Troy Fautanu was just drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he could play a big role immediately.
The Pittsburgh Steelers used the 2024 NFL Draft to fortify their offensive line, and they started that with Washington’s Troy Fautanu in the first round.
Fautanu was seen as one of the draft’s top offensive lineman, and that’s why Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes he could be an immediate starter in the NFL.
The good news is that Fautanu has the skills and the floor of a Week 1 NFL starter. He’d be a plug-and-play option virtually anywhere he lands.
While most of Fautanu’s experience came at tackle, he was a two-year starter for the Huskies. At 6’4” and 317 pounds, he has the size, play strength and movement skills to be an elite interior lineman at the pro level.
The Steelers can play Fautanu in multiple spots on the offensive line, but it’s likely he’ll end up as the team’s left tackle. Mason McCormick and Zach Frazier, who were also drafted this weekend by the Steelers, also have a chance to start inside, while veteran James Daniels and second-year pro Broderick Jones have the right side on lock.
The Steelers learned this past season how to develop a tackle from Day 1 like they had with Jones, but given the team’s greater need for the offensive line, it’s very possible Fautanu gets thrown into the fray immediately out of the gate.
Fautanu and the rest of the rookies will begin their NFL journey at minicamp in May.