Swerving a highly-touted quarterback like Jayden Daniels with the third pick in the 2024 NFL draft would be a risky strategy for the New England Patriots, but the risk can be mitigated by getting two first-round picks from the Denver Broncos in trade, and using one of them to select left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu.

The Penn State linchpin is the key figure in a trade proposal outlined by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus. He has the Patriots swapping the third-overall choice for the Broncos’ 12th and 76th picks this year, as well as a first-rounder in 2025.

Monson believes “the Patriots trade out of No. 3 because the team needs major work and they aren’t in love with the remaining quarterbacks. With the haul they receive, they start the rebuild in the trenches, selecting Olu Fashanu.”

While the “quarterback-desperate” Broncos would be be free to take Daniels, Fashanu could be a worthy consolation prize for the Pats. The 21-year-old “has the best footwork of any tackle prospect in years and could become a star pass protector.”

Fashanu wouldn’t solve the Patriots’ QB problem, but he offers excellent upside in two other ways.

Olumuyiwa Fashanu Can Help Patriots in Two Ways

Adding Fashanu to the lineup would not only replace Trent Brown after the beefy left tackle joined the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency. The Patriots have already been doing their homework on a potential Brown replacement in this draft class.

Fashanu might be a safer pick as a more likely Day 1 starter. He was flawless in pass protection during his final season with the Nittany Lions, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, who also highlighted how Fashanu “Mirrors very well out of a quick ready stance; easily picks up stunts and counters.”

Putting Fashanu into the lineup would give the Patriots a potentially dominant force at a premium position for the next decade. Left tackle is arguably second in value behind quarterback in today’s NFL, so the Pats would be able to lock the spot down for cheap.

Drafting Fashanu would also create powerful bookends for the offensive line. He’d pair with right tackle Mike Onwenu, who has been an accomplished pass protector the last two years, per PFF NE Patriots, allowing just four sacks from 1,088 snaps.

Onwenu and Fashanu would help the Patriots construct the right framework to support the right quarterback. Even if it might not be Daniels.

Jayden Daniels Has to Be Tempting for Patriots

The chance to take Daniels at No. 3 may be too tempting for the Patriots to ignore, no matter what trade offers they receive. A dual-threat talent who won the Heisman Trophy after throwing 40 touchdowns and rushing for 1,134 yards is the kind of player you can build a franchise around.

There’s been a vacancy for one of those in New England, even since Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. The void wasn’t filled by Mac Jones, and it’s unlikely Jacoby Brissett is up to task. Brady’s former backup is a respected pro well-known to the Patriots, but this is still a franchise lacking legitimate star power at football’s most important position.

A lot will depend on how the Patriots choose to rebuild in the post-Bill Belichick era. If Belichick’s successor Jerod Mayo and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf adopt a low-key, traditional approach, they’ll address the foundations and strengthen the trenches first.

Alternatively, if Mayo and Wolf crave a splash move to inspire a quick turnaround, they’ll hold onto the third pick and use it to get a star signal-caller like Daniels.