Olu Fashanu, Tackle, Penn State
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 312
Arm Length: 34
40-Yard Dash: 5.11 seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.77 seconds
3-Cone: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Vertical: 32”
Broad Jump: 9’ 1”
Bench Press: N/A
Pros
- Picks up delayed blitzes and twists well.
- Very good combination of strength in his upper and lower halves.
- Displays good leg drive when run blocking.
- Good footwork allows him to easily mirror rushers and get around on pulls.
- Does a good job getting hands on first.
- Has a very strong grip that’s difficult to dislodge.
- Possesses good flexibility and core strength to quickly anchor down.
Cons
- Sometimes gets too preoccupied with finishing his block in the run game.
- First step in pass protection will sometimes be out to meet rushers instead of getting into his drop.
- Narrowness in his post-snap frame and base make him less threatening a run blocker than what he should be.
Notes
- Academic All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2022.
- Second-team All-Big Ten in 2022.
- Consensus All-American in 2023.
- First-team All-Big Ten in 2023.
Overview
Olmiuyiwa Fashanu is one of the most decorated offensive line prospects in this year’s draft. Regarded in some circles as this draft’s OT1, the race remains tight between him and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. What does Fashanu do well and where could he improve?
Olumiuyiwa Fashanu is a strong individual. At 6’6” and over 300 pounds, it’s easy for him to generate power between his upper and lower halves which often stay in sync. Additionally, Fashanu also has a very strong grip that serves him well in pass protection. Despite his size, Fashanu is an excellent athlete whose flexibility and core strength allow him to quickly anchor down. His footwork is great, allowing him to effortlessly mirror rushers in their attack and also allows him to drive downfield in the run game. Furthermore, he picks up games along the line of scrimmage well and is great at using his length to get hands on first.
Still Fashanu’s feet can get narrow at times when coming off the ball. This, despite his strength, makes him less threatening as a run blocker. More so, Fashanu sometimes gets too preoccupied with trying to finish his block rather than working to the second level. Lastly, his first step in pass protection is sometimes out to meet a defender which leaves the C-gap to his inside open.
Overall, Olumiuyiwa Fashanu is well ahead of the curve in relation to most offensive tackle prospects. Even though many have him as this year’s OT2, behind Joe Alt, Fashanu will still be a household name for a team’s offensive line.
My Two Cents
While many have Fashanu behind Joe Alt in this draft’s offensive tackle rankings, I still like Fashanu ahead of him. Nothing against Alt, but I believe that Fashanu is the more complete player. While his athleticism isn’t up to par with the Notre Dame product’s, I don’t it seeing worlds behind like some might imply.
For more football content click here.
