The NFL Draft will begin on April 25, 2024. We take a look at Troy Fautanu, a talented lineman whose Washington team earned a championship bid during his final season as a Huskie.
Troy Fautanu was a three-star recruit from ESPN and four-star recruit from 247 Sports coming out of high school, at which point he opted to commit to Washington. Fautanu has had a huge impact there, earning All-Pac-12 First Team and All-America Third Team. His stellar play throughout the last couple of seasons has cemented him as a top offensive lineman in this upcoming draft.
Troy Fautanu, Offensive Tackle, Washington
Name: Troy Fautanu
Jersey: No. 55
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Washington
Class: Senior
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 310 lbs.
Plays with amazing technique as well. Perfect hand placement again then snatches him right down https://t.co/ULdboPoj9I pic.twitter.com/WnpJkfYBV8
— Breaking Fantasy Football (@Breaking_FF) January 1, 2024
Strengths
Fautanu’s best trait is his technique. He has excellent hand placement and consistently gets his hands inside the pads. He blends this with proper hand timing. Fautanu can time his punches perfectly to ensure it’s late enough to not get swatted away, yet early enough to make first contact. His technique expands beyond just hand usage, too. He properly utilizes the snatch and trap and ghost move technique against defenders.
In the run game, Fautanu is effective. He has a good ability to get to the second level and block players in space, making contact with them. He takes good angles to ensure he doesn’t overrun defenders. He’s also able to recognize who he needs to block, which translates to pass protection when facing stunts.
Weaknesses
The main concern with Fautanu is his strength. He’s undersized and doesn’t have ideal strength, so if a defender gets hands in his chest, it’s game over. He struggled heavily against bull rushes, giving up numerous pressures when faced with it. He just doesn’t have a reliable anchor to recover. He wasn’t able to take college rushers and he surely won’t be able to take NFL rushers. It doesn’t help that his arm length is short, either. Fautanu will either need to make a switch to interior offensive lineman (which is the ideal option) or bulk up.
Furthermore, Fautanu overcommits getting depth in his set to prevent losing on the outside shoulder. However, this left the inside shoulder vulnerable. Since his change of direction and his arm length are substandard, he wasn’t able to recover.
Player Comparison: Alijah Vera Tucker
Alijah Vera Tucker and Troy Fautanu have numerous similarities. They have similar builds, being separated by only one inch and eight pounds. They are versatile, as they can both play tackle or guard. On the field, they are effective run blockers, being able to serve as lead blockers and pave lanes for the runner in space. Fautanu does project to be more fundamentally sound in pass protection, but multiple aspects of their game are alike.
Draft Grade: Late First Round
Fautanu is graded as a late first-round pick and will likely be selected in the No. 25 to 32 range. I’d like Fautanu significantly more if he was a confirmed guard, but that isn’t the case. All in all, Fautanu is an intriguing prospect with many intriguing traits to his game. As for landing spots, he would be a great fit for the San Francisco 49ers. He could slot in as left guard next to Trent Williams and possibly replace him when he retires.
Rookie Projection: Quality Starter
Third-Year Projection: High-Quality Starter
Main Image Credit:
