The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu at No. 20 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Less than 10 minutes after the pick was in, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson welcomed his newest teammate on X (formerly Twitter).
“Welcome @tFautanu to the Burgh!” Wilson posted, tagging Fautanu.
Fautanu started at left tackle for Washington and helped the program reach the national championship game last season. According to Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora, Fautanu played 984 snaps at left tackle in 2023.
The Steelers, though, already have Dan Moore Jr. as their starting left tackle. 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones is also a natural left tackle, but he started at right tackle during the second half of last season.
So, the big question surrounding Fautanu is where he will play in Pittsburgh.
But Wilson probably doesn’t care all that much. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds with 34.5-inch arms, Fautanu projects to be a great protector for Wilson regardless of where he plays.
“Ready-made brawler without an ounce of finesse in his game,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “Fautanu has starting experience at tackle and guard and is well-coached, but he will default to unruly hand-fighting when his technique gets away from him.
“Fautanu needs to prove he has the leverage and hand quickness to play inside, but all signs point toward him becoming a good future starter.”
Will Troy Fautanu Play Left or Right Tackle for Russell Wilson?
Drafting tackles in back-to-back first rounds could give the Steelers their offensive line bookends for the foreseeable future. But who plays right tackle remains uncertain.
Moore, Jones and Fautanu all have most of their experience at left tackle.
To end 2023, Jones started at right tackle. However, Steelers general manager Omar Khan made it clear at the NFL combine that the team still plans for Jones to eventually play left tackle.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin explained to reporters last November that Moore had not been considered an option at right tackle because he was significantly worse at that spot than left tackle.
Moore has been a serviceable left tackle at times. But Jones and Fautanu have far more raw talent. Moore is also entering the final year of his rookie contract.
If the Steelers desire to flip Jones to left tackle this fall, Fautanu is likely the best bet to start at right tackle. That will probably be just fine with Pittsburgh’s 2024 first-round pick.
“My mindset has always been to do whatever’s necessary to get on the field though,” Fautanu told The Draft Network’s Justin Melo on April 16. “I want to play. I can’t make my biggest impact if I’m not on the field. For me, I’ll play wherever at this level.
“At the end of the day, I’m an offensive lineman. I truly feel like my versatility will bring value to the organization.”
On April 25, Tomlin didn’t say whether Fautanu would play left or right tackle in 2024. However, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly tweeted that Tomlin “emphatically said” he will not play center.
Fautanu Grew Up a Steelers Fan
It remains to be seen if Fautanu can be a perfect fit at right tackle. But there’s little doubt he fits the Steelers.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted on April 25 that Fautanu grew up a Steelers fan. Pelissero also wrote that Fautanu’s favorite player was Hall of Fame Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.
When the Steelers selected Fautanu, there were still a couple offensive tackles with first-round grades available. Also, every cornerback was still on the board.
But Khan essentially told the media the Steelers couldn’t pass on Fautanu.
“The Steelers decided to get Fautanu rather than explore options,” wrote TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter.
Omar Khan said the Steelers had a chance at one point to move back but once the Rams picked at No. 19, the Steelers decided to get Fautanu rather than explore options.
The Steelers have two more selections on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft. The expectation is that they will target a center and/or a wide receiver to further help Wilson on offense.
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Russell Wilson Quickly Sends Message to Steelers 1st-Round Pick Troy Fautanu