Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1340947
Players like four-star o;ensive line
prospect Landon Tengwall have the po-
tential to be game-changers for a pro-
gram. There is constant talk about Penn
State football being able to take the next
step and competing in the College Foot-
ball Playo;. It would be unfair to say
that any one player, even one as impres-
sive as Tengwall, can put the Nittany
Lions in that category. But his commit-
ment to the program is a sign that they
are on their way down that path.
STRENGTHS
SIZE/ATHLETICISM It is not hyperbole
to say that Tengwall looks like an NFL
lineman already. Standing 6-foot-5, the
Maryland native is a natural 303 pounds
and has a 9t, athletic build that looks
lean and agile. On top of that, he's al-
ready on campus as an early enrollee,
which means that he'll have 9ve months
of growth and development before be-
ginning his 9rst fall camp. Tengwall
simply has to stay the course and con-
tinue to put in the work to develop his
body for the college level.
He also moves very well for his size.
Tengwall's ability to play in space on
pulls and lead blocks, paired with loose
hips that allow him to quickly seal
blocks at the line of scrimmage, make
him a well-rounded prospect.
FOOTWORK This is what really separates
him as a high school prospect and makes
his athletic mesurables come to life. His
kick slide as a pass protector is a textbook
example that you can teach positional
fundamentals to younger players.
The smoothness and pro9ciency of his
footwork in pass protection will trans-
late immediately to the college level.
This could allow him to begin working
on the 9ner points of pass protection
early in his Penn State career. Tengwall
isn't a perfect pass blocker, and there
were not many reps on his 9lm in which
he was challenged, but his translatable
skills in pass protection are o; the
charts. With good technical coaching, he
could be a special pass protector.
RUN BLOCKING Not only does Tengwall
have the physical skills to be a high-end
o;ensive lineman, he has the tempera-
ment. He shows a nasty streak that of-
fensive line coaches love, but he also has
enough awareness to know when to call
o; the dogs (most of the time).
From a technical standpoint, he's phe-
nomenal when it comes to the basics of
blocking. He 9res o; with good balance
and body lean and shows the ability to
execute just about every block there is.
Tengwall arrives ready with his hands
and feet to execute his block.
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
HAND FIGHTING Most of Tengwall's
game is advanced for his age. One area
that is hard to master, even for upper-
classmen in college, is hand 9ghting.
Whether it's throwing his hands wide on
a pulling block or having his hands too
low in pass protection, there are small
things to clean up that he can work on
before his 9rst snap of college football.
These nuances are critical and will likely
come in time. His tape already shows
quality work in other areas of hand
usage, so there is no question that he can
add more to his game over time.
CONTROL AND EFFICIENCY This could
be summed up as just general polish that a
player would need in order to start at the
college level. It's small things like pulling
out of his stance with proper technique or
continuing to eliminate wasted move-
ment – re9nements he can work on over
time. Because Good Counsel didn't play
in 2020, he missed out on an opportunity
to work on those skills as a senior.
POSIT
IONAL PROJECTION
TACKLE Tengwall has gotten reps at
guard, right tackle and le= tackle. His
body type 9ts well at any of those posi-
tions, and he has said that o;ensive line
coach Phil Trautwein values that :exi-
bility. His reach and overall length make
him a natural 9t at tackle, but there
seem to be two factors that will deter-
mine his ultimate landing spot.
The 9rst will be whether he grows any
more. There are very few guards taller
than 6-6 at the college or professional
level, because that sort of height makes
it very di

