The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team who loves to build their team from the ground up. In other words, they’ve always been a team who loves to build through the draft, instead of finding players on the open market via free agency. With the 2024 season now officially over, it is the perfect time of year to take a look back at the past season’s rookie class.

Who were the impact players, and who were those who left plenty to be desired? Let’s get the recap started…

Player: Troy Fautanu

Position: Offensive Tackle

Drafted: Round 1 (20th Pick)

2024 Statistics:

Games Played: 1 (Landed on Injured Reserve (IR) prior to Week 3.)

Recap: Some might think the recap for Fautanu will be brief, considering he only played in one game in 2024 before injuring his knee, but I think there is so much more to the story.

The story of Fautanu, in my opinion, is based on one thing, and it is actually Broderick Jones. Let me explain…

Whether you like it or not, the Steelers liked Fautanu enough to put him in the starting lineup in the Week 2 road game vs. the Denver Broncos after Fautanu missed the majority of training camp with a knee injury suffered vs. the Houston Texans in the preseason. With very little preparation, the Steelers thought enough of Fautanu to put him directly into the starting lineup.

But that does that speak more to Broderick Jones overall ability, or Fautanu’s readiness?

That can be debated, but I know the Steelers loved Fautanu early in the process, before training camp even began, and was hoping the battle would be at left tackle between Dan Moore and Broderick Jones; however, Fautanu’s knee injury in training camp changed all that.

The hope is Fautanu being healthy, something he said will be a certainty on locker clean out day, will give the Steelers the chance to see what he can do at right tackle and Jones at his natural left tackle. The hope isn’t just that Fautanu stays healthy, but that he is able to be a difference maker in every possible way on the right side.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the offseason.