The New York Jets are invested in No. 11 overall pick Olu Fashanu to the point that they might switch his position so that he can play more in his rookie 2024 NFL season.
Fashanu, one of the best left tackles to come out of college in recent memory, played his entire collegiate career at Penn State out of the left tackle slot. The former Nittany Lions offensive lineman played all 721 of his snaps in 2023 at the position, as well as all 542 snaps in 2022 and all 84 snaps in his freshman year. He thrived so much to the point that he did not concede a single sack or quarterback hit in his tenure. The Jets believe he can have a similar impact on the other end of the line, for the betterment of everyone on the unit.
Jets to give rookie LT Olu Fashanu reps at right tackle in preseason
According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Jets are set to give Fashanu a run at right tackle for the next two weeks to see how he and the team fare (h/t Michael Nania of Jets X Factor):
Fashanu at right tackle could work wonders for the Jets in 2024
Currently, the Jets have their LT position occupied by reigning Second-Team All-Pro star Tyron Smith. The veteran pass blocker has been one of the most excellent at the position for over a decade, and despite being 33 years old, his level of play from a year ago suggests that he’ll still play at a high level on the upcoming campaign.
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Thus, no matter how talented Fashanu is and how much the Jets would look to feature him in the offense, even splitting snaps with Smith would deprive him of valuable time on the field. The Jets do have Morgan Moses holding down the fort at right tackle. Though he’s had a successful career to date, including a 2023 campaign that earned him a 77.6 player grade from Pro Football Focus for committing six penalties and allowing five sacks, Fashanu would have a greater chance of usurping him in the lineup at some point in the season than Smith.
Ultimately, the Maryland native would likely need to adjust to fending off the game’s best pass rushers on the right side of the line. At the least, gaining exposure playing RT could help Jets head coach Robert Saleh stagger his snaps so that he consistently spells for either Smith or Moses when they come out of the game.
