Steelers first-round pick Troy Fautanu signed his first NFL contract on Monday and that means he can devote his full attention to transitioning to the professional ranks.
Part of that process includes getting comfortable with playing a new position. Fautanu played left tackle at Washington, but will be playing on the right side in Pittsburgh and he discussed how much of an adjustment he’s making in order to get ready to man the spot this fall.
“You constantly push off one leg thousands and thousands of times,” Fautanu said, via Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Then you switch to the other side, and you aren’t really used to pushing off the other leg. It’s just a matter of time. I’ve already talked to my strength coaches. They already know it’s an area I want to improve — the strength of my left leg. I’m so right-leg dominant after playing the left side so long; it’s just something I’ve got to work on.”
The Steelers picked up left tackle Broderick Jones in the first round in 2023 and a successful transition for Fautanu should set them up with bookends on the offensive line for years to come.