Good fortune found its way to the Steelers in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. If there were mock drafts from March through Thursday afternoon that had Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu still on the board at 20, they were hard to find.
They wasted little time in selecting the All-American, a player Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said they weren't going to pass on at that spot.
But who might they have taken if Fautanu wasn't there -- which he wasn't supposed to be?
Looks like the Steelers were pretty set on addressing the offensive line in the first round, according to Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac.
Steelers had Troy Fautanu rated among their top 10 players. If he were gone, they were going to take either Duke C Graham Barton or Oklahoma T Tyler Guyton at 20.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) April 26, 2024
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It's good then, in a sense, that both Barton (26th overall to Tampa Bay) and Guyton (29h overall to the Cowboys) were both taken, but both are clearly lesser prospects in comparison to Fautanu.
Barton was thought to be the consensus favorite for the pick. While his tape might not suggest he's a high-level player, he is an excellent athlete, and at 6-5, 315 pounds, has good size. Thought to be an interior lineman, Barton has experience at center, perhaps the Steelers' biggest position of need.
Guyton has excellent tools, and is considered a strong developmental project. Considering the rarity of players who move the way he does at his size, tackles taken in the back half of the first round often have deficiencies that might delay them getting on the field -- see Broderick Jones in 2023.
The bottom line is Fautanu was easily the best player on the board at 20, and with 2023 starter Dan Moore entering the final year of his contract -- and being less than effective overall -- the Steelers upgraded a position on their offensive line with a player who's talent level grossly exceeds the spot at which he was taken.
It's an excellent way for the Steelers to begin the draft. They'll select at the 19th overall spot (51st overall) in the second round, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
