Could This Former First-Round Pick Be What the Jets Hoped for?

For the past few seasons, the New York Jets’ offensive line has been one of the most confusing units in the NFL. With the combination of injuries, young players committing too many penalties, and players in different positions than they were signed to play, the O-line was destined to be doomed from the start of the season. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jets selected Olu Fashanu, a left guard out of Penn State. While Fashanu certainly had a high ceiling last season, he never really got the chance to show how important his presence could be in the lineup. Fashanu originally came into the season as a backup utility player, but ended up starting seven games across right tackle, left tackle, and right guard. 

This season, Fashanu has one of the highest ceilings out of anyone in the NFL. Although the Jets haven’t had an All-Pro offensive lineman in 14 years, analyst Connor Rogers believes that Fashanu could easily break that drought. Although Fashanu received a 61.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024, some of that could have been related to him playing two other positions in addition to his natural position. With Fashanu projected to head back to left tackle this season, he will have the full opportunity to return to the player he was at Penn State. During his time with the Nittany Lions, Fashanu didn’t allow a single sack on 733 pass blocking snaps. 

Fashanu is joining a Jets offensive line that could finally show its potential in 2025. With Fashanu returning to left tackle, this allows Alijah Vera-Tucker and Armand Membou to show off at their respective positions. With the Jets’ offense looking forward to focusing on the run game this season, a strong offensive line is the key to success. By finally focusing on young players like Fashanu, the Jets can move away from an offensive line that is susceptible to injuries and rather focus on the consistency that is needed to win games. Hopefully, the glimpse of hope fans saw in 2024 is just the preview for how the unit and Fashanu can perform this season.