Which Penn State offensive lineman does Olu Fashanu think could be better than him?
Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu is ready to shine at the NFL Combine. The expected first-round pick covered plenty of ground about his time with the Nittany Lions on Saturday. He spoke then to reporters in Indianapolis. The interview came one day before he and former teammates Hunter Nourzad and Caedan Wallace work out in front of pro personnel.
Of the many interesting comments made by the Maryland native, the most germane one to the 2024 version of head coach James Franklin’s team came in response to a question about his former teammates in blue and white. He spotlighted many of them but highlighted one in a particularly notable way.
“Drew Shelton is someone I think of very highly,” Fashanu said via audio obtained by BWI sister site The Wolverine. “That’s a guy that, honestly, if everything goes right, he should be a lot better than I ever was at Penn State.”
It’s extremely high praise for the third-year Nittany Lion. Shelton is on track to battle for the first-team starting left tackle job that Fashanu vacates. The Downingtown, Pa., native played extensively down the stretch at the position as a freshman when Fashanu was hurt in 2022. With both Fashanu and Wallace healthy in 2023, Shelton’s playing time was reduced in year two. But, he still impressed when on the field.
More: What did we learn about Penn State football in February?
“Left tackle for me is comfortable,” Shelton said in the Mercedez-Benz Stadium locker room after the Peach Bowl. “And my preparation, the way, Coach [Phil] Trautwein teaches us to attack it, and the way the older guys in our room set the standard of how we attack our preparation, and even the standard of our play.
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“The standard is the standard. Even without Olu, we got to go out there and play to the standard.”
Shelton also gave props to Fashanu. He was his mentor during his first two seasons in blue and white.
“He’s taught me just preparation, techniques; I can’t even find the words to tell you what he taught me,” Shelton said. “Just a lot about how to go about business and really just how to live right.
“I’m excited. Obviously looking forward. It’s a great opportunity. I got big shoes to fill, but I’m eager and I’m ready to try and build on that.”
As for the rest of Fashanu’s teammates, he spoke highly of the other Penn State players who are set to push to replace him, Nourzad, and Wallace.
“Vega Ioane, Nick Dawkins, Sal Wormley, Anthony Donkoh, I mean, everyone on that line, JB Nelson, they’re extremely hard workers,” Fashanu said. “They’re very dedicated to the process. And I’m very excited for them.”
