What is it about Olumuyiwa Fashanu that has draft analysts out of their seats?

Penn State is coming off a gutsy 17-7 win over Northwestern at home. Now, we head into the bye week. In two weeks, the Nittany Lions will begin their tough three-game stretch of Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio State.

But right now, let’s take a look at a standout Penn State player through the first five games of the season. Not just any standout but a player that has been generating plenty of draft buzz because of his upside.

I’m talking about offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu. Fashanu has been seen in plenty of first-round NFL mock drafts. In fact, his draft stock has been skyrocketing through the first five games of the season.

But what is it about Fashanu that has analysts out of their seats?

Fashsnu spent much of the 2020 season on Penn State’s practice squad, earning the Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Week about midway through the 2020 season.

Fashanu made his first career start in the 2021 Outback Bowl against Arkansas. So, there is one factor that sticks out — his lack of experience. However, during these few games, Fashanu was able to line up against multiple NFL draft prospects like Derick Hall Jr. and Colby Wooden from Auburn. Not just that, Fashanu dominated in that game.

He does have experience besides that game though in 2021, including Ball State, where helped three players rush for 60-plus yards each, and Villanova.

Next, Fashanu has that prototypical size you want in an NFL offensive lineman. He stands 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds. His athleticism is through the roof.

Fashanu also spent some time on special teams in 2021. During that time, he recorded 12 total tackles, including nine of his own.

Over the past few years, we have seen offensive linemen make their way into the first round because of their NFL upside. USC‘s Austin Jackson is a great example, who went in the first round to the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 draft. He was a bit raw, but teams fell in love with his athleticism and his upside at the NFL level.

Another one is Trevor Penning — a guy that played at a smaller school in Northern Iowa, but absolutely dominated his combine and at the Senior Bowl. He was a first-round draft pick to the New Orleans Saints.

Fashanu excels as a pass blocker. In fact, according to PFF, after Week 1, Fashanu had the most pass-blocking snaps without a single pressure allowed among all Power Five offensive tackles with 44.

The other factor that stands out about Fashanu is that he is young. He is 19. He’ll turn 20 in December. Teams can also take their time developing him. Much of his collegiate experience comes on the left side. Again, he is young, and it’s likely he will have to become more versatile at the NFL level. But Fashanu has shown plenty of potential that he can do so.

Another trait of Fashanu’s that stands out is his lower body power. As mentioned, he excels as a pass blocker. In fact, there are times when Fashanu has sent a guy to the ground. But he does it so effortlessly. Also, Fashsnu’s footwork is so fluid. His leg drive is so smooth, you don’t see him make too many stutter steps.

It seems very likely that teams are quite impressed with Fashanu’s collegiate development and how quickly he has progressed at just 19 years old.

When you watch Fashanu play, a good amount of what he does looks effortless. He is raw, with limited experience, starting in less than 10 games throughout his college career. However, analysts have quickly grown to love his upside and how he’ll be able to adjust at the NFL level.

Fashanu can be a bit inconsistent with his blocking and power. Some of that stands out in his pass blocking, but most of that stands out in his run blocking. But, he has plenty of room to grow.

So, do you want to know the reasons why Penn State’s Fashanu has been skyrocketing his draft stock? The points mentioned above are likely it.

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Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire