1st-round pick Troy Fautanu likely to make 1st NFL start Sunday for Steelers

As it has become increasingly apparent throughout the week that Troy Fautanu is likely to make his first NFL start Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie first-round pick continues to impress teammates.

“Since Day 1 when he came in, we were all kind of shocked by him,” fellow offensive lineman Spencer Anderson said Friday. “He has the right attitude for this business and the right attitude for the position. And obviously, he has the physical gifts.”

Drafted No. 20 overall in April and projected as the Steelers’ right tackle of the future since, the future by all indications is now for Fautanu.

After a complete week of fully practicing displayed a knee injury is behind him, Fautanu’s ascension to first-team right tackle appears inevitable for when the Steelers play at the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

“Troy’s been ready since he walked in the door, man,” Steelers starting left tackle Dan Moore Jr. said. “He’s so intuitive, he’s smart, he gets it, he wants to work, he wants to be out there. I don’t think the moment will be too big for him.”

Steelers LT Dan Moore Jr when asked about Troy Fautanu making his NFL game debut at RT Sunday… pic.twitter.com/qn2i4hWiMZ

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 13, 2024

Fautanu politely declined to speak with reporters after Friday’s practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, a gesture in one part in adherence to coach Mike Tomlin’s edict not to discuss the depth chart with media and in another part deference to the teammate from whom he is likely taking the job, Broderick Jones.

Jones was last year’s first-round pick, and he has been the starter at right tackle since the midpoint of last season. But Jones has been taking practice reps at left and right tackle this week, a nod to the “swing tackle” role he is destined to undertake going forward as the top backup to Moore and Fautanu.

Make no mistake, though: The Steelers’ change in status at first-team right tackle is more about Fautanu’s inescapable abilities than anything Jones did to deserve a benching.

“We were really impressed with Troy,” Moore said. “His development from (organized team activities) to camp was just miraculous. And then each day as camp went on, he just continued to get better. In the little bit of time that he played in preseason, he played really well. I think he impressed the coaches and the offensive linemen, honestly, and he kind of got all of our respect. He has our trust.”

After starting 31 games — including the most recent national title game — for Washington, Fautanu was trending toward first-team status midway through Steelers training camp before suffering the knee injury during his preseason game debut.

But Tomlin on Friday noted how despite missing about three weeks of practice that Fautanu was “here the whole time” and that his 2 1/2 weeks of camp in addition to the preseason game have proved he’s ready to contribute now that it’s the regular season.

“He’s been a component — a large component — of the process,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin would not confirm a change in his depth chart involving Fautanu over Jones, and players dutifully also declined to explicitly do so on the record.

Rest assured, though, Steelers players are prepared to play with Fautanu in the game and expect him to excel while doing so.

“I am excited to see what this year looks like for him,” Anderson said. “And excited for what the future holds for him.”

Moore, incidentally, practiced fully for a second consecutive day Friday after sitting out Wednesday because of an ankle injury suffered during the Week 1 victory in Atlanta.

Anderson made his first career start against the Falcons, filling in for veteran Isaac Seumalo at left guard between Moore and rookie center Zach Frazier. Seumalo (pectoral) will not play in Denver.

Barring something unforeseen, for the third time over two Steelers games an offensive lineman will be making his first pro start.

The importance of family was underscored when Troy Fautanu decided where he would celebrate his selection in the NFL Draft.https://t.co/mkJNx2q7F6

— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) May 4, 2024

Moore was asked if adding Fautanu to the mix would change the line’s approach.

“I don’t think things will look necessarily different,” Moore said. “I don’t think our game plan will necessarily change depending on who’s out there.”

If there is any concern regarding Fautanu, it’s understandable jitters associated with playing in an NFL game for the first time.

“If anything, we’ll just have to calm his nerves and just keep him collected,” Moore said. “Keep him neutral. And just don’t overhype himself.

“He can definitely get a little antsy, for sure. He’s just ‘twitched up,’ naturally. We just have to keep him calm.”