Leading draft prospect Fashanu will go back to Penn St
4:30 PM ET Pete ThamelESPN Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu informed ESPN he’s returning
to school next year
, an unexpected relocation in NFL circles considering he is projected as the leading offending line possibility in the 2023 NFL draft.Fashanu, 19, is a redshirt sophomore who is in his very first full season
as a starter at Penn State. Fashanu is 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds and played high school football at Gonzaga College High in Washington, D.C.Fashanu developed himself as one of the leading offensive linemen in the country this season
, with some scouts projecting him as most likely a top-10 draft pick.Fashanu stated he rarely takes a look at social networks and had no concept about his increasing draft stock until colleagues showed him
a mock draft this season.Fashanu informed ESPN that he felt as if he has”incomplete business” at Penn State and that he’s returning mostly to help the Nittany Lions achieve bigger
goals, specifically calling the Big Ten champion and a nationwide title as two things he ‘d like to achieve in 2023. He stressed that the potential of the core of young talent at Penn State is appealing to him, and he appreciates of the chemistry he has actually developed with offending line coach Phil Trautwein and with coach James Franklin.2 Related Fashanu likewise said he’ll get his degree in supply chain management sometime in the next year and plans to start his master’s. “Penn State is a remarkable place to go to school,”he said.” And I can get my education totally free.
” Fashanu’s length, athleticism and power are interesting NFL scouts. After surging to the top of most NFL groups ‘boards for the 2023 draft
, he will instead likely get in next season in the uncommon air of top prospects, an early group that is likely to include Drake Maye, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Caleb Williams– his high school teammate from Gonzaga.”I think he would have been the top tackle in this draft and a top-10 pick,”one NFL scout told ESPN.”He’s a check-all-the-boxes guy– high character. He’s a sure-fire high pick. It’s a simple evaluation.”The pull of his group and his education brought
Fashanu back to Penn State. When the young offending core of freshman quarterback Drew Allar and freshman tailbacks Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen was discussed to Fashanu, he countered by pointing out how excellent they can be next year with a complete offseason of training and advancement.” I simply can’t wait to get to work this offseason,”he said.Fashanu has actually started just nine games in his profession– 8 of them came this season. He hasn’t played because getting hurt against Ohio State in October, missing out on the past 4 games. The concealed injury is not considered serious, and he’s anticipated to take part completely in spring football.In terms of what Fashanu is anticipating, aside from his weekly trips to Penn State’s Berkey Creamery for its famed ice cream, he primarily worried being with his teammates. After making substantial progress from 2021 to 2022, he can’t wait to see what takes place next year after another offseason of work.”I seem like we’ve come a long method and there’s more we can do,”he
said.The news is a substantial advantage to Penn State, which went 10-2 this season and expects to return a skilled young lineup.” We couldn’t be more excited to have Olu return for the 2023 season,” Franklin said.”He is a person of high character who exhibits our core values, leads by example and designs what it indicates to be a total Penn
State student-athlete. We will continue to work incredibly difficult to assist Olu accomplish all of his goals on and off the field and eagerly anticipate another season with him and his household in Pleased Valley.
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