The Jones vs Fautanu question

[WindyCitySteel]

Fautanu was a LT in college but to a left handed passer.

I'd say Jones goes to LT & Fautanu to RT.

He still played on the left side, same technique no matter the passer.

[NorthCoast]

My guess is that lots of OL end up playing different positions in the NFL vs. college. Especially if you consider switching sides playing a different position (like with Dotson).

I think the issue with Dotson was mental sharpness (presnap penalties). And I think being given up on made him take it more seriously.

Green was just a reach because they prioritized BPA over need (although I'd argue that they were wrong about who the BPA was).

When you play out of your natural position you start to overthink your movements, distracting at best, a penalty at worst. Also could depend on what PIT vs LAR were asking him to do when blocking.

Dotson had 1 false start last season vs 4 his last season with PIT. He also had 4 holding penalties with PIT and 1 with the Rams.

[NorthCoast]

He still played on the left side, same technique no matter the passer.

Yea, I wasn't sure why the QB hand made a difference. It's about muscle memory relative to the guy you are blocking. One lineman appropriately described it; it's like wiping your butt with your left hand vs right. One feels right, the other not so much

[Northern_Blitz]

When you play out of your natural position you start to overthink your movements, distracting at best, a penalty at worst. Also could depend on what PIT vs LAR were asking him to do when blocking.

Dotson had 1 false start last season vs 4 his last season with PIT. He also had 4 holding penalties with PIT and 1 with the Rams.

I don't know NC. You may be right. And I think especially re: scheme (and maybe who he was playing beside?) would matter too.

There were also reports about Dotson not being prepared at the start of the season. That seems completely independent of the position he plays. And it's the kind of thing that a guy could get scared straight from when the team that drafts him gives up on him.

I think it's likely that both things have some effect.

I also think that the %age of OL that get drafted who don't play in the same spot they did in college must be reasonably high. But I don't know what that number is.

[WindyCitySteel]

Bottom line, the Steelers played three OL out of position and they were all gone within a few years and two are now starting for other teams. If Okorafor does well in NE, this is a Steelers coaching problem.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Bottom line, the Steelers played three OL out of position and they were all gone within a few years and two are now starting for other teams. If Okorafor does well in NE, this is a Steelers coaching problem.

The Dotson situation was especially frustrating. No argument his rookie year as Decastro was still playing and Dotson got 4 starts as a backup, mostly at LG.

Going into the next season was kind of strange as Decastro release/retirement happened suddenly in the middle of camp. Trai Turner was signed in a rush move, which was no fault of the team. The question I had at the time was if he was the only viable guard available. He was a career RG, but did the team explore LGs or was Turner the best and only option?

The following season was the most frustrating since it didn't even look like the Steelers were looking to move back a guy who clearly was not thriving at playing out of position. Even worse was not doing the guy any favors by placing him between Kendrick Green and Dan Moore.

["BuzzNuter"]

He still played on the left side, same technique no matter the passer.

Think about it , the best rusher and blitzes will come from the QBS blindside. I would imagine the left-handed QB will automatically look left so the DE wouldn't gain much sweeping to the outside of the LT. He would bullrush or rush to the LT's inside shoulder. The blind side Tackle has to be able to ride the rusher to the outside as well as take the bullrush. The blindside tackle has to be prepared to do more.

The run blocking is not that different except you probably have to pull right if you are an LT and pull left if you are a RT. Tackles don't pull much but Jones can.

[Captain Lemming]

This whole NATURAL POSITION thing is nothing but recency bias.

It WAS a thing with Dotson true. I believe I was among the first to say it here. But the blanket idea that you cannot project a lineman to a different position ever is stupid.

Since Webster in the 70s two of our best 3 centers WERE previously GUARDS (Hartings and Dawson). HOFer Dawson I think was our best ever. Pouncey is literally OUR ONLY center of note since the 70s who was a college center. Who was guard on his college team? His BROTHER who became a center.

ON THIS FORUM me and plenty others were screaming to move Willie Colon to guard which was the right move when we finally did it.

ON THIS TEAM Daniels WAS A CENTER.

Ramon was a college tackle and laughs at fans talking about natural position.

I love that we got Frazer when we did. But there is a reason THE ENTIRE LEAGUE believes guard Barton would make the best center of ANYONE in the draft. Some said similar about our guy Troy.

Speaking of Troy, if we got him as the 7th best player in the draft, are we gonna draft someone we got 25rh over him because he was a college right tackle?

Here are the facts about tackles. MOST OF THE BEST ONES in college are left tackles. Not necessarily because it is their NATURAL POSITION but because you put your elite talent there as it is a more valuable position.

Mark my words, if Barton plays center (he is projected as center because his hands are freakishly quick coming out of his stance) he WILL be better than our guy.

[BURGH86STEEL]

This whole NATURAL POSITION thing is nothing but recency bias.

It WAS a thing with Dotson true. I believe I was among the first to say it here. But the blanket idea that you cannot project a lineman to a different position ever is stupid.

Since Webster in the 70s two of our best 3 centers WERE previously GUARDS (Hartings and Dawson). HOFer Dawson I think was our best ever. Pouncey is literally OUR ONLY center of note since the 70s who was a college center. Who was guard on his college team? His BROTHER who became a center.

ON THIS FORUM me and plenty others were screaming to move Willie Colon to guard which was the right move when we finally did it.

ON THIS TEAM Daniels WAS A CENTER.

Ramon was a college tackle and laughs at fans talking about natural position.

I love that we got Frazer when we did. But there is a reason THE ENTIRE LEAGUE believes guard Barton would make the best center of ANYONE in the draft. Some said similar about our guy Troy.

Speaking of Troy, if we got him as the 7th best player in the draft, are we gonna draft someone we got 25rh over him because he was a college right tackle?

Here are the facts about tackles. MOST OF THE BEST ONES in college are left tackles. Not necessarily because it is their NATURAL POSITION but because you put your elite talent there as it is a more valuable position.

Mark my words, if Barton plays center (he is projected as center because his hands are freakishly quick coming out of his stance) he WILL be better than our guy.

I think the bias might be how well players can transition from college to the NFL? At the end of the day, no one knows. It's going to be an interesting battle for the Oline positions once camp starts.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

If concerns about Fautanu's long-term viability (because of his knee) are determined to be valid, then the Steelers might opt to put him on the right side for that reason.

He said that he thought *a team* (wink wink) leaked that so he would be around later.