Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu will hear his named called in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Detroit, that much is certain.
But what position he plays in the NFL is unclear.
Though Fautanu believes he should stick at tackle, calling it “lazy analysis” regarding talk that he should move inside, many analysts believe a slide inside to guard — or even center — would be best for his career because of the ability to be dominant on the interior.
DraftKings analyst Mike Golic Jr., who spent training camp with the Steelers in 2013, believes Fautanu should move to center.
Appearing on the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show Thursday, Golic Jr. stated that Fautanu reminds him of the Pouncey brothers and believes he should move to center, where he could really take his game to another level based on his traits and football IQ.
“I had this conversation with Nate Tice about a different prospect in Troy Fautanu coming outta Washington where you can just sort of see the way a guy carries himself. Like, Fautanu is a good example, really squared-off stance. The way that he carries himself in his past sets it all kind of mimics the center position,” Golic Jr. said, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “Troy reminds me a lot of the Pouncey brothers in the way he moves. I would love to see him kick down to center because it’s one of those things at center.
“If you’re a guy with the aptitude from the neck up and if I can teach you how to snap, it’s a much easier position than all those other ones in there. You got help on near every play. No one’s nearly as athletic.”
A move to center would be rather intriguing for Fautanu, who measured in at 6036, 317 pounds with 34 1/2-inch arms at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Golic isn’t the first to project him as a center, and he won’t be the last, either. During his time in college, Fautanu largely played left tackle. However, he also saw time at left guard and has been projected as a center in the NFL by some.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah stated last week that he knows one team that has Fautanu as the top center in the draft, which raised some eyebrows.
While Fautanu wants to stick at tackle, and rightfully so considering his dominance in college, history is not on his side. The last tackle under 6-foot-4 to be drafted in the first round was Isaiah Wynn by the New England Patriots. Even Peter Skoronski, a dominant tackle in college, came in at 6040 and moved inside to guard with the Tennessee Titans last season.
Moving inside — especially to center — could be for the best with Fautanu. Drawing comparisons to the Pouncey brothers from Golic is rather intriguing, especially with both Maurkice and Mike having lengthy, successful careers in the NFL, the former putting together a strong Hall of Fame resume with the Steelers.
We’ll see where Fautanu lands from a team and position perspective. Don’t be surprised if he’s immediately moved inside though.
