NFL experts weigh in with draft grades after the Steelers take Troy Fautanu.
Did the Steelers get good value in Round 1 with Troy Fautanu? Here is what a draft expert had to say.
In the first round of the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected a player that no one expected. With six quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks (a new NFL record), talent began to fall off the board, and Troy Fautanu was primed for the moment.
Throughout the pre-draft process, the trail of breadcrumbs appeared to lead to the feet of Georgia offensive tackle Amaris Mims or Duke C Graham Barton. With Mims gone, Barton appeared to be the obvious choice, but Pittsburgh surprised us.
Fautanu was still on the board, so Omar Khan rushed to turn in his card for the athletic Washington offensive tackle. The Steelers later admitted that Fautanu was one of their top ten players in this year’s draft class.
While Pittsburgh’s front office was pleased with the decision, what do experts think?
Steelers receive ‘A’ grade from NFL.com for Troy Fautanu pick
NFL.com Draft Analyst Chad Reuter evaluated all 32 picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and assigned early grades to each team. Reuter confidently gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a ‘A’ for drafting such a talented player at pick 20. This is what he had to say.
“Analysis: Fautanu stands only 6-foot-3 3/4 inches tall and weighs 317 pounds, but his 34 1/2-inch arms, natural bend, and quickness made him an excellent pass protector for Washington.” He may move inside due to his toughness and mobility in the run game, but his announcement as a tackle Thursday night suggests he could stay outside to compete with Dan Moore. Fautanu’s stock may have dropped slightly due to a reported knee issue, but the Steelers wisely saw value in the stud lineman, who joins last year’s first-round pick, Broderick Jones, up front to protect new quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Reuter notes that a reported knee issue may have pushed Fautanu down the draft board, but he praises the Steelers for picking up the pieces when they fell.
Fautanu possesses extremely rare athletic abilities and movement skills for an offensive tackle. At the 2024 NFL Combine, he had explosion numbers in the 90th percentile or higher in the broad jump (113″) and vertical jump (32 1/2′). According to RAS.football, his athletic traits contributed to him being ranked in the 96th percentile.
Fautanu will now play alongside Broderick Jones on the offensive line. While the Steelers assured us that Fautanu would be an offensive tackle, it is unclear whether he will play left or right tackle for Pittsburgh next season.
The initial reactions, analyses, and grades on Pittsburgh’s decision to draft Troy Fautanu at pick 20 are overwhelmingly positive. This decision should give Steelers fans a lot of hope.