The New York Giants’ offensive line has been a disaster this season. In The Draft Network’s latest mock draft, the Giants addressed their offensive line, drafting Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu.
Giants select Olu Fashanu in latest mock draft
With Big Blue’s season spiraling out of control, many fans have turned their attention toward draft season. New York is expected to hold a top-ten pick in the draft again this year, which would place them in a prime position to land an elite prospect.
In this mock draft, TDN’s Justin Melo had the G-Men selecting Penn State OT Olu Fashanu with the fifth-overall pick in the draft. Melo describes Fashanu as a “dominant pass-protecting” offensive tackle, giving New York some much-needed reliability on the end of the line.
What could Fashanu bring to Big Blue?
Fashanu is a 6-foot-6, 325-pound mauler coming out of Penn State. Melo describes Fashanu as an “extremely gifted prospect who may have been the first tackle drafted in 2023 had he declared.”
In his first season as a starter, Fashanu earned 2022 Second-team All-Big Ten honors. He has been continuing his excellence this season and was named a 2023 Mid-Season Reese’s Senior Bowl All-American.
Fashanu is a dominant pass-protector
In his draft profile on TDN, Fashanu is endlessly praised for his pass-protection skills. Keith Sanchez of TDN writes that Fashanu “plays light on his feet and appears with ease to get great depth on his pass sets, often meeting or beating the defender to the apex point.”
“Given Olu Fashanu’s physical tools and athleticism, he exceeds the standard for what’s necessary to be a dominant pass-protecting LT on the next level.”
Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network
Sanchez gave Fashanu a “Day 1 — Rare, All Pro” Prospect Projection in his draft profile. Expectations are high across the board for the Penn State product.
According to Pro Football Focus, Fashanu is the highest-graded pass-protecting offensive tackle in the country this season, posting a 92.9 overall pass-blocking grade.
With a lack of experience under his belt, some teams may feel weary about selecting Fashanu in the top-ten picks of the upcoming draft. This season is only his second as a full-time starter. Fashanu has all the traits to develop into a dominant NFL player, but his lack of experience may lead to growing pains at the next level.
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Is Fashanu the right fit?
The Giants’ offensive line is currently headlined by 2022 second-team All-Pro LT Andrew Thomas. New York extended Thomas this offseason to ensure he would protect the blindside for years to come. Fashanu, however, is a natural left tackle.
If New York were to land Fashanu in the draft, they would likely need to transition him to right tackle. The right tackle position is currently held by 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal, however, Neal’s season is off to a disastrous start, leading many to believe he could be benched, have his position changed, or shipped off by the start of next season.
Fashanu would take over Neal’s right tackle spot in this mock. But transitioning to the other side of the line is not always easy, as demonstrated by Neal’s struggles in the NFL. If the Giants are confident that Fashanu could make the transition, however, then he would be a huge addition to the team’s offensive line.
