Troy Fautanu

Steelers Add OL Troy Fautanu At No. 20

April 25th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Ben Levine

As expected, O-linemen continue to be popular in the first round. Likewise, the Steelers’ top choice comes at an expected position. Pittsburgh used the No. 20 pick on Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu.

The Steelers had been linked to using their first-round pick on a blocker for a bit now. While a Thursday rumor mentioned Duke tackle/center Graham Barton as a target, this year’s deep tackle group presented an opportunity for Pittsburgh to add a higher-value player. This marks the second straight year the Steelers have gone O-line in Round 1; they chose Broderick Jones last year.

Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors while blocking for Michael Penix Jr.. That performance helped put the lineman in the first-round conversation for the 2024 draft. Fautanu has generally been lauded for his speed and athleticism, and the 6-foot-4, 317-pound lineman certainly has the physical attributes to compete as an NFL offensive tackle.

The Washington product was considered a first-round pick for much of the pre-draft process and was mentioned in the same breath as the five rookie linemen selected before him. However, Fautanu’s positional uncertainty may have led to him being the sixth OL off the board.

Some pundits projected the prospect as an interior lineman in the NFL, with some even declaring him the best draft option at that guard. However, considering the appeal of tackles, that sentiment may have ended up hurting the player’s draft stock. There was some growing optimism that Fautanu would be able to play tackle in the NFL, and it will be interesting to see how the Steelers proceed with their rookie lineman.

There shouldn’t be much in the way between Fautanu and a starting OT spot in 2024. With Jones rumored to be sliding from right to left tackle — his primary college position — this year, a Fautanu path to the lineup could include a competition with Dan Moore Jr. for RT work. But the Steelers have some additional flexibility — and a potential long-term solution — thanks to their latest O-line investment.

Commanders Pursuing Late First-Round Trade

April 25th, 2024 at 6:29pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Commanders are set to keep the second-overall pick, the team could still be an active trade participant in tonight’s first round. According to JP Finlay of NBC4 in Washington, the Commanders have been calling teams in the bottom half of the first round.

The Commanders have the assets to move up towards the end of tonight’s portion of the draft. The team possesses a pair of early second-round picks (No. 36 and No. 40) plus a pair of third-round selections (No. 67, No. 78).

While the organization is all but certain to take a quarterback with the No. 2 pick, there are still other major needs they’d like to address. Per Finlay, if the team does pull off a trade towards the end of the first round, they’d likely be targeting an offensive lineman.

The Commanders moved on from left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and have Andrew Wylie penciled in on the other side, so the team could be seeking multiple tackles in this year’s draft. While the team likely doesn’t have the draft capital to make a trade all the way up for Joe Alt, Sam Fortier of the Washington Post suggests the Commanders could target another early-round OT who is sliding down the board. Fortier points to Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, and Washington’s Troy Fautanu as potential targets.

“It’s pretty universally known [that] it’s a really good tackle class, deep tackle class,” GM Adam Peters previously said (via Fortier). “As you can see in a lot of the mock drafts, there’s a ton of those guys coming off in the first round. We got a chance to visit with a lot of them and really at different levels. But yeah, we’re really, really excited about that group.”

While teams have sniffed around at Washington’s second-overall pick, it was recently reported that the front office hasn’t given any indication that they’ll trade the selection. While draft pundits haven’t completely ruled out Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy at No. 2, Jayden Daniels remains the favorite to be selected by the Commanders.

Draft Notes: Cowboys, Rams, Fautanu, Legette, Texans, Colts

April 24th, 2024 at 10:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys currently own pick No. 24, but like many other teams late in the first-round order they could be enticed to move down the board. When speaking about the team’s Day 1 approach, owner Jerry Jones noted the appeal of adding extra draft capital, stating it is “very likely” they could have a trade-down opportunity.

“I’m not trying to be cute there,” Jones added, offering a counter to his previous point (via The Athletic’s Saad Yousef). “Obviously we’d like to have some mid-round picks. But by the same token, Micah Parsons might be sitting there with that pick. Now, do you want to go for some more picks or do you want to snag him?”

A number of intriguing options could still be on the board for Dallas if the team remains in place. Offensive line is a known area of interest, and Graham Barton is believed to be on the Cowboys’ radar. Replacements for Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz are needed, and Yousef adds that – all things being equal – Dallas’ preference would be to acquire a left tackle over a center in round one. That direction would allow Tyler Smith to remain at guard.

With the draft’s opening night less than 24 hours away, here are some more notes from around the NFL:

The Colts are among the teams set to to pick in the teens which could be interested in a move up the board. That is also the case for the Rams, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. 2024 marks the first year in which Los Angeles owns a Day 1 selection since 2016, but with 11 total picks the team could easily move up from the No. 19 slot. Adding a successor for Matthew Stafford under center has been floated as a first-round possibility, and Bo Nix could be a target in that instance. However, Dianna Russini of The Athletic sees such a move as unlikely (subscription required). Finding a D-line contributor to help fill the void left by Aaron Donald could be a more pressing need for the Rams.
Troy Fautanu is one of many offensive linemen slated to be selected in the first round, but an injury concern could hurt his stock. The Washington tackle had a knee injury flagged during the pre-draft process, as noted by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The issue is seen as one which should not cause trouble in the short term but could ultimately “[impact] his longevity” at the NFL level. Fautanu may be viewed as a tackle (rather than a guard) in the pros, and he is believed to be a target of the Jets at the No. 10 pick. It will be interesting to see if his knee causes a drop down the Day 1 order.
Wideout Xavier Legette recently went public with the fact the Panthers have shown an interest in drafting him 33rd overall. In response, first-year head coach Dave Canales replied he has made the same remark to “50 other guys” (h/t team reporter Darin Grant). Carolina is obviously not considering that many prospects with the team’s top selection, but Canales’ comment proves the approach is certainly not Legette-or-bust. The former Gamecock had a breakout campaign in 2023, and his size and physicality makes him one of the more intriguing prospects in a celebrated receiver class. Legette could be a first-round candidate, and the WR-needy Bills are among the teams which hosted him for a private workout.
Nick Caserio has a reputation for executing trades both early and late in the draft, pulling off 18 total moves during his three years at the helm of the Texans. That total includes eight trades in 2023, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes Caserio is “likely” to continue being active on the trade front this weekend. Of course, Houston has already been a major player in terms of pick swaps, dealing the 23rd choice to the Vikings last month. As things stand, the Texans own nine 2024 selections.
Colts owner Jim Irsay is recovering from surgery which addressed back and leg issues, and his mobility is presently limited as a result. That will keep him from being in the team’s draft room, as he explained to ESPN’s Stephen Holder. Irsay will still be connected virtually to the team’s decision-makers, though, meaning Indianapolis’ draft process will carry on as usual as he continues to recover.

Latest On Jets’ First-Round Draft Targets

April 21st, 2024 at 4:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

With at least four quarterbacks expected to be drafted early in the first round of this week’s draft, the Jets are among the teams well-positioned to land a valuable prospect at another position. Set to select 10th overall, New York appears to have a shortlist of options.

The Jets could stand to add a pass-catcher in the first round, and the team’s offensive tackle acquisitions (Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses) are likely short-term solutions. As a result, tight end Brock Bowers and some of the top offensive linemen slated to be available at No. 10 will be of interest to New York. Should one of the three highest-rated receivers fall to New York, however, a selection (or even small trade up the order) could be in play.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports the Jets could select one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze in the event one of them were to still be available when the team is on the clock. That would represent a surprise, especially if the Bears (set to select first overall but also ninth) eschewed the opportunity to add a receiver. To that point, Cimini adds New York could attempt to trade with Atlanta for the eighth selection and in doing so maneuver ahead of Chicago.

Aside from the receiver spot, though, Bowers could very well be a realistic Jets target. New York hosted the first-team All-American, and during a pre-draft press conference last week general manager Joe Douglas stated a willingness to spend Day 1 capital on a tight end. The Jets are currently considered Bowers’ floor as a result, but his selection earlier in the top 10 would lead the team in another direction.

Cimini notes Douglas and Co. are “interested” in the top offensive tackles available, which comes as no surprise. He names Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Washington’s Troy Fautanu as the top options on New York’s board. Alt – who for quite some time has been a very popular selection mocked to the Titans (No. 7) and is believed to be on the Chargers’ (No. 5) radar – is unlikely to be available when the Jets pick. As such, Fuaga and Fautanu will be names to watch closely as the team contemplates a potential selection between them and Bowers.

New York has frequently been linked to a tackle addition, and that position is seen as a strength of the 2024 class. A move down the board (which could help compensate for the team’s lack of a second-round pick) could also be in play, but having Bowers or a high-profile tackle on the board would likely make it difficult for Douglas to turn down the option of staying put. Regardless of which position the team lands on, the Jets’ offense is in position to receive a notable boost on Day 1.

Draft OL Rumors: Fashanu, Latham, Fautanu, Buccaneers

April 20th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Some teams in the NFL are known for drafting the best player on the board in their draft slot regardless of position. Others have made a reputation for drafting players at a position of need regardless of value. The Saints are a team that could end up in the best of both worlds later this month, according to Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post.

At 14th overall, the Saints could be in position to take a player at a huge position of need. La Canfora informs us that multiple general managers in the league have the sense that New Orleans is “all about finding players to fill immediate starting needs.” With offensive line as a big position of need at the moment, Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu has been repeatedly linked to the Saints.

Drafting Fashanu at No. 14 overall would hardly be considered a reach. Fashanu projects as a prototypical left tackle and, in most rankings, ranks as the draft’s second-best tackle prospect behind Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Getting the OT2 on the board at 14th would be a huge win for the Saints, especially if Alt goes to the Chargers at No. 5, as many suspect. If someone between the Chargers and Saints selects Fashanu, look to Alabama tackle JC Latham as another potential target in New Orleans.

Here are a few other rumors concerning the offensive line class of the 2024 NFL Draft:

While we mentioned that most rankings see Fashanu as the OT2 in this year’s draft, some have pegged Latham in that draft slot. According to Peter Schrager of NFL Network, some teams like Latham so much that he could be taken as the second offensive tackle off the board. Alabama hasn’t had the best recent history producing offensive tackles under Nick Saban. Evan Neal, Alex Leatherwood, Jedrick Wills, and Jonah Williams all serve as recent examples who have failed to live up to their draft stock. Some see Latham projecting best as a guard at the next level, as he’ll need to continue improving to play tackle in the NFL. If those teams that see him as the second-best tackle in the draft are right, though, Latham could break recent trends for the Crimson Tide.
Washington offensive line prospect Troy Fautanu is another player that splits teams on where he will play at the next level. While many see him projecting as an interior lineman in the NFL (the best interior lineman in this year’s draft according to some), Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post tells us that some scouts are starting to believe he can play tackle as a pro, like he did for the Huskies. He has the talent and potential to play any position on NFL offensive lines. As we’ve reported, so far, he has visited the Bengals, Ravens, Jaguars, Steelers Eagles, and Jets.
One team who has been labeled as a squad looking to add to the trenches is the Buccaneers. According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, Tampa Bay is looking to upgrade at guard, center, and outside linebacker. With the 26th pick in the draft, the Buccaneers can expect to see players like Arizona’s Jordan Morgan and Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe available at guard and, perhaps, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson at center. The top tier of pass rushers should be long gone, but players like UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Penn State’s Chop Robinson, Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland, and Missouri’s Darius Robinson could be available late in the first round.

Jets Interested In Trading Down From No. 10; Team Eyeing First-Round Tackle?

April 13th, 2024 at 10:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear prevented the Packers from picking up the Jets’ 2024 first-round pick, as the future Hall of Fame quarterback well miles short of the 65% snap threshold. But the Jets do enter this draft without a second-rounder due to the terms of the Rodgers swap.

The Packers obtained the Jets’ No. 41 overall pick, leaving the AFC East team without a choice between its first-round slot (No. 10) and third-round pick (72). The Jets would be interested in adding another Day 2 choice and would be ready to move down from 10 to make that happen. The Jets would ideally like to add a second-round pick — or at least a top-100 selection — by moving down from 10, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes.

This draft’s run on quarterbacks is expected to take place before the Jets go on the clock at 10, with the Cardinals’ No. 4 overall slot potentially the place QB-needy teams will target to climb up. The Chargers have also expressed a willingness to trade down from 5. By the time the Jets are picking, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy will almost certainly be off the board. That would stand to limit the interest in the team’s No. 10 pick, though Cimini adds the team is interested in selling its top choice to one of the QB-needy clubs.

This would probably require Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. to generate enough interest it entices the Broncos (No. 12) or Raiders (No. 13) to fork over an asset to be sure of landing one of the draft’s top six passers.

The Raiders may not have a uniform opinion of how to proceed at quarterback in this draft, with a rumor indicating their top two decision-makers are split on a trade-up maneuver. The Broncos are believed to want to move up, but they are limited regarding draft capital. Also down a second-rounder from the Sean Payton trade, Denver may be more likely to move down in hopes of Nix still being on the board. The Vikings (No. 11) have made their intention of finding a long-term passer fairly clear, and despite the franchise never drafting a QB in the top 10, it is ready to move up to acquire a Kirk Cousins successor.

A team like the Giants not selecting a QB at 10 and then considering a move back into Round 1 for a passer could be something to monitor, and a climb back into the top 10 would outflank the Broncos or Raiders. That would also be costly, as the Giants do not pick again until No. 47. The Jets also are probably not interested in dropping that far, as they have a rather important Rodgers-centric season approaching.

If the Jets stick at No. 10, they would have a bevy of first-round tackle options awaiting. Joe Douglas is likely interested in adding a long-term option to initially work behind Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. This would be an interesting move for a team with its GM and HC on hot seats, as a first-round tackle would not have a direct path to the starting lineup in 2024. Of course, Smith’s injury history — and the injury trouble the Jets have encountered up front over the past two years — will obviously make an O-line move worth considering. Joe Alt visited recently.

Then again, if one of this class’ top three receivers is still on the board at 10, that would be difficult to pass on. The Jets have hosted Rome Odunze on a “30” visit and has another meeting scheduled with Malik Nabers. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers may also be in play for a team committed to maximizing Rodgers after a lost year.

On the O-line front, the Jets are set to meet with Washington’s Troy Fautanu on Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Already visiting the Jaguars, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers and Eagles, Fautanu is expected to be one of several tackles to come off the board in Round 1.

Some teams are projecting Fautanu as a guard, per NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, who views the former Huskies standout as a tackle. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. agrees with the teams that slot Fautanu as a guard. Fautanu spent most of his Pac-12 career at tackle, starting only two career games at guard. The Jets gave John Simpson a multiyear deal and are moving Alijah Vera-Tucker back to guard; with Smith and Moses north of 32 and each on one-year deals, Gang Green is much needier at tackle.

Washington OT Troy Fautanu Generating Interest

April 8th, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Troy Fautanu is turning into a popular name on the workout circuit. The Washington offensive tackle will travel to Jacksonville tomorrow to take a top-30 visit with the Jaguars, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

In addition to his previously reported visit with the Bengals, the projected first-round pick has also met with the Ravens. Fautanu is expected to take future top-30 visits with the Steelers and Eagles.

Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors while blocking for Michael Penix Jr.. That performance helped put the lineman in the first-round conversation for the 2024 draft. Fautanu has generally been lauded for his speed and athleticism, and the six-foot-four, 317-pound lineman certainly has the physical attributes to compete as an NFL offensive tackle.

Notre Dame’s Joe Alt is still expected to be the first lineman off the board. Fautanu will likely be competing with the likes of Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu, and Alabama’s JC Latham to be the second OT selected.

Considering the league-wide need for offensive tackle depth, it’s not a surprise that the Washington product is generating plenty of interest from NFL teams. Besides the Ravens, all of the teams connected to Fautanu are currently picking in the teens or earlier 20s. While the prospect may be hard pressed to crack the top-10, he’ll likely hear his name called during the first night of the draft.

Bengals Host Washington OT Troy Fautanu, Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga

April 6th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals got a long look at a pair of top offensive line prospects this week. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Bengals hosted Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu on a top-30 visit on Tuesday. The Bengals also have a top-3o visit scheduled with Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, per Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler.

After redshirting as a freshman and playing sparingly during the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, Fautanu emerged as a full-time starter in Washington between 2022 and 2023. This culminated in a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. That performance also propelled him up the draft boards, as Fautanu is expected to hear his name called at some point during the first round.

Fuaga is one of the offensive tackles competing with Fautanu to be selected in the first round. The Oregon State product was also a first-team All-Pac-12 honoree this past season. Scouts have lauded the prospect’s offensive line IQ, and there’s some belief he could play both tackle and guard in the NFL.

The Bengals brought in Trent Brown to play opposite Orlando Brown Jr., so the team doesn’t desperately need an OT. However, as Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic noted yesterday, the Bengals still need a swing tackle, and they’d love for a rookie to provide Brown with some competition at right tackle.

If the Bengals do opt for a first-round offensive tackle, Dehner can’t envision the coaching staff playing around with the rookie’s position. Alex Cappa is firmly entrenched in one guard spot, and the Bengals “really like the progress” of Cordell Volson, per Dehner.