Ravens Draft Target Troy Fautanu Reveals Key to Blocking for 'Playmaker' Lamar Jackson
Perhaps the Baltimore Ravens’ biggest issue this season is trying to replicate a unique ingredient of 2023’s success: so many veteran contributors – especially those on expiring deals – played an integral role in their AFC Championship Game run.
Baltimore is set to lose much of their roster, including key cogs to their most recent machine. Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, linebacker Patrick Queen, and multiple starting linemen are on the way out, opening the door for cheaper replacements through the NFL Draft.
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This past week’s NFL Scouting Combine helped the Ravens gain information on potential targets for the 30th pick in April’s draft. If nothing else, the league learned just how special this class of offensive linemen is shaping up to be.
One such prospect that stood out was Washington tackle Troy Fautanu. Many project him to be kicked inside at the next level, but he mitigated those concerns with his measurables. Even so, he remains in play for the Ravens as an athletic protector of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
At the Combine, he spoke about if he’d have to change anything if he was blocking for the NFL’s premier mobile quarterback.
“I don’t think so, man. Lamar Jackson, he’s a playmaker and that’s what you see just watching him,” Fautanu said. “He’s a guy that just makes plays, extends plays.
“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, because you never know. Especially when you have a guy like Lamar that is able to get out of the pocket and extend plays like that.”
By Relative Athletic Score, Fautanu posted the 72nd-best mark (9.45 out of 10) of 1,293 tackles since 1987. This likely won’t catapult his stock like it would for a smaller-school prospect, but he passes athletic thresholds with flying colors. And his arm length, 34.5 inches, was better than many anticipated.
That athletic prowess shows up on film where he’s an easy mover in space and an asset to both facets of the offense. With Jackson doing his best to extend plays, Baltimore’s linemen are sometimes asked to do a little more than the job description entails, but Fautanu’s profile meshes well with those needs.
Having been mocked in the first round consistently throughout the draft cycle, there’s a solid chance he’ll be gone by the Ravens’ initial selection. But in the event the board falls favorably, a new lineman could be a worthwhile use of such an important asset.
“It’d be an honor to block a guy like that and play for an organization like that,” Fautanu said.
