In recent years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have moved rather quickly toward building a bully, especially offensively, leaning into a run-heavy approach with running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, allowing them to hammer away at defensive fronts.
They’ve also built up the trenches, too, drafting Broderick Jones last season, singing Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels in free agency, too.
Now, they have a chance to continue to build up the bully-ball style offensively along the offensive line, this time at either offensive tackle or center.
One player in the 2024 NFL Draft class along the offensive line would certainly match the power aspect of what the Steelers are looking for.
That would be Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu.
According to NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, Fautanu has “tidal waves of power” for the position, highlighting his power in a post on Twitter.
“I love watching this Troy Fautanu play…Just run behind Fautanu,” Baldinger says of Fautanu in the video. “He’ll get you the yards. He moves bodies. He’s a bulldozer, but he’s got quick feet and quicker hands. And I like the way he celebrates when they run behind him.”
Fautanu has been connected to the Steelers throughout the pre-draft process, from Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer attending the Washington Pro Day to put Fautanu through a workout, to the Steelers meeting privately with him and his family at the Pro Day, to Fautanu coming to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit.
Though there are questions about his true position in the NFL and whether he’s a tackle, guard, or quite possibly even a center, the things that are not in question: Fautanu’s power and demeanor.
He was a people mover at Washington and the key cog on the Huskies’ offensive line that reached the national championship game last season. He has plenty of suitors in the 2024 NFL Draft’s first round, too, with the Steelers, Bengals, Jaguars, Jets, Eagles, and Ravens showing interest in him throughout the pre-draft process.
In his scouting report for Steelers Depot, Ross McCorkle had this to say about Fautanu:
“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 NFL 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.”
Wherever he winds up and at whatever position, even if he has to kick inside — which is something that Fautanu is tired of hearing about — he is a plug-and-play starter. He’ll have plenty of reps showing off his power, too, garnering more attention from guys like Baldinger.
