New report suggests lauded NFL Draft prospect could fall into the Steelers’ lap
With the NFL Draft just days away, the next 72 hours will be full of leaks, rumors and reports. Some of the fodder will be proven correct, while some of the gossip will be merely a smokescreen. Injuries and medical "red flags" are part of that process, with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, naming one […]
With the NFL Draft just days away, the next 72 hours will be full of leaks, rumors and reports.
Some of the fodder will be proven correct, while some of the gossip will be merely a smokescreen.
Injuries and medical "red flags" are part of that process, with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, naming one for an elite prospect:
Washington OT Troy Fautanu has knee flagged
Washington OT Troy Fautanu’s knee was flagged. That one was described to me as the sort of issue that shouldn’t be a problem in the short term, but could wind up impacting his longevity in the pros (though his high football character is a factor in making teams feel like he’ll do all he can to take care of it, and give himself the best chance). -Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated
I'll say this much, even if Breer's reporting is accurate (which we should assume) If Troy Fautanu is anywhere near the Steelers at 20th overall, the team needs to move Heaven and Earth to make him a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Fautanu is my second highest rated tackle, and one of the best prospects in this class. To my understanding, some teams also have Fautanu atop their list of tackles, but the injury concern has him knocked down a few pegs.
But for Pittsburgh, we don't have to go back very far to see they are liberal when it comes to injury concerns.
It was widely thought that Pittsburgh's third and seventh-round picks last year (Darnell Washington & Cory Trice Jr. respectively) fell in the draft due to knee issues.
Trice missed the season after an injury in camp, but Washington was available for every game.
And yes, I realize that a third and seventh-round pick has much less detriment to a team if they don't hit compared to a first. But unless Fautanu's knee is quite literally a ticking time bomb, passing on him could be worse than drafting him and having a 7-year career instead of a 12-15 one because of injury.
So if Pittsburgh wants to get one of the best players in the draft, it may come with a price. How big that price is depends on how he checked out medically, and what level of risk Pittsburgh is willing to take on.
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