Protect Joe Burrow. It’s a strategy fans and experts alike have been pounding the table for years and the Cincinnati Bengals have the opportunity to continue to fortify the trenches at 18th overall.
As a result, they are hosting Washington tackle, Troy Fautanu, on a Top 30 visit.
Washington LT Troy Fautanu is on a top 30 visit with the #Bengals today, per source.@MoveTheSticks has Fautanu ranked as the NFL Draft’s 12th-best player. pic.twitter.com/jBGRmSlt02
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 2, 2024
Cincinnati Bengals Hosting Troy Fautanu on Top 30 Visit
At 18, the Cincinnati Bengals could have their pick of the litter when it comes to offensive and defensive line. The likes of Taliese Fuaga, JC Latham, and Amarius Mims are often popular picks. However, the Bengals may think they have an opportunity to draft one of the best tackle prospects in the draft.
The Cincinnati Bengals did go out and sign Trent Brown to shore up the right tackle position but he is only on a one-year deal. Plus, Ted Karras is set to be a free agent in 2025 and the offensive line depth is a bit of a mess in Cincinnati.
Fautanu is often projected as a guard at the next level, so he could even challenge Cordell Volson at left guard and the team can make an adjustment in 2025.
What the Experts Are Saying About Fautanu
Ready-made brawler without an ounce of finesse in his game. Fautanu has starting experience at tackle and guard and is well-coached, but he will default to unruly hand-fighting when his technique gets away from him. He plays with average hand placement and can be beaten by length, but his tenacity and footwork keep him connected to base blocks. He’s capable of getting to reach blocks in zone and chaperoning running backs wide as a pulling guard on the next level. He’s a pop-and-reset pass puncher who uses active hands and feet to help with extended mirroring he’s forced into. Fautanu needs to prove he has the leverage and hand quickness to play inside, but all signs point toward him becoming a good future starter.
Fautanu is one of the best athletes in this offensive line class. His flexibility, agility and coordination could allow him to play meaningful reps at all five offensive line spots, but his long-term home is likely at guard or center.
He has fast hands for flashes, repositioning and first contact. He also has a motor that never quits and looks to finish defenders whenever he can.
Fautanu’s aggressiveness is good to see, but it can get him in trouble. He tends to overextend when punching and oversetting in pass protection. His power profile is good only when he has momentum. His lack of lower-half weight shows up when he is asked to anchor.
What consistently stands out watching Fautanu’s tape is that he is a twitched-up, sudden explosive mover with active athletic feet and an understanding of how to use hands to maximize his long arms to maintain separation and control edge pass rushers. One area where he struggled at times was his anchor when rushers were able to get inside of him into his chest with speed to power. That might be one reason why some might project him inside at offensive guard despite his overall length and strong pass-protection skill set at left tackle.
As a run blocker, Fautanu played with strength, power, outstanding balance and body control — in addition to with a competitive demeanor that set the tone for the Washington offense.
Overall, Fautanu is a high-level offensive line prospect who has the traits, skill set and physical mindset to become a starter early in his career at either left tackle or offensive guard. I wouldn’t be surprised if he develops into one of the better offensive linemen in the NFL relatively soon; I believe he can play left tackle at a high level in the NFL if allowed to start there and develop with coaching and experience.
Last Word on Sports’ Rashad Tatum:
Troy Fautanu is the type of football player who can play on my team any day of the week. Fautanu loves football and is highly confident in his superstar-like abilities as he should. Fautanu is a throwback NFL offensive lineman, which led me to compare him to former 49ers great Mike Iupati. Like Iupati, Fautanu explodes off the line of scrimmage with a strike-first mentality, looking to hunt defenders. He’s an aggressive mauler in the run game with the athletic feet to dominate in space. He punishes 2nd level and secondary defenders on pulls and in the screen game with his strength and fluidity.
The 2024 NFL Draft could fall in such a way that the Bengals have a wealth of options at 18. Fautanu, along with the rest of the first-round tackles, would be a massive upgrade to the Bengals’ offensive line room. The team hosting Fautanu shows that they understand that protecting Joe Burrow is of the utmost importance.
The team has been atrocious at drafting offensive line over the last few decades, so hopefully, Fautanu could be the best offensive lineman drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals since Kevin Zeitler.
