Spencer Fano Might Be Dream First-Round Draft Pick for Cleveland Browns

All eyes will be on offensive linemen and wide receivers as the NFL Draft grows nearer for the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns have done more work on the offensive line prospects in this year’s class than what has been publicly reported. They’ve hosted all of the premium wideouts on reported top 30 visits, but they’ve also quietly done plenty of homework on all of the offensive line prospects.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has already done a nice job rebuilding the offensive line this offseason. He traded a fifth-round pick to the Houston Texans for right tackle Tytus Howard, who was immediately extended on a three-year deal. In free agency, the Browns added interior offensive linemen including Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins while bringing back Teven Jenkins, who appeared in all 17 games last season.

That leaves Cleveland’s offensive line with one glaring hole ahead of the NFL Draft – left tackle.

In ESPN’s Peter Schrager’s mock draft, the Browns selected Utah tackle Spencer Fano, who played both tackle positions for the Utes but primarily spent time at right tackle.

Some Browns fans will be scared from the team’s 2020 first-round failure, trying to turn Jedrick Wills into a left tackle even though he played right tackle at Alabama. Would the Browns dare to try that again in 2026?

Why Fano could be the pick for the Browns in Round 1

The team is chasing versatility on their offensive line. It’s what Berry has always done. Look at his moves this offseason. Elgton Jenkins can play center and guard. Howard can play right tackle or guard. Last season, Teven Jenkins played multiple positions. Berry has drafted Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler who have contributed at multiple positions on their rookie deals. Last year, the Browns traded a future late-round draft pick for KT Leveston, who played tackle out of necessity, but might be better suited as a guard.

Like it or not, the Browns chase versatility. Fano is the most versatile in this class.

“Take the best players and we’ll make it work,” new Browns head coach Todd Monken said at the NFL Combine about his message to Cleveland’s front office. “Now it’s a little bit different when you’re talking about tackle, guard and center and the differences in terms of their skillset.”

Monken said he looks for consistency and toughness in his offensive linemen, as he could coach around those two traits.

At the combine, Berry pointed out that during Monken’s time as the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, he dealt with plenty of versatile offensive linemen who were all different archetypes, but worked well together as a unit.

“I don’t think there’s necessarily a universal commonality,” Berry said. “But they have to have enough of everything to be scheme versatile.”

These remarks would make Fano a frontrunning fit in Cleveland. The 21-year-old possesses the athleticism required to play multiple positions at a high level in a zone scheme. He started his college football career as a freshman at left tackle before growing into an All-American on the right side.

Fano delivered one of the cleanest pass-blocking seasons in college football, allowing zero sacks or QB hits across 382 snaps and just five total pressures.

The Browns are hosting a quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders – two quarterbacks who have shown an affinity for taking unnecessary hits.

Fano’s established success in pass protection paired with Cleveland’s affinity for scheme versatility could make the Utah star a prime fit for the Browns in the first round.