The Cincinnati Bengals went on a magic carpet ride in 2021 to Super Bowl LVI. However, their success was a bit shocking considering how bad they were in one area, the offensive line.

Quarterback Joe Burrow seemingly ran for his life on a weekly basis as the Bengals allowed the third-most sacks in 2021 (55). If they want to repeat their winning ways in 2022, the offensive line has to take a big step forward.

One guy who can help them do that is Trevor Penning, the left tackle out of Northern Iowa, whom Pro Football Focus recently labeled a fit with the Bengals.

Per PFF:

"From a data perspective, Penning is the most difficult to pin down of 2022’s top offensive tackles by virtue of playing at an FCS school and thus having less data points to compare to. While crunching numbers on him is more difficult, scouting reports tell us he is a technically sound pass blocker with room for improvement, and coach testimonials indicate he is a tremendous athlete. Additionally, while it doesn’t make too much of a difference, he does get style points for being notably nasty at the point of attack.

"The right side of the offensive line has been a thorn in the Bengals' side all season. No player who lined up on the right side of the offensive line for Cincinnati this season had a pass-blocking grade above 55.0 on true pass sets. They have been dreadful, to say the least. Penning presents a clear opportunity to improve upon this weakness."

Drae Harris of The Draft Network penned the following:

"Trevor Penning is a redshirt senior who aligns at Left Tackle for the Panther offense. good athlete with good explosion and agility to get out on the perimeter. In the run game, he is a nasty and physical player. He has a savage temperament and has finished several plays with the defender on the ground. He is extremely powerful at the point of attack and gets consistent vertical movement in the run game. However, due to his size and inability to bend extremely well, leverage issues are of slight concern against smaller edge defenders. In the passing game, he has been a dominant player in the Missouri Valley Conference. He bends a little at the waist which gets him in trouble at times. He had a couple instances of struggling with the hard inside move by quicker defenders. Although he is a good athlete overall, when he has to move laterally, he has shown instances of struggling. He doesn’t bend exceptionally well, which results in him bending at the waist at times. When his posture isn’t good, it affects his balance while in his pass set. However, he has a powerful punch and is virtually impossible to bull rush. He demonstrates very good length and range and could suffice in the NFL at left tackle. However, he may be a better fit on the right side."

Penning showed versatility during his college days, starting games at left and right tackle during his redshirt junior season. Also, recently at the Senior Bowl, Penning took reps at guard as well.

The Bengals should certainly keep Penning on their radar when the draft comes in April. It gets intense in the trenches and Penning has no problem being a bully at 6-foot-7, 330-pounds.

Feature image via Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports