My favorite part of the draft process is finding guys that you claim as “my guys”— these are the dudes who you will root for wherever they land because there is film that appealing. The offensive lineman that I’m claiming as “my guy” in the 2024 NFL Draft is University of Washington Left Tackle, Troy Fautanu. Born and raised in Henderson, Nevada, he was a three star recruit coming out of Liberty High School. In 2022, Fautanu started all 13 games and was named Second Team All-PAC-12 before being named First Team in 2023. This year he was named the Morris Trophy Recipient for being the top offensive lineman in the PAC-12 and was the leader of the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line for the top offensive line in college football.

Fautanu has two full years of starting experience as a left tackle and has expressed a willingness to play any position on the line. Standing at 6’4 315 lbs., Fautanu’s size is ideal for a guard and slightly below average for tackles; however he has 34 1/2 inch arms which is above average for NFL offensive tackles. Fautanu isn’t just well coached, but his mentality is well trained. He plays hard every single snap and consistently looks like the smartest player on the field. He understands leverage, is savvy with his technique, and plays through the whistle. He is a high character player on and off the field.

In the pass game, Fautanu’s athleticism is apparent and starts from the ground-up. He is twitched up and capable of changing his set to throw off defensive linemen. Whether he is kick-stepping or hard-setting defenders, Fautanu’s base is consistent and strikes with his hands. As seen at the combine, Fautanu has very loose hips and is able to remain sunk in his stance throughout the entire rush. His combination of a strong base and explosive muscles allows him to cut-off speed rushers and anchor against power rushes. Whether he is fake-jabbing or chopping arms, Fautanu is advanced in his hand usage and understands what is happening in front of him. He approaches stunts well and rarely mess up a sort or fail to identify a corner-cat. His feet are the best part of his game, and it is what allows him to be flexible from a positional standpoint.

As a run blocker, Fautanu’s ability to both bend and change directions while also getting displacement makes him a universal scheme fit. He changes directions better than any player in this draft and is excellent at attaching to second level defenders. While he is mobile and moves well in space, he is also capable of finishing defenders into the earth and straining as a lead blocker. He understands leverage and is explosive off the ball. He is consistently the hammer and never the nail; he never seemed flustered even against some of the top competition in the playoffs this year. Fautanu is an extremely reactive athlete, and it is evident in his micro-movements; however, he will occasionally “hug” a defender when getting beat inside. Fautanu’s dependability is his greatest trait and I believe he could go higher than most people expect.

I thought it was necessary to evaluate Fautanu as both a tackle and a guard, and he is going to end up my top-rated interior offensive lineman and third highest-rated tackle. Regardless of what position he plays, I believe he is going to be very good in the NFL and could be considered the 'safest pick' in this year’s draft. His consistency, versatility, and athleticism all remind me of Isaac Seumalo, but his arms just happen to be an inch and a half longer. While I did refer to him as a 'universal scheme fit', I do believe that he’d work best in some type of zone running scheme due to his athletic traits. Whether he is playing tackle or guard, Fautanu is a top-ten player in this year’s draft, and I believe he will start from day one.