Troy Fautanu, G/OT Washington: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Fautanu was a four-star recruit from Liberty High School in Henderson, Nev. in the class of 2019

After a strong showing in the win against Oregon, Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu is looking more and more like a guaranteed second round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The question is, will he play tackle or guard at the next level?

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Troy Fautanu, G/OT Washington: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth-year redshirt junior left tackle from Henderson, Nev.

Background: Fautanu was a four-star recruit from Liberty High School in Henderson, Nev. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 367 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 328 for On3.com. Fautanu was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 79 grade out of 100. He lettered four times as an offensive and defensive lineman at Liberty. As a senior, he helped his team to a 7-6 record and an appearance in the 2018 NIAA 4A Desert Region Championship Game and the semifinals of the 4A State Playoffs. Fautanu earned First Team All-State honors from the Vegas Review-Journal in 2018. He earned USA Today First Team All-Nevada and First Team All-Southwest League honors. As a junior, Fautanu led Liberty to an 11-2 record and the NIAA 4A Sunrise Region Championship. That year, he was a First Team All-Southeast League selection and a Second Team All-State selection for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Liberty went 12-2 during Fautanu’s sophomore year and won the NIAA 4A Sunrise Region Championship on the way to appearing in the 4A State Championship Game. As a freshman, he played on the 11-2 varsity squad that won the Sunrise playoffs and appeared in the Division I State Championship Game. Fautanu also played volleyball in high school.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed time in 2019 fall camp after foot surgery

Awards: 2022 Second Team All-Pac-12

Pros: Some experience playing left guard, arms are roughly 34 3/4 inches, quick hands, quick to replace hands, attacks the defender’s hands, snatch-trap, snatches long-arm moves, flashes of heavy hands and stiff punches, flashes feints with hands to confuse defenders, active hands disorient and unbalance defenders, lines up low in his stance, good pad level, maintains a wide base, maintains knee bend in pass pro, jump set takes the air out of the pass rush, explosive kick step, lateral movement to carry defenders up the arc, works inside-out in pass pro when facing multiple threats, catches spin moves, always looking for extra work, motor runs hot, willing and happy to pancake defenders, loves to hammer the 3-tech when no defender covers him up, comfortable climbing to the second level, excellent mobility in the open field, seals rush lanes well, can lead block on screens

Cons: Committed eight penalties in 2022, lean frame, questionable play strength in his lower half, needs to channel more power through his base in pass pro, frequent oversets, late to redirect inside when he oversets, footwork gets wild at times, hand placement can be high, hand placement allows defenders into his chest, in trouble when his two-handed punches get swiped, needs more independent hand usage, pushed around in pass pro by UCLA (2022), gives ground to speed to power, leans on defenders in pass pro to make up for inconsistent anchor, long-arm moves give his anchor trouble, sometimes late to recognize stunts, balance is inconsistent, forward momentum makes him vulnerable to swim moves, lunges and leans in the run game, lunges into blocks and gets over his knees, inconsistent ability to generate vertical displacement

Overview: Fautanu has some experience playing left guard, but he primarily lines up at left tackle. He has 34 3/4 inch arms attached to a well-built frame. Fautanu’s hands are sudden, and he replaces them quickly when the defender swats them away. His hands attack the defender’s hands, and he frequently executes a snatch-trap. Fautanu struggles to anchor against long-arm moves, but he’s developing a counter by snatching long-arm moves and causing the defender to lose balance. His hands are heavy, and his punches are stiff. Defenders, especially outside linebackers, struggle to play through his punches without becoming disoriented or losing their balance. The Nevada native even throws feints early in the rep to confuse and surprise defenders. Fautanu lines up low in his stance and maintains a good pad level with adequate knee bend and wide base throughout the play. He uses an explosive kick step and jump set to take the air out of the pass rush. He is a smart player, but he is sometimes late to recognize stunts. Fautanu’s lateral movement skills help him carry pass rushers up the arc. He pancakes defenders and hammers the 3-tech when no defender covers him up. Fautanu always looks for extra work. He works inside-out in pass protection when facing multiple threats but frequently oversets when facing pass rushers one-on-one. This leads to an easy path through the B gap, and Fautanu lacks the twitch to recover in these situations. The All-Pac-12 selection’s footwork is less polished than his hand usage. His footwork breaks down when he panics in pass protection. Fautanu’s hand placement still has room to improve. His hands land high and wide, allowing defenders into his chest. He also needs to be more prepared to recover when his two-handed punches get swiped. More independent hand usage will solve this issue. Fautanu’s lean lower half limits his play strength. He gives ground to speed to power and leans on defenders to make up for his inconsistent anchor. His balance is inconsistent, especially in the run game. He lunges forward or leans on defenders, making him vulnerable to swim moves. Fautanu doesn’t generate enough power to displace defenders vertically with consistency. However, the fifth-year player’s excellent mobility in the open field makes him a potential weapon in outside zone or gap schemes. He is more than comfortable lead blocking or climbing to the second level. Fautanu offers enough power to seal running lanes.

Overall, Fautanu is an athletic left tackle with exciting hand usage and movement skills, but concerns about his tendency to overset and play strength could force him inside to guard early in his NFL career. He could eventually reclaim his role as a tackle. Coaches will love the hard working, punishing mentality Fautanu brings to the field.

Role & Scheme Fit: Starting left guard in an inside or outside zone scheme

Round Projection: Second Round

Size: 6'4", 317 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 10-04-23