Olumuyiwa Fashanu NFL Franchise Left Tackle Prospect

It looked certain Penn State’s star left tackle (LT) Olumuyiwa Fashanu was going to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft, but he didn’t.

Instead, after not playing since October due to undisclosed injuries, he opted to return to the field for the Nittany Lions this season.

I’ve now evaluated Fashanu in six out of his eight starts last season and he appeared to be the best left tackle prospect since Rashawn Slater came out of Northwestern in 2021 (No. 13 overall LAC). Of course, after playing in only 85 college snaps prior to last season and now coming back from injury, that will need to be reconfirmed in 2023.

What does he look like on game film?

He looked like a 6-foot-6, 319-pound ballerina the way he walled off his side of the pocket that he was put in charge of.

This athletic big man showed a fast first kick step outside and he slid out naturally keeping his big frame in front of incoming pass rushers. He looked fast getting around and he effortlessly moved.

Stunts and games were handled with ease by Fashanu, and even on the rare occasion he started to get beat, he showed he has what it takes to recover.

Only in the University of Minnesota game did he show even a slight clink in the armor when their pass rusher was able to take him to the back door of the pocket and then start to get pressure back inside as the quarterback (QB) was throwing.

Finesse plus power

He’s got a towering athletic cut frame with this big wing span that helps him be able to seal off the edge.

That’s the finesse side of him, but he also has raw upper body pure weight room power that comes through on tape.

Nobody, and I mean nobody is going to bull-rush Fashanu.

That’s a rare combination to be able to move around so gracefully, yet have the kind of strength in his upper body that he can stonewall defenders who attempt to put him on skates. In the games I studied, when they tried, he didn’t move an inch.

The only real issue I had with him was in his run-blocking. That pure raw power didn’t often come through. Granted, this isn’t 1980s smash-mouth football anymore as 29/32 NFL teams passed the ball more than half the time in 2022, which plays perfectly into Fashanu’s strengths and helps to gloss over this other part of his game which was so-so.

Run blocking

Granted, a team is going to select Fashanu based on his pass-protecting abilities, which earned him an “A” grade. His run blocking however was a “C.”

I had more neutral and negative notes than positive ones as he often did barely enough or not enough.

Fashanu battles, pushes, and shoves with mixed results. He really needs to work on his run-blocking technique.

#74 Olumuyiwa Fashanu 6-foot-6, 319 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 90.6% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of August 11, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Previous article (2022: 3 games evaluated) Olumuyiwa Fashanu Is The Next Great NFL Offensive Tackle

Additional 2022 game film reviewed: Ohio State, Minnesota, and Northwestern (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: Six QB hurries, one QB hit, and zero sacks allowed.

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Athletic anchor in pass pro with average run-blocking skills. Slid out and walled off the perimeter effortlessly. Excellent footwork and hand technique in pass pro. Carries weight well. About impossible to get through or around. Defenders try to exploit his aggressive streak and get him to overextend with little success. Quick reaction time on stunts and games. Works well in concert with the offensive line and tandem in double teams. Positional leverage run blocker. Aims to stay off the ground. Engaged and active. Able to seal off the edge and get to the second level easily. Below average sustain.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Does he return to form?

2. Do pass rushers exploit his aggressive streak?

3. How does he look at run blocking?

4. Sustaining run blocks long enough?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.