Jets drop one spot to No. 11 and choose Penn State tight end Olu Fashanu with their first draft choice.
Jets, despite all the discussions surrounding trades in the NFL Draft, failed to execute the first trade of the night, shifting positions with Minnesota at No. 11, who moved up to No. 10, while the clock was ticking for Green and White.
With the 11th overall pick, the Jets opted for Pen State tackle Olu Fashanu to bolster their offensive line and aid in fortifying head coach Robert Saleh’s aggressive approach on the field in 2024. The upcoming season is near.
General Manager Joe Douglas, right after completing the trade and the 11th pick, told reporters, “We’re really excited to welcome Olu to the Jets.
Fashanu, a four-year player and two-year starter at left tackle for Penn State Lions, was sidelined due to injury after the 2022 season, where he was named to the second-team All-Big Ten Conference. Inspired, Fashanu kept everything together with 12 starts last season, ultimately earning recognition as the Associated Press’ First-Team All-American and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.Additionally, he was a William V. Campbell Trophy, aka “The Academic Heisman.”
As he began touring NFL teams, it dawned on him that he and the Jets were meant for each other.
Fashanu told the media on Thursday night, “They showed definite interest.” “I felt they did a good job of hiding it, didn’t feel like there was more interest from any other team. But after that trip, after the combine, the Jets felt like the clear fit for me.”
Douglas remarked, “It was a unique draft class at the tackle position.” “We really felt that there was a handful of guys that were unbelievable players. “Olu’s outstanding pass protection abilities, which include an exceptionally low pressure rate in the face of fierce competition in a top conference, demonstrate his competence as a left tackle, confirming
his status as a top-tier player.“pass protector “And it’s often overlooked how adept he is at run blocking; he’s not merely a towering presence, but a gritty, determined athlete who consistently shines on the field.”Saleh added, “You know me by now. O-line, D-line, the more the merrier.” “You can never have enough. And having an experienced tackle like Tyran Smith and Morgan Moses lately helps Fashanu transition into the pro game. The kid is only 21 years old. He hasn’t even scratched the surface yet.”
Fashanu’s donning of the green and white at next week’s rookie minicamp offers several benefits. Among them, three are the players he watched videos of when he first started playing football at his Washington, D.C., high school: Tyran Smith, Morgan Moses, and now, Fashanu himself.
Aaron Rodgers, just seeing all the great work he’s done throughout his career, getting to be on the same team and just pick his brain and ask for some tidbits and tips and advice on what made his career so successful, it’s just the best opportunity,” he said.
As for Smith, Saleh said, “It feels like I’m living in a fairy tale.” “When I started watching film as a tackle, he was the first player I saw. At the time, he was the gold standard at left tackle.”
“Likewise with Moses: ‘He’s a familiar face I’ve observed in numerous reels over time.’ ‘Having the chance to glean knowledge from two seasoned tackles, I feel immensely fortunate.”
In addition to the 10th overall pick, the Jets sent the Vikings their sixth-round pick, 203rd overall, and received the Vikings’ 11th pick along with their fourth-round selection (129th overall) and fifth-rounder (157th overall).
Douglas said, “Added ammunition is always good.” “It gives us more flexibility to see how the rest of this draft plays out. We’ll keep our board together for tonight, and as far as going up, going down, it could be five or six scenarios. The extra picks give us a lot of flexibility to work different angles.”
In recent years, the Jets have often found happiness in the Valley, with Fashanu being the 28th Nittany Lion drafted by the Green and White. Many notable Penn State Jets draftees have played on the defensive side of the ball, starting with LB Ralph Baker (43rd, 1964), followed by DE John Ebersole (98th, 1970), LB Greg Buttle (67th, 1976), LB Lance Mehl (69th, 1980), S Harry Hamilton (176th, 1984), and DT Lou Benfatti (94th, 1994).
Recently, PSU’s aggressive players who have made noise include DT Mickey Shuler (61st, 1978), RB Blair Thomas (second, 1990), OL Roger Duffy (196th, 1990), LB Richie Anderson (144th, 1993), Kyle Brady (selected 9th overall in 1995), DE Kareem McKenzie (drafted 79th in 2001), and most notably, QB Christian Hackenberg (picked 51st in 2016).
The last time the Jets tackled in the first round, Mekhi Becton was at No. 11 overall from Louisville in the 2020 draft. Other notable Jets first-round tackles include DE Dave Cadigan (8th, 1988), Mike Haight (22nd, 1986), and from their AFL days, Dave Foley (26th, 1969), and William Yearby (13th, 1966).
Other Jets who played tackle in the first round include Chris Ward (LT, Ohio State, 1978) and RT Marvin Powell (USC, 1977), who started 84 of 93 games together as the Jets’ bookend tackles from 1978-83.
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