The Pittsburgh Steelers were tense as they awaited Troy Fautanu’s selection at 20th overall. Omar Khan, however, nearly did not wait. Brady Henderson of ESPN reports that he phoned the Seattle Seahawks with the 16th overall selection. Byron Murphy was selected by Seattle over the numerous other clubs that were vying for that spot.
According to reports, the Seahawks were in the midst of negotiating trade-back situations with the following teams: the Philadelphia Eagles (22nd), the Green Bay Packers (25th), the Atlanta Falcons (43rd), the Pittsburgh Steelers (who picked 20th), and the Minnesota Vikings (23rd).
This is not all that shocking. In an effort to raise money for Fautanu, Khan stated that the team was “working the phones.” However, they were spared from having to, as he was selected 20th overall and dropped into their laps.
On the Pat McAfee Show, Khan stated, “We were working the phones hoping the opportunity was there to draft Troy.” Thankfully, he remained at 20 when we were unable to reach an agreement. However, we were overjoyed to have him when we acquired him at the age of 20. He plays for the Steelers.
Why did Fautanu’s slide happen? The knee problem that raised red flags for teams prior to the NFL Draft is the same reason, according to reports, that the Seahawks cut him from their roster.
The knee of Washington OT Troy Fautanu was reported. That particular issue was explained to me as the kind that, while not likely to cause him any problems in the near future, might ultimately affect his ability to stay in the pros (although his strong football character helps teams believe he’ll do everything in his power to take care of it and give himself the best chance),” Albert Breer wrote.
The ailment that was reported, according to Fautanu, was an older one that hasn’t plagued him in a while.
After getting drafted, he told reporters, “That knee thing hasn’t bothered me in years.” “You’re like a pony if you play football for years and years without getting hurt. I am aware of the physicality I engage in. That is the way things will sometimes work out. However, that doesn’t stop me from going to work every day and performing at my level.
After forcing his way into Washington’s starting lineup, Fautanu didn’t miss a game, appearing in all 13 games in 2022 and 15 games in 2023.
According to Steelers Now’s Top 100 big board, Fautanu was ranked No. 7. The Seattle Seahawks were predicted to choose him at No. 16 overall. He was selected for Seattle based on his average in the NFL Mock Draft Database.
Leave a Reply