Steelers OT Troy Fautanu describes feelings of falling in NFL draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Troy Foutanu with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Most pundits graded this pick out really high and on most big boards, Fautanu was ranked somewhere between 10-20 among all players and was a top-four offensive lineman. Fautanu was the sixth offensive tackle off the board.

As excited as Fautanu was to land with the Steelers, he was still some hard feeling about falling to the No. 20 overall pick. He talked about it after the draft.

You know I wouldn’t say I take it personally, but I’m rooting for those guys because I met a lot of those guys along this process and they’re all really great guys. But you know, the competitor in me I guess does take it personally. You know what I mean. I’m just ready to kind of pour everything into this organization and get ready to work.

Prospects need to understand there are far worse things than being selected in the second half of the first round. You typically are going to a more talented football team and while you might make a little less money, I have to think that winning games still counts for something.