Had the run on first-round offensive linemen turned out just a little differently, the Pittsburgh Steelers could’ve celebrated Georgia’s Amarius Mims as their first-round pick instead of Troy Fautanu. While it seems Fautanu was higher on their board, if the roles were reversed and the Bengals took Fautanu 18th overall instead of selecting Mims, Pittsburgh could’ve had a new face protecting QB Russell Wilson this season.
Though not as spotlighted as quarterback career arcs, there will be a battle to see which players turn out the best. Who will be the best offensive lineman from a solid class? Mims or Fautanu. Though it’s far too early to make any declarations, Mims has earned praise in Cincinnati just as Fautanu has in Pittsburgh.
For a June rookie roundup last month, ESPN Bengals reporter Ben Baby noted Mims’ fast start in reps and play.
“Mims took advantage of the first-team reps vacated by RT Trent Brown, who missed all but the mandatory minicamp. Mims will get time to work his way into the league as a projected backup. But so far, he has checked all the boxes for coach Zac Taylor. ‘Consistently doing it over training camp and blocking people and being able to react very quickly,’ Taylor said. ‘That’s the part that I’m excited [about] — to see how he handles all that.’”
The Bengals have a type at offensive tackle – big and long. The 6-8, 345-pound Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle, the 6-8, 355-pound Trent Brown at right tackle, and the 6-7, 340-pound Mims trying to find his role. He’s likely to begin the year as a backup behind Brown. But given his immense talent and upside, our scouting report offered Jonathan Ogden as his ceiling, Mims could push for a starting spot sooner than later.
Coming out of Georgia, Amarius Mims’ largest concern was the only small thing about him—his experience. Limited to just eight career starts, the lack of tape made him a risky pick to hang your draft class on. But the Bengals felt comfortable that the pros outweighed the concerns. At his best, Amarius Mims is light on his feet in pass protection and a punishing run blocker who simply dwarfs most edge rushers.
Fautanu’s situation is different. He has better odds to be the Steelers’ Week 1 starter. With more experience and refinement, there’s a good chance he’s part of Pittsburgh’s front five against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8. His biggest challenge is a position switch, flipping from playing left tackle to repping right tackle with the Steelers.
