Left deal with Olu Fashanu and linebacker Chop Robinson have been teammates at Penn State for 2 seasons (2022-23).
Now, the 2 gamers might be on reverse sides for the primary time within the NFL when the Jets go to the Dolphins this Sunday.
“We grew up around the same area. For him and I, it is a very unique situation. Two guys from the same area ended up being at Penn State at the same time in our college careers playing on the opposing side of the ball and both going in the first round.
“It is a unique situation. I’m super excited and looking forward to it.”
Fashanu and Robinson grew up in Maryland earlier than heading to Penn State. Fashanu was born in Waldorf and attended Gonzaga School Excessive College. Robinson grew up in Gaithersburg and commenced his school profession at Maryland earlier than transferring to Penn State for his last two collegiate seasons.
“When I first got to Penn State, I kept hearing the hype about Olu and then once I went out there, I tried to just burn him off the ball and he put me down to the ground,” Robinson stated. “I was like, ‘OK, yeah. He’s the real deal.’
“So I would just say honestly, the one-on-ones that I went against him every day in practice, and he made me better.”
Throughout their two seasons as teammates at Penn State, Fashanu and Robinson practiced in opposition to one another every week. Fashanu referred to as these practices between the 2 “wars.”
“He will tell you, we made each other better,” Fashanu stated. “Going at it every play in practice. Whether it was run or pass, I struggle to find anyone with a better get-off than him.
“The way that he challenged me, especially in pass protection, definitely made me a lot better, and it kind of forced me to improve my game because of how dominant he was.”
Each Fashanu and Robinson have been so dominant at Penn State that they have been every chosen within the first spherical of final April’s draft. The Jets took Fashanu eleventh total. The Dolphins selected Robinson 10 picks later to assist enhance their cross rush after Jaelan Phillips (Achilles) and Bradley Chubb (ACL) each suffered season-ending accidents in 2023.
“He texted me the other day just asking, ‘I better get that jersey,’ Robinson said to the media on Wednesday. “He told me that he better get that jersey after the game, and we’re definitely going to make that happen.”
The Jets chosen Fashanu to supply insurance coverage behind Tyron Smith, who started the season because the beginning left deal with. Nevertheless, following Morgan Moses’ knee harm in Week 3, Fashanu began his profession at proper deal with in Weeks 4 and 5 in opposition to the Broncos and Vikings.
Fashanu moved again to the bench after Moses was able to play once more in Week 6 in opposition to the Payments. Nevertheless, after Smith suffered a neck harm within the Week 10 loss to the Cardinals and was later positioned on injured reserve, Fashanu turned the participant defending Aaron Rodgers’ blindside.
In 351 snaps this season, Fashanu has allowed only one sack and dedicated three penalties. Regardless of the loss to the Seahawks final Sunday, Fashanu was distinctive. He completed with 42 pass-block snaps and didn’t permit a single stress.
“I feel really good at left tackle,” Fashanu stated. “I think the biggest adjustment is definitely just honing in and focusing on the small details related to the game plan or my matchup. Whether I want to change the way that I pass set or depending on who I go up against.
“It has been little things that have been the biggest adjustment.”
JETS COULD BE WITHOUT KEY PLAYERS
With 5 video games remaining within the season, the Jets have a number of important gamers whose standing for the Dolphins sport is up within the air.
For the second consecutive day, cornerback Sauce Gardner (hamstring), working again Breece Corridor (knee), and proper guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) didn’t observe, which generally doesn’t bode effectively for taking part in on Sunday.
Moses (shoulder, knee), who missed observe on Wednesday, was a restricted participant on Thursday. So was Fashanu, who has been limping noticeably due to a toe harm.
Linebacker C.J. Mosley absolutely practiced on Wednesday however doubtless had a setback and didn’t observe in any respect Thursday. Mosley hasn’t performed because the Jets’ Week 7 loss at Pittsburgh. Throughout pregame warmups the next week in opposition to the Patriots, Mosley suffered a herniated disc in his neck.
“Last week was the first time he really went full practice, full pads, and full all that,” Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich stated about Mosley on Wednesday. “He felt good, not great so we’re going to give him another week to really take an assessment of where he’s at.”
Initially Revealed: December 5, 2024 at 5:17 PM EST
