time.
Trevor Penning didn’t start out as a first-round lock. In fact, as an 8th grader at Clear Lake, he was on the B team for football. He transferred to Mason City Newman because he wanted to play baseball with the guys he had played travel ball with. He didn’t take sports too seriously at that point but enjoyed being on the team. Over the next few years, he decided to hang up his bat and glove and start focusing on the football field. He continued to develop physically and started to pop up on the college recruiting radar.
Going from a backup 8th grader to a standout player in smalltown high school football is one thing but stepping up to an FCS powerhouse is a much more challenging transformation. Trevor Penning credits the strength program at UNI for his progress from reserve to starter. The intensity and quality of that program stand out from what Penning has seen from coaches and teammates around the country. His development in his first few years was incredible as he progressed into an all-conference player for the Panthers.
One catalyst for his growth was the lockdown surrounding Covid. When the season was canceled, and the future was uncertain, Penning and his brother decided to train together and keep the level of expectations they had learned from the strength coaching staff. Penning credits that time with helping him make his biggest leaps physically and in terms of his confidence.
The progress Trevor Penning has made over the last few years garnered the attention of NFL scouts from around the league. Going into the 2022 draft Penning was projected as a top offensive tackle pick across the board. Instead of ordering a tailored suit and getting his look right for the cameras, Penning ordered pizza, beer, and a few shots for his draft party at the OP in Clear Lake. His family, teammates, and friends celebrated when they heard his name called as the 19th pick by the New Orleans Saints. Trevor Penning has already brought the same grit and work ethic to his rookie camp and mini-camps with the Saints and looks to be a contributor as the season gets started in just a few weeks.
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Jon Wisnieski’s name may be hard to spell, but it is even harder to forget for Des Moines metro Hawkeye fans. He was a star from Dowling Catholic High School and a highly touted recruit heading east to Iowa City. Jon played alongside some of the top names coming out of Tight End U during his five years in black and gold. Injuries sidetracked his college career but haven’t slowed him down since. Just in time for Cy-Hawk week, Jon Wiznieski gives the inside look at his time for both Dowling and the Hawkeyes and life beyond football.