The best fit for Penn State prospects on Day 1 and 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft
By Josh Yourish
Success in the NFL is determined by countless factors, but when you boil it down, it’s a lot like real estate. It’s all about location, location, location. For the 248 prospects who will be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, their fate will largely be determined by where they end up.
Obviously, talent, athleticism, intelligence, and work ethic all play a role, but there are plenty of great players who withered away on the wrong team and just as many average players who became great in the right environment. Penn State fans certainly want their 10 players heading for the league to end up with the best fit possible.
So, here is the best scheme and development fit for the top five Penn State NFL Draft prospects in 2024.
The New York Jets took serious measures to address their offensive line after Aaron Rodgers survived just a few snaps last season before a torn achilles ended his first year with the team. However, they’re only temporary measures, 33-year-old Tyron Smith at left tackle and 33-year-old Morgan Moses at right tackle.
Smith and Moses are serviceable, but give New York no future at the position. Brock Bowers is often mocked to the Jets because the team is all-in on Rodgers’s final seasons, so they need to take a big swing early, but Fashanu would still be a good fit for them and they’d be a perfect fit for him.
Fashanu was likely a top-10 pick last season before returning and hurting his draft stock with struggles in the run game. He’s likely to slide outside of the top 10, but with New York’s extended runway to starting reps and pass-heavy offense with Rodgers, Fashanu would slide in perfectly as Smith’s heir-apparent at left tackle.