A review and breakdown of first-round predictions for the Green Bay Packers in final 2024 mock drafts from a few of the most prominent analysts in the business:
The mock draft: Rob Rang, FOX Sports
The pick: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
The reasoning: “Like the Cowboys, the Packers need to reinforce their offensive line given that the club appears to be moving on from longtime starting left tackle David Bakhtiari. Fashanu has the size and grace to warrant a selection much earlier than this, but he isn’t as powerful as some of his classmates and could slip slightly as a result. At this point in the draft, however, he could prove to be a steal.”
Our breakdown: This scenario sure seems unlikely, given the league-wide need for help at offensive tackle and Fashanu’s status as one of the two or three best tackles in the class. No one in Green Bay would complain if a top-20 overall player at a premium need position falls. Fashanu is 21 years old, has elite athleticism and Pro Bowl upside at left tackle and would be a steal at 25. Interestingly enough, Fashanu and current Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker were teammates at Penn State, and Fashanu took over the left tackle spot for the Nittany Lions after Walker was injured to end the 2021 season and entered the 2022 draft.
The player info
Height: 6-6
Weight: 312
Age: 21
40-yard dash: 5.11
Vertical leap: 32.0″
Broad jump: 9-1
Three-cone: DNP
Short shuttle: DNP
Bench press: DNP
RAS: 9.58
Pre-draft visit: No
Senior Bowl: No
Consensus big board rank: 16
Draft profile from Lance Zierlein: “A toolsy two-year starter with loads of potential, Fashanu is still learning to be less mechanical and more instinctive with his play. At this point, he could impose his traits upon most collegiate opponents and stack the deck in his favor. As a pro, he will need to play with better control and more consistent technique to prevent being countered and beaten by NFL talent. There is still room to get bigger and stronger, but he’s already playing with good focus and drive as a run blocker. Issues with footwork and landmarks can be corrected with more coaching. He’s long and has really effective recovery agility to help keep his quarterback clean, but inconsistent pass slides and excessive leaning could make things harder than they need to be early on. Overall, the work ethic, traits and tape make it easier to project Fashanu’s continued improvement into a very good left tackle.”
