NFL.com Lead Draft Writer Eric Edholm released his 3.0 and Final Mock Draft of this draft season , and with the 21st pick, Chris Grier selects a player that will make Mike McDaniel and Frank Smith very happy.
Round 1, Pick #21: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT – Penn St
“This was a shade lower than I imagined Fashanu going, but the Dolphins won’t complain. We can assume they’ll want to find Terron Armstead‘s possible replacement. Could Fashanu — who played left tackle exclusively in college — kick inside if needed? Maybe. But the talent would be too enticing to pass on here either way, I suspect.”
A toolsy two-year starter with loads of potential, Fashanu is still learning to be less mechanical and more instinctive with his play. At this point, he could impose his traits upon most collegiate opponents and stack the deck in his favor. As a pro, he will need to play with better control and more consistent technique to prevent being countered and beaten by NFL talent. There is still room to get bigger and stronger, but he’s already playing with good focus and drive as a run blocker. Issues with footwork and landmarks can be corrected with more coaching. He’s long and has really effective recovery agility to help keep his quarterback clean, but inconsistent pass slides and excessive leaning could make things harder than they need to be early on. Overall, the work ethic, traits and tape make it easier to project Fashanu’s continued improvement into a very good left tackle.
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