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The New York Jets enjoyed their first night of the 2024 NFL Draft. With the board pressing Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the 10th pick, the Jets were able to move down one spot with the Minnesota Vikings, who were starving for a quarterback, and acquire three extra picks while not losing any prospect.
Fashanu joins the team in the same draft slot as Mekhi Becton in 2020 but in a situation that's totally different. With Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith signed on one-year deals for 2024, the Jets now have their left tackle of the future and, while he learns the nuances of the pro game, they can still count on the two veterans to help Aaron Rodgers not to get injured again.
But do you think the quarterback is happy with the Jets' choice? Well, you better think twice. He appeared on Pat McAfee's show to speak about his team going after Fashanu, and his response didn't look like the most excited:
"We already made three moves in the offseason bringing in John [Simpson] to play guard and Morgan [Moses] to play tackle and Tyron [Smith] to play tackle as well. So it wasn't necessarily top of the needs. But I know they really loved Olu and I love what Joe did moving back and getting a couple more picks."
Jets pass on Brock Bowers, go after offensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft
This was actually a great pick for New York. They don't know whether Aaron Rodgers will play after 2024, but most importantly, they know that Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses are one snap away from missing time. The two veterans are good players, but they struggled badly with injuries in recent years.
Fashanu has great potential and he can learn from some of the best in the game, especially Smith, who was an elite left tackle for the Dallas Cowboys over the entire past decade. And if one of them gets injured, then Fashanu can come out and play and help Rodgers get protected.
Let's not forget that the quarterback's season ended just four snaps after the start in 2023 due to an Achilles injury suffered during a sack. He should know better about how important it is to get protected.
