Olu Fashanu, OT Penn State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Fashanu was a three-star recruit from Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. in the class of 2020

Penn State superstar left tackle Olu Fashanu is a projected top ten selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, but there are a few areas he needs to improve on this season and beyond.

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Olu Fashanu, OT Penn State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior left tackle from Waldorf, Md.

Background: Fashanu was a three-star recruit from Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 405 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 423 for On3.com. Fashanu was an unranked four-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 79 grade out of 100. He lettered three times in high school and helped Gonzaga College claim the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) title as a junior. He was also an All-Met honorable mention that season. Fashanu earned USA Today DC Football Second Team honors in 2018 and was a First Team All-WCAC selection as a junior and senior. He won the Jack Barnes Award and the Unsung Hero Award. Fashanu tallied 52 pancake blocks as a senior and 28 as a junior. He also played basketball as a high school freshman. Fashanu was born on Dec. 9, 2002.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed five games in 2022 with an undisclosed injury

Awards: 2022 Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2022 Third Team All-Big Ten (Media), 2022 Second Team All-American (Walter Camp)

Pros: Age, committed zero penalties in 2022, thick lower half, NFL-caliber arm length, hips seem fluid, overall athleticism and agility are unique for a player his size, explosive kick step, nimble and easy footwork, feet don’t get stuck in the ground, footwork and speed to mirror rushers up the arc, quick to redirect and cover the B gap, quick reflexes, jump sets completely remove defenders from plays, defenders struggle to play through his frame, doesn’t extend hands too early in pass pro, brings hands up and under the armpits of defenders to establish inside leverage, upper body strength to toss outside linebackers, keeps head on a swivel, diagnoses stunts quickly, nice reps establishing leverage on and digging out JT Tuimoloau (2022), caught JT Tuimoloau and Javontae Jean-Baptiste spin moves (2022), widened the pocket by forcing Zach Harrison to take such a wide rush arc (2022), speed to pull and hit open field landmarks, powerful down blocker, untapped power profile

Cons: Enters 2023 with under 650 offensive snaps, high-cut frame, hand placement and usage leave him vulnerable to counters, hands need to be heavier and firmer, hand placement is wide, should replace hands faster, Zach Harrison broke his clamp will well-placed blows to his elbow several times (2022), allowed Zach Harrison into his chest (2022), Central Michigan’s Thomas Incoom’s pass rush arsenal got to him (2022), footwork freestyles at times, instances of needing to drop anchor sooner, lacks a mean streak, inconsistent displacement generated in the run game, doesn’t latch and drive in the run game consistently, needs to finish more run plays by washing out defenders, inconsistent sustaining blocks in the run game, must be more forceful and controlling in the run game, angles to second-level blocks, doesn’t maul second-level targets

Overview: Fashanu is a young prospect with NFL-caliber arm length, fluid hips, a thick lower half, a high-cut frame, and unique athleticism and agility for a player his size. His kick step is explosive, which allows him to cut off wide-alignment rushers easily, and his feet are quick and nimble. Fashanu’s footwork allows him to mirror rushers up the arc. He quickly redirects to cover the B gap when rushers counter inside. Fashanu’s quick reflexes allow him to recover and counter advanced rush moves. His jump sets completely remove defenders from plays. Defenders struggle to play through the redshirt junior’s frame. He brings his hands up and under the armpits of defenders to establish inside leverage. Fashanu’s upper body strength allows him to toss or club outside linebackers. He plays with good awareness and quickly identifies stunts. The All-Big Ten selection had strong showings against Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau and Javontae Jean-Baptiste in 2022, catching both in spin moves and preventing them from pressuring the quarterback. During the same game, Fashanu widened the pocket for Sean Clifford by forcing Zach Harrison to take an extremely wide rush angle. Fashanu has the speed to pull and hit open field landmarks. He has an untapped power profile in the run game that he needs to begin exploiting in 2023. Unfortunately, Fashanu lacks a mean streak. He generates inconsistent displacement in the run game and doesn’t latch and drive as often as he should. The Maryland native excels in pass protection but doesn’t sustain blocks long enough in the run game. It’s frustrating how little he influences the defense in this aspect of the game. Fashanu is still developing his technique in all aspects of the game. He enters 2023 with under 650 offensive snaps. His hand placement and usage leave him vulnerable to counters. Zach Harrison broke his clamp with well-placed blows to his elbow several times. In similar instances across 2022, Fashanu opened his hips and pushed the pass rusher up around the pocket. In a late third quarter rep against Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Fashanu managed to recover his balance and replace his hand quickly enough that the Ohio State pass rusher actually lost his momentum and leverage advantage. This particular rep speaks to Fashanu’s adaptive footwork, quick reflexes, and upper body power. His hands still need to be heavier, firmer, and replaced quicker when removed. Fashanu allows defenders into his chest because his hand placement is wide. He was baffled by Central Michigan’s Thomas Incoom’s pass rush plan in 2022, surrendering several pressures in the second half. Fashanu freestyles with his footwork at times and waits too long to drop his anchor. 

Overall, Fashanu is a rare athlete who showcases nimble footwork and impressive agility and speed for his size, but his hand usage and performance in the run game have room to improve. Teams should be willing to bet on Fashanu’s traits early in the first round and rely on offensive line coaches and experience to develop his game. We’ve seen other tackles who excel in pass protection but are average run blockers succeed at the NFL level, including David Bakhtiari and Laremy Tunsil.

Role & Scheme Fit: Left tackle in an outside zone or gap scheme

Round Projection: Top 10 Selection

Size: 6'6", 317 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 09-05-23