The Pittsburgh Steelers saw the draft break in their favor in the first round with OT Troy Fautanu falling to the team at No. 20 overall. It’s a selection that garnered a lot of praise from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who called it a steal for the Steelers, and both PFF’s Trevor Sikkema and Bob McGinn of Go Long agree that Fautanu was a heist, and potentially even the steal of the first round.
Breaking down the first round in a video on NFL Stock Exchange, Sikkema said he likes the fit with Fautanu opposite Broderick Jones.
“I think this is an absolute steal for them. Fataunu can play left tackle right away and you can put Broderick Jones back at right tackle, and I think that you have got two fantastic offensive tackles there.”
McGinn said he didn’t hear a bad word about Fautanu throughout the pre-draft process and went as far as to say that Fautanu could be the steal of the first round.
“The Steelers getting Fautanu at No. 20 might turn out to be the steal of the night,” McGinn wrote for Go Long.
Fautanu gives the Steelers another solid option at tackle along with Jones, although it’s currently up for debate who will play left tackle and who will play right tackle. Both played on the left side in college, but the Steelers moved Jones to the right side because he was better there than Dan Moore Jr. However, with Fautanu in the fold, Moore could be out of a job if Fautanu can prove himself as a starter, and it will be interesting to see whether he shifts to the right side or if Jones stays on the right side.
Either way, Fautanu was considered one of the best offensive linemen in the class, and him falling to No. 20 was a surprise. With six quarterbacks going ahead of the Steelers’ selection, they had a number of options, including CB Quinyon Mitchell, who also wasn’t expected to be on the board at No. 20. But the Steelers waited and stayed put at No. 20 to take Fautanu, a player they did their homework on as he came in for a pre-draft visit with the team also talking with him at the NFL Scouting Combine. Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin also got a chance to talk to some of his former coaches during their visit to Alabama’s Pro Day, and they seem to be really comfortable with the player.
Fautanu seems like he’s going to fit in well in Pittsburgh, and the lifelong Steelers fan can now live his dream by playing for his childhood favorite team. Given the circumstances, I don’t think he’ll be too upset about his minor draft day slide and ending up in Pittsburgh where he could wind up being one of the best picks of the draft.
