Giant piece of the New York Jets' future is clear - and he is ready to deliver on Aaron Glenn's biggest message after learning from NFL icon

For a New York Jets team in rebuild mode, there is one piece that is hard to look past. 

It is impossible to miss Olu Fashanu and his enormous frame, even in the context of an NFL locker room. At 6ft 6in tall and listed at 312lbs, plus with impressive athleticism to match, Fashanu has all the tools NFL scouts dream of in their left tackle.

And with Aaron Glenn preaching one consistent message throughout the offseason, Fashanu goes into Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans knowing he and his fellow offensive linemen are best placed to deliver exactly what his head coach is looking for.

'We're excited,' Fashanu tells the Daily Mail. 'I think going into the season, it's all about setting the tone, starting off fast and just not letting go.

'AG's biggest message in training camp was just setting the tone, especially for the offense. And I feel like going into this first game, there's no better way to set the tone for the entire season than by going out, executing and dominating.'

Fashanu has the ability to set the tone not just this week but for the future of the Jets offense. Alongside second-year right tackle Armand Membou, the Jets have two giant pieces - figuratively and literally - that could be the cornerstone of the unit for years to come.

That tandem on either side of the line isn't something Fashanu and Membou have talked about specifically. It's more an unspoken knowledge that they are being primed to build the foundations of this offense, that will likely be on the lookout for its next franchise quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

'At the end of the day, it's on us to go out every week and perform,' Fashanu says. 'Prove that we can be, you know, one of the best tackle duos in the league.'

Fashanu has learnt from the best. When he started playing football in high school, he found himself gravitating towards watching Tyron Smith and the Dallas Cowboys offensive line.

'He was the guy that I watched on film the most,' he recalls. Fast forward to 2024, and they shared an offensive line room, as Smith eventually groomed Fashanu to take his place when injury cut short his final year.

'Tyron was a big help,' he says. 'To have that opportunity to be on the same team as like one of my idols, it was definitely a good experience.

'I've been blessed to be a part of a great organization and more specifically a great offensive line room. My rookie year, I came into the room with a lot of veterans and they really helped me out a lot and that definitely made the transition from college to the NFL a lot easier.'

That transition from Penn State to the NFL has not been straightforward, facing the NFL's best pass rushers on a weekly basis.

'I just think the level of competition every single week,' he explains. 'I'd say like in college, there's always some sort of drop-off, between opponents and depending on what team you're playing. Some weeks are a lot easier than the others.

'But in the NFL, I mean, every week you're always going against a certain guy and that has a lot of strengths that could really hurt you if you don't prepare well for it.'

It is no surprise he singles out Myles Garrett as one of his most memorable battles, as well as Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto.

'I think those were like the two main headliners I won against last year,' he reflects. 'But like I said, it kind of felt like every week you're going against a guy.'

Fashanu and the Jets offense is entering another new era at quarterback with the return of veteran Geno Smith.

'Geno's the man,' Fashanu says. 'I mean, he's the definition of a veteran, you know, just the way that he approaches every day, the way that he approaches meetings and practice.

'It's easy to block for a guy like Geno, with the different things that he says, it feels like he can just get the offense going in a couple of words. And, you know, that's the type of quarterback that everyone wants to block for.'

And behind him? A 'special' talent in Breece Hall that Fashanu knows can always make him look good with just one simple move when he has the ball in his hands.

'Breece, he's awesome,' he says. 'He's a great running back, even a better person. And he's the type of running back that's special because he's the type of running back that can make something happen out of nothing.

'And obviously, as an O-lineman, you don't want to put your running back in situations like that, where he has to create something out of nothing. But it definitely is good to know that if you ever do miss a block, there's a good chance Breece is going to make it right.'

The New York Jets return to the UK with Touchdown Tailgate, an immersive fan watch party to celebrate the start of the NFL season in London this weekend. Find more information here.