Spencer Fano didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called during the 2026 NFL draft.
The former University of Utah offensive tackle was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 9 overall pick in Thursday’s first round in Pittsburgh.
Fano was the first offensive lineman taken in the draft.
It’s only the third time a former Ute was a top 10 selection.
“He has the talent to be an immediate NFL starter at right tackle or guard,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote of Fano in his annual “The Beast” NFL draft preview.
While Fano (6-foot-5.5, 311 pounds) primarily played tackle at Utah — he started at left tackle as a freshman before moving to the right side the next two years — he is projected as someone who could end up playing at either tackle or guard at the next level.
At the NFL combine in February, Fano ran a 4.91-second 40-yard dash, second among offensive tackles, and his combine production score, according to NFL.com, was first at the position.
Fano, who prepped at Timpview High, was a Day 1 starter at Utah and started 36 games over his three seasons playing for the Utes under Kyle Whittingham.
He earned freshman All-American accolades in 2023, then continued to earn All-American honors each of the next two seasons before being a consensus All-American as a junior.
Utah was second nationally in rushing, averaging 266.3 yards per game, in his final year with the program. Fano declared for the NFL draft following his junior season.
He is the 11th former Ute all-time to be taken in the first round and the third offensive tackle, joining Jordan Gross (No. 8 overall to the Carolina Panthers in 2003) and Garett Bolles (No. 20 overall to the Denver Broncos in 2017).
Fano is also the seventh Utah first-round draft pick since the turn of the century and the 190th all-time selection in program history.
“Fano is fluid and light on his feet; he has the ability to roll his hips and play with power at the point of attack. He shoots strong, quick hands to harness a firm punch. And he has very good core strength to recover when knocked off-balance,” Scouts Inc. wrote, via ESPN, in analyzing Fano.
“While run blocking, Fano has great change-of-direction skills at the second level. He will play positionally sound, leveraging defenders based on play direction. His positional versatility and lack of length could also lead him to move to the interior at the NFL level.”