Tim Benz: Playing young linemen well worth the risk for Steelers

Steelers fans are getting exactly what they wanted so far in the 2024 NFL Draft. In the ramp-up to this selection weekend, I posted a social media poll asking what position the Steelers should address in the first round on Thursday. After 1,000 votes, 47.4% of respondents wanted a center in the first round and 36.6% wanted a tackle.

So, 84% of those who voted wanted someone to help the offensive line.

The franchise must’ve agreed with their fans on this one because it chose Washington tackle Troy Fautanu in Round 1. Then, to open their selection process on Friday night, the Steelers took West Virginia center Zach Frazier in Round 2.

That’s exactly how the club should’ve approached things based on how the draft board shook out during the first 51 picks, and exactly how their fans were pleading it would go.

So now the organization and its fanbase have gotten their wish — an offensive line that has been rebuilt and infused with talent, youth and pedigree.

Rejoice! And keep doing that all the way up until the games start in September because it’s at that point when the “youth” mentioned above is going to come into play.

As promising as this revamped unit has become, it has also suddenly gotten very young. Last year’s Week 1 center, Mason Cole, was cast off to free agency. Right tackle Chuks Okorafor signed in New England, and if Fautanu starts, that means Dan Moore Jr. will likely go to the bench and second-year player Broderick Jones will bookend as the other tackle.

Between Okorafor, Moore and Cole, that’s 181 career NFL starts. Between Jones, Fautanu and Frazier, there are eight. They all belong to Jones during his rookie season last year.

Oh by the way, at 22 years old, Jones is only a few months older than Frazier and both are a few months younger than Fautanu.

Any NFL nuances Jones didn’t learn on the fly last year, he’ll surely have to absorb as a full-time starter this year. If Fautanu has trouble getting up to speed, coach Mike Tomlin has never shied away from starting Moore and, quite frankly, may do it again this year out of habit to begin 2024, even if Fautanu picks up the offense quickly.

For Frazier, though, there is no clear-cut starter in front of him on the depth chart. But he’s not intimidated by the responsibilities of potentially being a rookie starter at center.

“It’s trusting the guy next to you. For me, making the calls at center, making sure we are all on the same page. That’s just all built through reps. I’m ready to get started,” Frazier said Friday night after being drafted.

If you want a comp, Kansas City drafted center Creed Humphrey — also out of the Big 12 (Oklahoma) — in the second round of the 2021 draft. He has started all 51 regular season games of his career. He has won two Super Bowl rings, been to two Pro Bowls and was second-team All-Pro once.

So it’s not exactly impossible for a second-round rookie center to achieve individual and team success quickly.

For his part, Fautanu doesn’t lack confidence when it comes to helping as a rookie, either.

“Our coach (Kalen DeBoer) did a really good job of cross-training us and making sure that we were ready for any opportunity that presented itself. I’m comfortable anywhere (along the offensive line). I’m ready to contribute,” Fautanu said Friday afternoon.

In one sense, these young linemen aren’t coming in with that much of a disadvantage to the other veterans in the offensive line room. Everyone is going to be learning a new system under a new coordinator in Arthur Smith. That’s to say nothing of working with three new quarterbacks and a batch of new wide receivers as well.

At least a pair of veteran guards (Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels) will be back in their starting spots. And, for his part, Smith believes the amount of college games logged by Fautanu and Frazier will carry over to the NFL.

“Zach and Troy, they’ve played a lot of snaps,” Smith said. “They aren’t that green. There is always a learning curve getting into the National Football League. There are guys who have been here. It’ll sort itself out.”

To Smith’s point, Fautanu played in 41 games at Washington, and Frazier suited up 47 times with the Mountaineers. So Smith prefers to focus on the amount of potential he’ll be working with instead of fretting over the lack of pro experience.

“I appreciate the investment (in the line),” Smith continued. “They are top-end players. It’s our job to help them reach their potential and (find) the chemistry with the entire line and how they fit.”

Whatever challenges that exist associated with those jobs are worth it — as was bypassing some other needs on the roster until at least the third round. Improving the talent level on the offensive line was priority No. 1 for this draft.

Youth is being served, and it is worth embracing — even when the inevitable growing pains occur.

At least there is a lot more room to grow than there was two days ago.

LISTEN: Tim Benz and Dick Fain of KJR in Seattle discuss Steelers first-round pick Troy Fautanu.