James Franklin reveals what message Olu Fashanu's return to Penn State sends to team

Olumuyiwa Fashanu is as good as it gets when it comes to an offensive lineman in college football. However, rather than cashing in by heading off to the NFL, the Penn State tackle elected to return to University Park for his junior year in 2023.

To James Franklin, he told On3’s JD PicKell in a one-on-one interview this week that his return sends a specific message. He says that, in an occupation that comes down to money like in the NIL space and the NFL Draft, Fashanu coming back to finish his commitment as well as get his degree speaks volumes about the person that he is on top of the player he is.

“It’s interesting (that), in today’s NIL world, everybody’s like, ‘Well Penn State must have gone crazy to try to keep him’. And the reality is I met with Olu and his family. I meet with all those guys. And (I) basically told them that he should leave. And all the feedback I was getting was first round,” Franklin said. “Olu and his family were like, ‘Hey, we’re staying. We always planned on being here for four years.'”

“What a lot of people don’t understand is when I was having this meeting with Olu? He had been at Penn State for three years. But when I was having the meeting with Olu and his family? Olu was only 19 years old at the time. So, Olu had just turned 20 years old. That played a factor in it as well for the family,” continued Franklin. “Olu wanted to get his degree. He’s got a chance to be an academic All-American. That’s something that’s really important to me and the family as well. He’s probably got the highest GPA on our team.”

In 2021, Fashanu started seeing time on offense and special teams with one start. Then, as a sophomore in 2022, he started eight games at left tackle. In those appearances, he didn’t allow a single sack against the Penn State offense in just over 280 snaps.

Add in that he has twice been named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and Fashanu is as well-rounded as they come. Now, ahead of his junior campaign, Franklin says the entire program is invested in making sure that he reaches the success that they feel he deserves.

“He’s just a super impressive kid,” said Franklin. “And, to your point, we’re going to do everything we possibly can to not only allow him to be successful on the field this year and help him along that process but also fight like hell to get him into (the) Top-10 picks. Because I know how impactful that is on not only him but also our program.”

In Todd McShay’s 2024 NFL Mock Draft, he had Fashanu going ninth overall to the New England Patriots. Even so, he has his eyes set on accomplishing a few more things, both on and off the field at PSU, before all that comes his way next year.