Fautanu is expected to be taken in the first round of the draft, potentially by the Seahawks.
Washington Huskies offensive lineman Troy Fautanu is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it’s very possible that he stays local and is drafted by the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. One thing to keep an eye on is whether he falls a little further down the draft order due to concerns over his knee.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has some draft intel on medical flags for several potential first-round picks, including Fautanu:
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),
Fautanu’s teammate, quarterback Michael Penix Jr, also has medical red flags but that’s not surprising given his deep injury history at Indiana. That’s almost a non-story when you consider Penix’s health has been discussed in-depth.
The Fautanu information is new. He did redshirt his first season at Washington with a foot injury that required surgery. Fautanu didn’t miss any games as a full-time starter in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, so whatever the flag is isn’t related to an injury that resulted in missed playing time.
Of course, the Seahawks are already dealing with right tackle Abe Lucas’ unspecified knee issue that caused him to miss most of last season. Fautanu is one of the most popular mock draft picks for Seattle, who would most likely move him from left tackle to left guard. Not all medical flags are equal, but it’s nevertheless a story worth monitoring as we near draft night.
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