The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a steal during a wild first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. They selected Troy Fautanu from the University of Washington. He was widely considered the third-best offensive tackle in an extraordinarily talented and deep class. Steelers had Fautanu for a Top 30 visit and told the press after the selection that he was their top choice. Still, few mocks predicted Fautanu would make it until 20th overall.
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Steelers' Troy Fautanu during his time in college.
The incredible run on quarterbacks early in the first round definitely worked in the Steelers' favor. But now Fautanu will be partnered with last year's first-round pick, Broderick Jones, to anchor the offensive line and protect their three new quarterbacks.
It seems as though the team is thrilled with the pick. Fautanu, a Steelers fan growing up, said he is ecstatic to have been selected, indicating that it was meant to be. But what do the draft gurus think about the pick? Other elite players, like Terrion Arnold and Cooper DeJean, were available in positions the Steelers needed and were ranked ahead of Fautanu.
When I tell y’all this truly is a dream come true…. It was already written. https://t.co/D1xncp2FhH
— Troy Fautanu ™ (@tFautanu) April 26, 2024
Mel Kiper Jr., often considered a leading expert on the draft and the godfather of mock drafts, praised the Steelers for selecting Fautanu. They selected exactly the right person. In an article published after the draft on ESPN, Kiper, called the Steelers winners and said he was pleasantly surprised by the pick.
"What a steal by Pittsburgh. I wrote Thursday morning that I thought the Steelers were targeting Graham Barton to be their new center, but I didn't think Fautanu would be available. This is a no-brainer. I had Fautanu at No. 10 and Barton at No. 19 in my rankings, and both were the top players at their position. Fautanu played left tackle in college, and I wouldn't be shocked if the Steelers thought he could stick there and compete with Dan Moore Jr. in 2024 while they find their center somewhere else," wrote Kiper.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin announced after the selection that they plan to keep Fautanu at tackle, despite his versatility. During the 2023 season, Dan Moore Jr. covered the left side of the line, while Jones was moved to the right side because of his flexibility to cover for a benched Chukwuma Okorafor.
The Steelers did not start Jones immediately after drafting him, allowing him to ease his way into the starting lineup. They will likely do something similar with Fautanu, unless he beats Moore at training camp flat-out.
Associated Press
Steelers tackle, Broderick Jones.
Moore, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, is in the final year of his contract. Most analysts agree that the Steelers will choose not to keep him at the end of the 2024 season. The addition of Fautanu almost guarantees this.
Steelers Have No Concerns About Troy Fautanu's Prior Injuries
The one downside to picking Fautanu is the injuries he sustained while playing in college. Some commented that the injuries were why he was available at 20 for Pittsburgh, saying teams had concerns. Perhaps those injuries worked in the Steelers' favor, or perhaps it was just part of how surprising round one was. It wasn't like tackles ranked lower than Fautanu were taken over him.
Fautanu has injured his ACL (knee) and sustained a Lisfranc foot injury. The knee injury has been described as one that isn't a concern now, but could rear its head down the road. While the Lisfranc has left some lingering stiffness, it did not seem to impact his play for the Huskies. Fautanu was clear that he feels healthy, saying nothing has bothered him in years.
USA Today
Washington's Troy Fautanu at the NFL Combine.
The Steelers have shown a willingness to take a chance on players who previously suffered injuries. They did that in 2023 when they chose Darnell Washington out of the University of Georgia with a third-round pick after he was medically flagged. Football is a game of calculated risks; any player could get injured at any time, and the Steelers know that better than most teams. Fautanu's ceiling is simply too high for the Steelers to chance passing him up.
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