Former Washington Huskies offensive lineman Troy Fautanu met with the media at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday.
Here’s everything he told those in attendance.
On his mentality on the field:
Yeah, I mean, I feel like there’s only one way you got to play O-line, man. That’s just nasty. I feel like every Saturday, or just every day you practice, being violent with your hands. Just trying to be explosive off the ball and just trying to, you know, put your will on the other guy. Like, you gotta dominate. That’s my whole mindset every single play. More times than not, I feel like I’m doing my best to finish guys.
On how his usage at Washington showcased his athleticism and prepared him for the NFL:
Yeah, I feel like that’s something that just really separates me, is that my ability to move out in space, like you said. Whether that’s pulling on a counter play or getting out on the screen or just simply blocking somebody out in space one on one. I mean, I feel like that’s where I excel. That’s where I think is one of my strongest attributes as a player for sure.
On the coaching points that helped him and Roger Rosengarten develop active hands as pass protectors:
Yeah, that’s just all credit to my offensive line coach, Scott Huff. He now works for the Seattle Seahawks. He’s just molded me and Roger up to be the players we are today and all credit to him, for sure. I mean, me and Roger kind of bounce ideas off of each other. I learned from him, he learned from me. I just feel like me and him have that relationship where we can kind of bounce, go back and forth, and kind of tweak each other’s game. I feel like me and him are for sure just products of the people around us.
On if teams have asked him about moving inside to guard in the NFL:
Yeah, I’ve had that question in all my interviews. For me, the easy answer is to say tackle is where I’m most comfortable. I played there the last three, four years, but at the same time, I’m more than capable and willing to bump inside and play whatever position that they ask me to. So I feel like I’m the most versatile offensive lineman in the draft class and I feel like that adds value to any organization, for sure.
On the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and his formal meetings:
I’ve not [formally met with the Eagles]. I actually talked to, I’ve ran into [Philadelphia offensive line] coach Stoutland a couple of times now. I just talked to him before I got up here. He’s been giving me some advice when it comes to the media and stuff like that. But yeah, he’s a cool dude.
[The Cowboys] had told me about a play before the meeting. Watched some of my film and asked me after. The stuff that they were asking was pretty simple. So I kind of got it down, but yeah, it was a good meeting.
I had a lot of [formal meetings], fortunately, you know what I mean? Through this process, it’s easy to find the negative and you know, being tired and stuff like that. But I’m just grateful to be here and have these opportunities in these formals. I think I’ve had 28 out of 32. So it’s a good problem to have for sure.
On how his background as a fullback affects his approach as an offensive lineman:
I just feel like running with the ball when I was younger, man, it helped me with my feet. I think that’s where I kind of get it from, you know, trying to juke guys, but now it’s trying to stay attached to guys. And I feel like that carried over a lot going from high school when I transitioned to offensive line my sophomore year. At first it was like, I thought I was going to be a skill [position player] my whole life. But then, my coaches had told me there was an opportunity to go to the next level, if I had to just put my hand in the dirt. I listened, you know, there’s a little fight back, but at the same time, man, I’m just grateful that my coaches had the best interest for me.
On if blocking for mobile quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson changes his job as an offensive lineman:
I don’t think so, man. Lamar Jackson, he’s just a playmaker, and that’s what you see watching him. He’s a guy that just likes to make plays, extend plays, and for me as an offensive lineman, the biggest thing that you can’t have as an offensive lineman is a mental clock in your head of when to stop blocking, you know what I mean? Because you never know, especially when you have a guy like Lamar that’s able to get out of the pocket and extend plays like that. So yeah, it’d be an honor to block for a guy like that and play for an organization like that.
On how high school volleyball translates to playing offensive line:
Yeah, I would say it was a little bit easier jumping back then. I was about 60-70 pounds lighter than I am now, but I feel like it helped a lot. Just the agility it does take to constantly jump every single play. You know, I thoroughly enjoyed volleyball. It was something I did for fun. I grew up around it – my parents played it, my sister played it. I think the footwork, you know, I think there’s a lot of things that kind of translate to football. Just being able to move laterally and jump up in the air when you need to. I kinda bothered my offensive coordinator a little bit back in college. I was like, man, I can jump, I got some hands, throw it up to me every now and then. But he wasn’t hearing it.
On how he developed his nasty mentality in the trenches:
Yeah, I just think growing the love for being in the trenches. It’s grimy, man. It’s nasty down there. There’s a lot of things that you don’t really see on TV because as soon as the ball’s thrown, the camera pans the other way. But there’s so much, there’s so many things that go on down there that not a lot of people see and that’s what I love about it. You have the ability to kind of take your anger out, or frustration. Say you have a bad play, you can go out there and kind of reset because every down is different and that’s how I approach life. That’s how I approach everything. Just trying to seize every opportunity that I have because you don’t get to go out in public and — I can’t go run somebody over without getting arrested.
On who he models his game after:
Yeah, we watch a bunch of film at UW, but personally, I like to watch Rashawn Slater from the Los Angeles Chargers. I just think that me and him are kind of built the same, with me and him being similar size, I guess. I watch him just because it always feels like he’s always in control of everything he does. He’s never outside his body.
Another guy is [Detroit Lions tackle] Penei Sewell. That dude’s just got that dog in him, and I feel like that’s something I got, and that’s something that I could bring to any team. Last but not least, [Houston Texans tackle] Laremy Tunsil. That dude’s a technician. He does everything the right way. Everything that my coach taught me in college is something that I try to model after for sure.
On potentially lining up with Buccaneers tackle Tristan Wirfs:
Man, that dude is crazy athletic. Big, really big. He’s just a dog. He’s another guy that I watched, more previously when he was at right tackle, just to kind of watch his game. Coming out of college, you know, hearing about him on draft day. I’ve watched him do the combine and stuff like that. It’s just crazy to be here, but at the same time, any opportunity a coach is willing to take on me, I’m more than willing to put my best foot forward and attack it.