New York Jets Player Previews: Olu Fashanu & Micheal Clemons

Intro hello welcome to another episode of in the trenches with Gang Green I'm your host bubs today we have another installment of the New York Jets 2024 player previews this is the 11th player preview episode of the series and today we're going to break down two more Jets one on offense and the other coming on defense both coming in the trenches up front Olu fashion on offense and we will take a look at Michael Clemens on defense before we begin today's episode of the New York Jets player previews I want to quickly break down or tell you about our partners of the podcast our podcast Partners starting with our friends over at seek seek is an app that delivers tickets from all over the Internet and puts it into one place to make it easier for you the buyer what makes sege so great is they rate each ticket on a scale from 1 to 10 so you know what type of deal you are getting so you know if you're paying the right price and getting the right deal and the good deal for the seats and the 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that'll take you to the Huga house store rather and at checkout use promo code bubs for 15% off any purchase gets to yourself some Huga house swag all right now for today's New York Jets player preview episode episode number 11 and we are taking a look at two guys up front the thiry year Michael Clemens and the rookie Olu fashu we will start on offense with the rookie in Olu fashu 66 312 pounds he is 21 years old he will be 22 in December so he is in his age 2122 season as a rookie he was the New York Jets 2024 first round pick 11th overall of course the New York Jets traded back one spot with the Minnesota Vikings who moved up to number 10 the Jets fell back to number 11 one spot later and took Olu fashu the left tackle out of Penn State and he will now enter his rookie campaign for the New York Jets as a depth piece as of right now but could definitely see the field this year and you know the Olu fashion who picked the you went into this year's draft class for the New York Jets and you were wondering you know what are they going to do are they going going to go out and draft a brock Bowers are they going to go out and add a playmaker are they going to draft a fashon fashion are they going to maybe make a play for Joe Walt would they go after maybe a guy that's versatile like a uh Troy fan or one of those guys where they trade up for a playmaker a romad Dun Marvin Harrison a leak neighbors and you know everybody was kind of debating there was a Hot Topic around who do they take who do they select and I think overall as a Jet fan and I know we don't talk about Camp much on this show but through Camp so far and since draft night you know in April uh I think so far you've got to be really really pleased with the pick that Joe Douglas made I know some people felt you want the guy that could come in and play and would play you know would almost maybe start potentially whether that would be a radun or trading up for a Malik neighbors a guy to fit the win now window as opposed to a guy in Olu fashu who probably won't show his true potential and play his full role until next season 2025 assuming Tyron Smith just a one-year rental for this Allin 2024 season so I understood all that but this was still the smarter pick this was still it wasn't the flashy pick it wasn't the pick that is going to get National recognition is going to get recognition from a playmaker perspective but this was the smart pick for the New York Jets and a very good pick at that Olu fashu will give some of the numbers was excellent at Penn State and the big not really much of debate but we always knew this Joe Al was the number one tackle in the draft in terms of overall number one tackle run blocking pass blocking everything but in terms of pure pass blocker pure pass sets the best the most potential one of the guys with the highest ceiling you'd give that honor to Olu fashu you can make a really strong case this was the best pass blocker in this draft joal was the best allaround blocker allaround offensive tackle but fashu was the best pass blocker to protect the quarterback blind side and the Jets got him at number 11 and I think you've got to be fired up with that and Olu fashu will enter his rookie year this year we'll give you some of the numbers and his role and how many games he might actually play because he is going to play he is going to start games as much of in a perfect world we'd love to see Tyron Smith play all seven games it's not going to happen because the last time that happened Joe or um I was about to say Joe name Ryan Fitzpatrick was the New York Jets quarterback 2015 almost in its entire decade has gone by it has almost been 20 10 or 10 years rather since Tyron Smith played it the entire season so fash is gonna play this year but he has an awesome opportunity in front of him to learn behind Tyron Smith a future Hall of Famer a all you know a multi-time pro bowler a multi-time All Pro NFL 2010 all decade team one of the not just Elite left tackles in the NFL still today even at his age and even with some of his struggles staying healthy still one of the elite left tackles today but he's also a future Hall of Famer and one of the elite left tackles this game has ever seen and for Olu fashu to be able to sit behind him and Morgan Moses as well another veteran in the room although from the other side and we'll talk about fashu you know maybe getting some reps a right tackle as well we've seen it a couple days here at camp but we'll get to that later but in terms of learning behind Tyron Smith it is an awesome awesome opportunity he will play a role this year highend depth that left tackle for Tyron Smith miss miss his time which will 99% happen fashion will probably playing three to five games this year and that's huge and and in those three to five games you as a Jets fan would much rather trust him over anybody else first round pick an elite left tackle and hopefully your left tackle the future ideally with this draft pick the Jets found themselves their left tackle the future they're next to Brick AA Ferguson for the next 10 to 15 years when you look at some of the Olu Fashanu numbers 2023 PFF grade 78.8 uh some of the other numbers though are even more impressive in 2023 last season he had 328 pass block snaps he Allowed no sacks his 2022 and 2023 PFF ranked him in the 97th percentile in pass block grade in true pass sets that was an 82.6 grade so was 97th percentile in all of college football over two seasons with an 82.6 pass blocking grade in true pass sets in college football so just right there shows you how Elite he was from a pass blocking standpoint he also did not allow a quarterback hit as well last season in those 328 pass blocking snaps on top of that his three years at Penn State in his career he allowed just a 1.1% pressure rate and his blown block rate was third lowest in college football through his three years in 2021 2022 and 2023 so since 2021 in the FBS Olu Fashion's blown block rate was third lowest in college football so pressure rate low low blown block rate 97 percentile and true pass sets grading wise no sacks allowed last season and in 1,258 career snaps around 700 of those coming from a pass blocking standpoint allowed one quarterback hit in three seasons and depending on which statistics and which uh sit you look at whether you're a ESPN stats and info guy or more of a PFF guy some say he never allowed a sack some say he allowed a sack PFF never logged him at allowing a sack in his three years at college football ESPN stats and info did so what other analytical site you look at will depend on whether or not Olu fashu allowed a sack during his collegiate career so for this we'll say he never allowed a sack because he's a jet and we're gonna you know boost him up a little bit there but uh in all seriousness though one quarterback hit and 1,258 career snaps 700 around 700 of those coming at passing is extremely impressive and didn't make many mistakes was almost perfect during his college career and again the the Run blocking is not as strong but really solid run Blocker in terms of getting to the second level he's a solid run blocker you know it's not as his passing is obviously his his dominant that's what he's a lead at that's why he got drafted as high as he did and that's who you want out of your left tackle you want him to be more of a pass blocking pass protection expert or pass protection Elite type of player because he's protecting the quarterback's Blind Side in most cases especially in this case with Rogers a guy who's coming off of of course a major injury you need to keep him upright but he has a very strong ability has a very good ability to get to the second level and that's something that the New York Jets as a whole I've previewed every offensive lineman so far except Tyron Smith we'll get to him in a later episode of course but previewing all four of the New York Jets starting offensive lineman or four the five New York Jets starting offens lineman and now Olu fashu of course back up at left tackle all of them are very good at getting to the second level downhill blockers and that really fits what the Jets are going to try and do this year from a running standpoint from a run scheme standpoint getting to the second level downhill MOS is very good fashion is very good ABT can get downhill John Simpson can get downhill so a lot of guys that just fit the scheme fit the system and we'll be really really fun to watch these running backs run behind not only fashu because he's going to play but some of these other guys as well including ABT Morgan Moses John Simpson those guys that are just downhill lower you know head down downhill just MERS in the Run game so very fired up to see Olu fashu and even here the last couple days at Camp I don't talk about Camp a ton on these episodes we more kind of projecting and going off of what they did last year but he has gotten some reps at right tackle so so potentially can can can fill in both right tackle and left tackle but look I think fashion new this season he's going to play because it would be if Tyron Smith plays 13 14 games that's a huge huge positive if he get 13 14 games out of Tyron Smith this year and he's healthy for the playoffs which by the way he's never missed a playoff game in his career if you if that's what it is that's a positive and then hey Olu fashu goes out there and plays three four games that he misses you can trust him to step up in a big way so really fired up not only what fashu can do this year when he plays if he plays most likely that'll be the case but also moving forward you hope this is a guy that we are previewing for a very long time as the New York Jets future in Cornerstone at left tackle Olu fashion of the 11th overall pick all right so that is Olu fashu now we will move on to Michael Micheal Clemons Clemens and I I I don't want to come off overly negative here but very fired up for Olu fashu I don't share exactly the same excitement for Michael Clemens but but let let's break him down here and get Micheal Clemons Stats into some of the numbers and and some of my other thoughts and and really project and preview and and all that good stuff on uh The Edge rusher for the New York Jets here 65 263 pounds 26 years old although he would be 27 exactly seven days pretty much a week from now so uh a week from today next Wednesday he will be 27 years old so entering his age 27 season 2022 fourth round pick 117th overall out of Texas A&M of course selected by the New York Jets has spent each of his first two seasons of course here in the Big Apple with the Jets playing 32 games 16 in his rookie year and 16 last year Michael Clemens is a really really interesting player and a I don't know if I want to call him a frustrating player but just the guy that you would like to see more of you expected more of going into last year and you feel like got potential but he just hasn't shown it and it just feels like you're kind of wondering when he's actually going to break out because I remember previewing Michael Clemens last season and having a lot of excitement around what he could do with the New York Jets defensive in that New York Jets defensive line room because he had a solid rookie season a a really productive rookie season and we'll break him we'll break down his rookie season and all that stuff soon had a solid rookie season and was you know was was was all right was solid showed you some positives we give you some of the numbers was good but I think what really got people excited about Michael Clemens going into last year was he bulked up he put on some weight he put on some size so much credit goes for him to do for doing that knows you know what I don't you know if I want to make an impact on this roster if I want to make an impact with the Jets stay around with the Jets long time bulk up let me play inside let me play outside because it's a very crowded Edge bulks up does all that says you know what play inside can play outside all this excitement going into not a ton of excitement it's like not like we were saying Michael Clemens would be a All Pro but thought he could be a really really solid rotational piece for the New York Jets last year and he really didn't do a whole lot he really didn't in fact he regrets in pretty much every single statistical category and that's kind of concerning going into 2024 especially with the way the Jets defense ofi room now looks after an offse season of letting Bryce Huff walk trading jfm and now you've got chaos with Hassan reic requesting a trade and now Michael Clemens goes into this year let's say hypothetically reic does hold out and again I don't want to talk too much about camp and talk too much about hypotheticals but he's going to play a much bigger role than he probably should and we probably expected and it feels like the Jets might be relying a little bit too much on him to do so now you look at some of his rookie year numbers going back here he wasn't the best in pass rush ranking wise but when you compare his rookie year numbers right for a fourth round round pick he wasn't terrible you know it wasn't awful for a rotational guy that didn't play a whole lot he wasn't terrible he only played he only played 25% of the snaps or 29% of the snaps in 2020 so or 2022 rather under 30% of the snaps is Rookie year in those 29% of the snaps he ranked 40th percentile on pass rush win rate 11.5% and 35th percentile on pressure rate 9% both of those not great right not even above 50th percentile below average when you look at those rankings however he was good against the run four tackles for loss six and a half stuffs in 28 or 29% of the snaps play 301 snaps total defensively last year he bulked up he was originally 65 270 or that's where he was rather that's where he is now I should say 260 270 so you look at those numbers they're not great but they at least show some promise now you look at this year his P pressure rate went from or this past season rather his pressure rate went from 9% down to 5.2% in 2023 so it dropped almost 4% and he played more snaps so he actually in a way and I guess you could say oh well he took more advantage of his opportunities in 2022 less snaps if you gave him more snaps the pressure rate probably would have dropped off I guess but you know more snaps could be could be a bad thing but either way if you get what I'm saying like if you rush to pass like if you rush the guy if you get one snap and you sack him pressure rate you know you know perfect pressure rate a sack per snap pretty much if you rush him again then you know one for two as opposed to one to one if or one for one if that makes sense so sometimes more snaps could uh decrease your numbers in terms of less snaps if you make the most of your opportunity but either way he played 35% of snaps so he played 6% more snaps this year he was under 30% last year played 35% this year and his pressure rate went down 4% you look at some of the other numbers that dropped his 2022 PFF grade I know pff's not the end all Beall but this is a significant drop 78.7 in 2022 23 a Dro down to 65.9 which is ugly very ugly 2022 two and a half sacks 2023 half a sack 2022 he had four tackles for loss last year two tackles for loss so what was a strength of his in terms of he was actually good against the run in 2022 he also regressed against the run in 2023 2022 his rookie season six quarterback hits last year only one quarterback hit that is extremely disappointing and tackles as well 36 his rookie year dropped down to 27 last year talk about the pressure rate going from nine down to five and the snaps increased so more snaps more playing time the numbers decrease and he was actually less of a factor and that's concerning going into year number three you would like to see a guy put together kind of for a fourth round pick playing you know playing more of a rotational depth developmental role only playing 29% of the snaps showing you some positive things you would like to see that jump continue in year two and then ideally take a pretty sizable jump in year three as well continue to get better he regressed in a massive massive way and now it leaves you with a bunch of questions for 2023 especially with the situation the Jets find themselves in now another thing too that um he showed I thought more of in 2023 was or 2022 was he beat he was able to beat tight ends a lot against the run with his long arms and is very explosive in his power you saw a lot he was able to overpower tight ends with his athleticism his long arms his size he's 65 he's got a very interesting build for a edge rusher but he utilized it to really the a very very he utilized it in a really positive way like he he took advantage of it in terms of his um in terms of his ability to kind of just outow guys and just beat him with his speed beat them with his athleticism and you just didn't see that a lot last year it kind of just dropped off and now this season let's say reic doesn't play hypothetically you're looking at Clemens as your third Edge rusher potentially you're second but you're looking at him right behind Will McDonald for a guy that put up those numbers in 35% of the snaps if you're relying on him to potentially start potentially play opposite to Germaine Johnson at times and put up anywhere near the pass anywhere near the pass rushing ability that we've seen from Jets Edge rushers in the past couple Seasons That's a serious serious concern it's a guy that in his two years he's played 32 games his NFL career he's got 63 tackles and three sacks three sacks I know sacks aren't the end all Beall but when you see the pressure a drop significantly and the sacks still aren't there it's a concern so I don't want to sound too negative I don't want to be too harsh you know Michael Clemens is a guy that gives off a very dangerous tough guy Vibe you know holding the backat coming in the camp last year if you remember but uh he gives off this very scary Vibe but hasn't really put it fully onto the field you know some of the off the- field stuff if you remember him with the Browns fans on Thursday night he got into it with the bills as well in the tunnel you know it feels like he at times is he does a lot off the field he he kind of kind of shows he does a lot of other stuff but not a whole lot of production if that makes sense doesn't really back a ton of it up and I think the Jets in a way are putting a little too much trust in prove me wrong go out there and put up you know six sacks this season and his pressure rate maybe let's say creep above it was 11 you know was 9% in 2020 let's see that pressure rate get into the 67 let's say that pressure rate maybe gets into the 65 70 percentile where he's above average not Elite not great but above average and that pass rush win rate as well go from 11.5% you know higher up to maybe the 55 60th percentile where he's above average and maybe gets five six sacks that'd be great but I just don't see it for a guy that regressed significantly last year and at times was a non-factor and even his rookie year he showed you some he didn't show you a lot it's not like he had a stellar rookie year you really can't hang your hat on anything with Michael Clemens so we'll see I hope I'm wrong and I hope the role he's in this year a lot of it depends on Hassan reic but he's definitely a very kind of a questionable player in terms of what you're going to get out of him this season and that's a concern so that is your New York Jets 20124 player preview episode number 11 Olu fashu and Michael Clemens let me know what you think about both these players in the comments section down below and until next time as always Jets Jets Jets Jets