Penn State OT Olu Fashanu declares for NFL Draft
Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu will be forging his available eligibility and has declared for the NFL Draft. The Washington, D.C. native is expected to be a top-10 draft pick in this April's upcoming NFL Draft. Fashanu announced his decision via X on Friday.
"Nittany Nation,
There aren't enough words to express how impactful the past four years at Penn State have been. This football program, which has become my family, the Smeal Colege of Business, and this entire Penn State community have taught me so much," Fashanu said in his announcement.
"I've been surrounded by some of the best coaches, fathers, and role models who have helped mold me into the man I am today. Thank you, Coach Franklin, Coach Trautwein, and the entire coaching and support staff. Your continuous love, support, and development will always mean the world to me."
To my teammates, I will forever be grateful for all of the memories and bonds I have created with all of you. I consider each and every one of you as my brothers and I am thankful for our relationship.s.
To the best fans in all of college football, thank you for making these past four years unforgettable. The support you show week in and week out is truly unrivaled and I will never forget the memories that were made in Beaver Stadium.
To my family, Mom, Dad, and Anjola, thank you will never be enough. Without you all, none of this would be possible. Your love and support through it all will always be my motivation.
A year ago I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to declare for the NFL Draft. I am forever grateful that I made the decision to come back and compete with my brothers one last time while also graduating. With that being said, I am proud to announce that I will be declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. I look forward to spending time ith my teammates and coaches in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl."
Notably, it's unclear if Fashanu will play in the Nittany Lions' Peach Bowl appearance next Saturday against Ole Miss or if he will simply be traveling with the program.
A consensus first-team All-American, Fashanu was also the Rimington-Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and a first-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media. According to Pro Football Focus, Fashanu over the course of 1,285 total snaps including 689 pass-blocking snaps with the Nittany Lions never allowed a single sack and allowed just 17 total quarterback pressures.
According to nflmockdraftdatabase.com, Fashanu is listed as high as a potential top-three overall draft pick in next year's NFL Draft. a majority of the selections have the former four-star prospect being drafted between No. 4 and No. 11 overall. The site's consensus big board which takes into account big boards and mock drafts throughout the industry has Fashanu as the No. 7 overall prospect and the second-best offensive lineman only behind Notre Dame's Joe Alt at No. 6.
Fashanu joins Chop Robinson, Daequan Hardy, Theo Johnson, Curtis Jacobs, and Caedan Wallace as NIttany Lions who have declared for the NFL Draft.
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