No matter how many NFL draft experts you may ask, there is little debate that Penn State offensive tackle [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] is about to be a first-round draft pick. Where he goes may be up for some debate, although it seems that more and more draft gurus are slotting Fashanu somewhere within the top 10 picks of the first round.
This week saw another mock draft projecting a top-10 pick for Penn State’s top draft prospect. Field Yates of ESPN shared his 2024 NFL mock draft (subscription required) this week, and Fashanu was the 10th overall pick in his latest outlook for this year’s draft. That would send Fashanu to the New York Jets.
Citing a need to beef up the offensive line to protect Aaron Rodgers in the fall, Yates said the Jets should have some worthy options to consider. But Fashanu has a case to be at the top of the Jets’ wish list for the offensive line when it comes time for making their first pick of the draft.
“There is allure for the upside of a player like Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma) and the toughness of Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State), but Fashanu is ready to anchor the blind side right away for Rodgers and has the goods to become an outstanding pro,” Yates said. “His tape was a little better in 2022 than 2023 from my view, but we’re still talking about one of the most impressive prospects in the class.”
Fashanu is the only Penn State player in Yates’ first-round mock draft. Defensive end Chop Robinson is considered by many to be a potential first-round draft pick, but Yates left him out of his first mock draft for now.
Yates is not the only draft expert at ESPN sending Fashanu to the Jets at no. 10. Mel Kiper also slotted Fashanu to the Jets at the 10th overall pick in his first mock draft for this year. Kiper and Yates are not alone either. 247Sports draft analyst Blake Brockenmayer also has the Jets selecting Fashanu at no. 10. Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports has a much more optimistic projection for Fashanu. Fornelli has Fashanu going no. 4 overall to the Arizona Cardinals.
Fashanu will get a chance to solidify his first-round draft status and perhaps give a push to being an early draft pick at the upcoming NFL combine. Fashanu is one of 10 players from Penn State who will be in Indianapolis.
[lawrence-related id=41314]
Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.