The selection of Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu by the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday night at No. 20 overall wasn’t all that surprising, considering the interest the franchise showed in the standout lineman throughout the pre-draft process.
What is surprising, or at least questionable, is where he slots in at on the Steelers’ offensive line. Is he a left tackle? Does he move to right tackle so the Steelers can flip last year’s first-round pick in Broderick Jones to left tackle? Is he a center?
For now, the Steelers are viewing him as a tackle.Â
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler doesn’t care where he slots in with the Steelers. Appearing on The Athletic’s live draft show on YouTube, Brugler called Fautanu to the Steelers a “perfect fit” because he can give the Steelers whatever they need.
“That’s the value in Fautanu is he could be [left tackle]. If that’s what your team needs, then he can give you that,” Brugler said of Fautanu in Pittsburgh, according to video via The Athletic’s YouTube page. “I just, aesthetically looking at him, he looks like a guard, just the way he plays. But then you see him move out there with the feet and the length and the balance, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, okay, why can’t he hold up at left tackle?’ You run outta reasons why he can’t be a left tackle.
“So to me, if I’m the Steelers, this is a perfect fit because if we need him at left tackle, he can do it. We can also kick him inside a guard. I think he could play center. I think he’d be an awesome center, which we know is a position that the Steelers need, and that’s something that we’ll have to watch for tomorrow night with the Steelers.”
Fautanu fits the Steelers very well from a play style and demeanor standpoint. He brings a very physical presence and a nasty edge to the field, which is perfect for the Steelers, who are aiming to get back to the bully-ball ways of the glory days.
Pittsburgh had some success playing that way late in the season, getting into the playoffs last year. But the offensive line had its issues at times, and tackle was an area that was circled as a spot to upgrade.
Though there is the belief that Fautanu could kick inside and become a very good center in the NFL due to his smaller size but great arm length and power, the Steelers are keeping him at tackle — at least for now. In the end though, it’s about getting the best group of five on the field in the trenches. That will all take care of itself in training camp.
Fautanu has great versatility, which could allow the Steelers to plug him in wherever he’s needed, making him all that more valuable to the Black and Gold moving forward.
