2024 Chicago Bears Draft Target: Olu Fashanu |
In what is expected to be one of the more interesting and exciting drafts in NFL memory, the Chicago Bears find themselves right in the middle of the action as they hold two of the first 10 picks. They are expected to field a wide range of trade offers for both picks, but it looks like the No. 9 pick will come with the biggest questions.
After what is to be expected of Caleb Williams going No. 1 overall, a lot of the focus will once again shift to the Bears at No. 9, and they ultimately do with that pick. Several teams need QBs and will be looking to possibly trade into that spot to take one, but you also have players like Brock Bowers, Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers, who could fall to No. 9, leaving the door open for other teams to make a move and get their man. Regarding the Bears and what they ultimately decided to do at No. 9, they need to consider protecting their investment just as much as giving him more weapons to throw to. It doesn't matter how skilled of a guy you are at the QB position, if you can't protect your franchise guy you will go nowhere as a team which is why many expect the Bears to draft an offensive lineman at No. 9. The choices for this spot will be plentiful, but it also depends on who goes where and how the draft unfolds. One name that could be sitting there at No. 9 for the taking is Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu, who would be a massive addition for Chicago. The big 6-6, 312-pound tackle grades out highly and is considered to be the second or third best offensive lineman in this year's class, only behind Joe Alt, who could also be a target. Fashanu doesn't have the starting experience that some other tackles do, but he is still a multiple-year starter and a toolsy one. Given that he doesn't have the same starting experience, Fashanu plays the game off of repetition as he is still leaning toward being a more instinctual player instead of a mechanical player worried about his technique. He got away with some of his raw talent at the collegiate level, as many of the guys he faced simply aren't as skilled as him. To make it in the NFL, Fashanu will have to play with more control and be more consistent at the point of attack to avoid being beaten by defenders. One of the things that most scouts talk about when discussing him is his overall size. Fashanu already has an NFL-sized body, and believe it or not, there is still room to grow into that body and add more strength. He is a focused player capable of picking up a playbook fast and has been known to be a better run blocker than a pass blocker. That would've been perfect in the Bears scheme last season, but that may be different from what the Shane Waldron offense will be known for, especially when you look at some of the WR weapons. If you had to pick out a massive flaw with his game at this point, it would be his footwork, as he tends to have inconsistent feet at the point of attack. That can be corrected in camp and the Bears or whoever drafts will hit the ground running to fix that. Even with the lack of consistent footwork, Fashanu's strength, work ethic, and the ability to use his length to his advantage has made him one of the best offensive tackles in the game and would be the upgrade the Bears offensive line is looking for.
