From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Washington OT Troy Fautanu.
#55 TROY FAUTANU/OT WASHINGTON – 6036, 317 pounds (R-SENIOR)
Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Troy Fautanu | 6036/317 | 9 1/2 | 34 1/2 | 81 1/2 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.01 | 1.71 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’5″ | 32.5 | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Solid frame, thick throughout
– Strong lower half with good natural knee bend
– Very good athletic ability, quick feet
– Explosive kick step out of stance
– Good lateral quickness
– Active hands, good punch timing
– Good in space when pulling or blocking up screens
THE BAD
– Quickness and athleticism don’t show when reach blocking, struggles to seal defenders
– Will stop feet on two-handed strike, which gets him into trouble when he whiffs
– Lacks power in his punch
– Inconsistent anchor; struggles against bull rush by bigger edge players and DTs
– His quick vertical set can get him into trouble opening himself up to inside counter moves
– Will turn 24 his rookie season
BIO
– Three-star prospect out of Liberty HS in Henderson, Nev.
– 23 years old, will be 24 in October
– Redshirt Senior
– 2023 AP All-American (third team)
– 2024 Morris Trophy Winner given to the best O-lineman in the Pac-12, as voted by conference D-linemen
– 31 starts, mostly LT but some LG
– Part of the Washington team to play in the national championship game in 2023
– Also played volleyball in high school
– Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2020
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Fautanu’s best trait as a pass protector is his footwork. He has a very smooth pass set and can cover a lot of ground quickly. Both of the plays in this clip show off his ability to cut off wide-9 pass rushers. Washington featured a pass-heavy offense, so he has plenty of experience in this area of his game. It all starts with the first step out of his stance. His kick step is powerful and allows him to get in position against speed rushes.
He backs up that good footwork with active hands. He is crafty with his hand usage and uses a snatch and trap to bat down defenders’ punches. He will also use a fake punch frequently to bait a defender’s move before throwing his first actual punch. Occasionally he will go for the two-hand strike and stop his feet, which gets him into trouble with counter moves. He is slightly undersized for a tackle, so effective use of hands will be very important to his success at the next level. He has the tools but overcommits at times going for the knockout punch.
As a run blocker, he is at his best when he is out in space working against second-level defenders. When he gets his hands on a linebacker or a safety in space, he bullies them and finishes his blocks well. He showed off his athleticism in the first play of this clip as he chipped a defensive lineman before sprinting out to lay the key block to spring his receiver for yards after the catch. The Huskies ran this play with him multiple times and it only works because of Fautanu’s athleticism. On the second play of the clip, he buried a linebacker out in space on a screen block. He did a great job getting to his target and driving his feet for a pancake block.
On the third and final play of the clip, he was a little over aggressive and went for the big hit instead of ensuring he secured the block. He dropped his head and whiffed on the key block to negate what would have been a big gain.
Bigger and longer defensive linemen and edge rushers tend to give Fautanu issues. He struggles a bit to anchor when defenders use their length or size to come directly at him. On the first play of the clip, he gets blown back to the quarterback while trying to cut off the defensive tackle. His grip strength saved the rep as he was able to hold on just long enough for Michael Penix Jr. to get the pass off. On the second play of the clip, the defender uses his length to land a punch of Fautanu’s chest and walks him back to collapse the pocket, forcing Penix to scramble.
CONCLUSION
Fautanu has the athleticism and footwork to be an effective tackle, but his length could be an issue against bigger and lengthier defensive linemen. His arm-length measurements at the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine will be important to watch when it comes to his positional fit at the NFL level. His athleticism, footwork, and use of hands are good enough for Fautanu to be an NFL tackle while his ability to pull and block second-level defenders in space suggest he could be a successful guard. In a strong tackle class this year, Fautanu is among the best and figures to land somewhere in the late first or early second round. If teams view him as a guard, he could slide a little further. He is this year’s Peter Skoronski where teams could view him either way. Skoronski, for what it’s worth, ended up playing guard his rookie season.
Projection: Early Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 8.5 – Future Quality Starter (2nd Round)
Games Watched: vs Michigan (2023), vs Oregon (2023), at Arizona (2023), vs Boise State (2023)
