This rookie has impressed the New York Jets in the early going
Many in the media regard the New York Jets’ 2024 draft class as “meh.” The Jets’ draft grades were mostly in the B+ to B- range across multiple outlets.
However, the Jets apparently feel differently — specifically about one player whom many wrote off.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Jets are “over the moon” about what they’ve seen first-round pick Olu Fashanu. Speaking on FS1’s “The Herd,” he added that they feel they got a future Pro Bowler.
Breer reported earlier in the offseason that the only player the Jets wanted over Fashanu was wide receiver Rome Odunze. Once the Bears took Odunze at No. 9, Fashanu became the Jets’ slam-dunk pick at No. 11 (they traded back from No. 10 for the Vikings to take quarterback J.J. McCarthy).
While Fashanu is not projected to be a Day 1 starter, he is vitally important to the Jets. The team enters training camp with a pair of 33-year-old tackles, Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, both coming off missing several games in 2023 due to injury. Smith hasn’t played a full season since 2015 and has missed an average of six games per year since 2015.
Chances are that Fashanu will start at least seven or eight games in 2024. That’s a significant chunk of time protecting a 40-year-old quarterback.
Rookie tackles can often struggle significantly in Year 1. Even the really good ones (such as the Giants’ Andrew Thomas) don’t necessarily perform well as rookies. Still, as Michael Nania detailed, first-round tackles since 2014 have averaged a 38th percentile ranking in Pro Football Focus’s overall grade. That’s serviceable for a swing tackle — and Fashanu has a chance to be better than that as a rookie.
Fashanu’s run-blocking needs a lot of work, but the Jets are more concerned with protecting Rodgers. It’s a strong sign that the Jets are encouraged by early returns on Fashanu. Robby Sabo noted some of the rookie struggles he demonstrated during OTAs.
Jets veterans report for training camp on July 23. Fashanu is one of the key players to keep an eye on when padded practices begin.
