Baltimore native Greg Penn III is hoping to hear his name called during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Penn played linebacker at LSU from 2021-2024, recording 264 career tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks during his time with the Tigers. Now, Penn wants to represent his hometown at the next level.
“It’s really just a blessing,” Penn said on Glenn Clark Radio April 16. “Seeing players come before me that came out of Baltimore and knowing those guys growing up and seeing how hard they worked and what they accomplished, it’s really just a blessing to be able to be one of those next guys and continue to make the city proud.”
Penn attended McDonogh during his freshman year of high school before transferring to DeMatha. Penn looked up to football players from the region, including Baltimore native Tommy Polley, who played linebacker at Florida State (1997-2000) and in the NFL (2001-2005).
Penn hopes he can play like Polley one day at the next level. Penn also mentioned Adrian Amos and Tavon Austin as inspirations.
“Those guys, just seeing how they approach playing with that Baltimore attitude, that Baltimore spirit really caught my eye,” Penn said. “… I just feel like it’s kind of a mentality that you have, a confidence. It’s like a swagger.”
Penn also looks up to former LSU linebacker Damone Clark, who now plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
“He played a big role in the person that I am, the player that I am, so he’s a guy that I definitely look up to,” Penn said. “There isn’t really that many people that I really look up to, but I just love taking parts from everybody’s game. There are a lot of great players out here, so just trying to learn as much as I can and be the best player I can.”
Penn said he had a great experience at LSU because he had the opportunity to play the best competition in the country in the SEC. However, he had to deal with a coaching staff overhaul following the 2021 season. Current Tigers head coach Brian Kelly took over after Ed Orgeron, whose staff recruited Penn, was fired. After his time at LSU ended, Penn played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, a showcase for players entering the draft.
Penn can reach out to plenty of former LSU players who have been through the draft process, a big positive for him.
“It’s a huge benefit,” Penn said. “Every year there’s guys that are going through this process, going through what I’m going through every year, so it’s really important that I ask my former teammates, former friends questions.”
As a Baltimore native, Penn plays with a chip on his shoulder — and the 6-foot-2, 234-pound linebacker wants to use that to his advantage in the NFL.
“It’s crazy because I’ve kind of dealt with this my whole life. It’s always been something,” Penn said. “When I was younger, I wasn’t fast enough, then when I went to DeMatha and got a lot of offers. They said that I was too small at that time. I wasn’t big enough. Then when I got to college and got bigger I wasn’t fast enough again. It’s always something, man. But being from here and having that chip on your shoulder, nothing can really faze you.”
Penn would welcome being drafted by any of the NFL’s 32 teams, but he’d be especially excited to play for his hometown team. He took part in the Ravens’ local pro day in Owings Mills.
“It’s definitely a different feeling, man,” Penn said about potentially playing for the Ravens. “Being with the coaches and just running around on the field doing drills, it just makes you want to be there, honestly. Just the culture in Baltimore, the way they play defense is definitely something I like to see and something I would love to play for.”
For more from Penn, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of LSU Athletics/Gus Stark