OLU Fashanu received a text from Aaron Rodgers the night he was selected to guard him.
The offensive lineman was the New York Jets’ top selection in last month’s NFL Draft.
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The 21-year-old was drafted 11th overall out of Penn State.
And he will face one of the toughest tasks in football, protecting the great 40-year-old Rodgers of modern times.
“The night I got drafted, Aaron Rodgers sent me a text,” Fashanu told The US Sun.
“He congratulated me, said how happy he was for me and that he was excited to work with me.
“Morgan Moses sent me a message and I met Alijah Vera-Tucker for the first time and they were great.
“For about a week it felt like I was living a dream, but now I’m definitely convinced I’m an NFL player for the Jets.”
Rodgers’ long-awaited rookie season with the New York Jets ended in shocking style last year.
He managed just four plays before suffering an Achilles injury on a sack against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.
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The four-time Most Valuable Player has fully recovered and will be back under center in 2024.
“You need to understand the position you are in,” Fashanu said.
“Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks of all time, a future Hall of Famer.
“Being in a position like that encourages you to go out and work even harder, just knowing the type of guy you’re blocking.”
Fashanu will begin work this summer to try and earn a starting role in the Jets’ offense.
He understands the weight on his shoulders of being a high draft pick and protecting one of the game’s greats.
“It’s how you think about it,” the 21-year-old said.
For about a week it felt like I was living a dream, but now I’m definitely convinced I’m an NFL player for the Jets
Olu Fashanu
“I’ve already put a lot of pressure on myself, I already know what kind of player I can be and I hold myself to a very high standard.
“For me, it’s always been about trying to maintain my own high standard and meet my own expectations.
“As a rookie, you love being a starter right away. But for me, it’s just about helping the team win the best way I can.
“I think it’s really important for me as a newbie to really learn from the vets and I’m really lucky to be in a room with a lot of vets.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
