AFC Notes: Troy Fautanu, Amarius Mims, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals first-round OT Amarius Mims checked every box a team could want from a size, athleticism, and potential perspective. However, he slipped to the Bengals at No. 18 overall because of doubts stemming from his lack of experience (only eight starts in college) and other motivational concerns, some aired by people as prominent as former Alabama HC Nick Saban.

“Yeah, a lot of people are talking about it, it is what it is,” Mims said via the Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. “Everybody has their own opinions. I don’t really care what he said or had to say, honestly. I’m just glad to be a Cincinnati Bengal. I have a lot of respect for Coach Saban, he’s one of the greatest college coaches. It is what it is. I’m just glad to be a Cincinnati Bengal.”

Those concerns obviously didn’t weigh heavily on the Bengals. 

“I feel like most of the time they are going to try to give you more of the negative just so you are aware of it than the positive,” Bengals director of pro scouting Steve Radicevic said. “It’s rare to find somebody squeaky clean. Somebody has to have something they can say negative about a player.”

Ravens

Ravens director of college scouting David Blackburn gave an in-depth look into fourth-round CB T.J. Tampa‘s profile.

“[T.J. Tampa’s] athleticism at his size [stands out],” Blackburn said, via Dustin Cox of the Ravens Wire. “He’s long. He can flip his hips. He can change directions well. [He’s a] former wideout, so I think there is some built-in upside to him, as a player. He just kind of plays the game smoothly; he doesn’t look too stressed. He tackles well. He’s a guy that’s going to compete. He’ll run down on kicks and be a special teams guy for us. [He’s got] good makeup, good mentality. [He’s] a smart football player.”

“They speak highly of him at [Iowa State]. So, again, any time you have [well]-sized corner, you’re always intrigued, but I think he’s got the necessary movement skills at that size, along with his length, to give us something as a coverage player and then also be able to support the run.”

Steelers

Steelers 2024 first-round OT Troy Fautanu slid in the draft due to concerns about his knee after expecting to go in the top 15. Fautanu addressed the knee issues and doesn’t understand why his knee injury scared teams away. 

“I have no clue [why my knee was flagged],” Fautanu said, via Allison Koehler of the Steelers Wire. “That knee thing hasn’t bothered me in years. You play football and play offensive line. If you come out playing football for years and years and you don’t get injured, it’s you’re like a pony. I understand the physicality that I do play with, and you know, sometimes things are going to happen like that, but it doesn’t stop me from showing up to work every single day and playing the way that I do play.”