Spencer Fano — OT | Utah | RS Sophomore

DynastySignal NFL Draft Scouting Report | 2026 Draft Class

The Short Version

Spencer Fano is the rare offensive tackle prospect who arrives in the 2026 draft with the body, the résumé, and the tape to justify first-round buzz — as a redshirt sophomore. He's a mauler-first tackle who dominates in the run game and anchors reliably in pass protection, having surrendered just 1 sack on 406 pass block attempts in 2024, good enough for a 98.2 PBE and a First Team All-Big 12 selection. The case for him is simple: elite run-blocking grades (93.6 PFF), legitimate tackle size at 6'6"/302, and the kind of raw athleticism that has NFL offensive line coaches salivating. The case against is equally straightforward — he's entering as a 21-year-old underclassman with limited reps against elite pass rushers, and his 79.5 PFF pass grade, while solid, signals room to grow in the one area that determines where franchise tackles get drafted.

Measurables & Background

| Attribute | Value |

|---|---|

| Name | Spencer Fano |

| Position | OT (Right Tackle) |

| School | Utah |

| Class | RS Sophomore (2026 early declare) |

| Height | 6'6" |

| Weight | 302 lbs |

| Age | 21 |

| Conference | Big 12 |

| Jersey | #55 |

| 2024 Starts | 12 |

| 2024 Offensive Snaps | 743 |

| 2024 Pass Block Attempts | 406 |

| 2024 Sacks Allowed | 1 |

| PFF Overall Grade (2024) | 92.7 |

| PFF Run Blocking Grade | 93.6 |

| PFF Pass Blocking Grade | 79.5 |

| Pass Block Efficiency (PBE) | 98.2 |

| Pressure Rate Allowed (PRA%) | 3.45% |

| 2024 Accolades | First Team All-Big 12 |

| CBS OL Draft Ranking | #3 Overall OL (Summer Scouting) |

Film Sources Reviewed

| Source | Frames | Key Content |

|---|---|---|

| NFLTradingRoom — "Spencer Fano Film Breakdown: 2026 NFL Draft Summer Scouting" (8:17) | 18 frames (film_001–film_018) | Player card with full stats/grades, game film vs. BYU; pre-snap alignments, run blocking, and pass protection sets from multiple formations and down-and-distance situations |

| NFL on CBS — "Spencer Fano 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: 'His tape shows consistency across the board'" (4:56) | 18 frames (highlights_001–highlights_018) | CBS Sports Summer Scouting OL Rankings segment (Ryan Wilson + Ran Carthon); Fano ranked No. 3 OL; 2024 season stat card; action photo in pass protection vs. TCU; multiple on-air analysis segments discussing his tape and draft profile |

| The NFL Film Room — "Spencer Fano College Football Highlights | Utah Right Tackle | NFL Draft Film" (5:33) | 19 frames (film_2_001–film_2_019) | Game film from Utah vs. Oklahoma State (ranked matchup, FOX) and Utah vs. Utah State (CBS Sports); red-circle annotations identifying Fano; run blocking sequences, zone concepts, second-level blocking, short-yardage, goal-line work |

What The Film Shows

Pass Protection — **B+ / 79.5 PFF Grade**

The numbers here are actually better than the PFF grade suggests in isolation. One sack in 406 pass block attempts is elite in absolute terms — that's a sack rate under 0.25% for the season (film_004, highlights_012). Fano's PBE of 98.2 puts him in rarefied air for a college tackle, let alone a 21-year-old sophomore. What limits the grade is what you see in his pass sets on longer-developing plays: he can get a bit upright when asked to mirror speed rushers at the edge, and in the BYU game film (film_013–film_015), there are moments where he's reacting to rather than anticipating second-rush counters. His anchor against bull-rushers is already NFL-caliber — he doesn't give ground when a power rusher tries to drive him into the pocket. The pass protection ceiling is legitimately elite if the footwork and hand timing continue to tighten.

Key frame citations: film_004 (stat card confirming 1 sack/406 attempts), film_013 (pass set vs. BYU edge), film_015 (pocket maintenance on drop-back), highlights_012 (2024 season stat card), film_2_005 (3rd & 11 pass set vs. Oklahoma State), film_2_007 (2nd & 9 vs. OSU pre-snap/post-snap).

Run Blocking — **A / 93.6 PFF Grade**

This is where Fano separates himself from other tackle prospects in this class. The 93.6 PFF run grade is not just good — it's the kind of number that puts you in a conversation with the best run-blocking tackles in college football regardless of class. On film, the separation between his run and pass grades is explained by one word: leverage. Fano plays with elite pad level in the run game. When he fires off the ball in gap or zone concepts, he immediately creates a lower pad level than the defensive lineman he's engaging, and he drives his feet through the whistle (film_2_002, film_2_008). His ability to work combo blocks — engaging a 3-tech to allow the guard to climb to a linebacker — shows football IQ well beyond his years (film_2_002). In short-yardage and goal-line situations, he is a difference-maker: against BYU in a condensed goal-line set, he helped Utah push the pile (film_2_003, film_2_004). The zone-run sequence against Oklahoma State, where Fano displaced his man and then climbed to the second level to seal a linebacker, is the kind of play you circle in the report (film_2_008, film_2_009).

Key frame citations: film_2_001 (zone run vs. OSU, 4th quarter push), film_2_002 (combo block execution vs. Utah State), film_2_003 (goal-line drive vs. BYU), film_2_004 (circled stance — heavy personnel goal-line vs. BYU), film_2_008 (second-level block on zone run vs. OSU), film_008 (Utah vs. BYU run blocking at point of attack).

Technique & Footwork — **B+ / Trending Up**

Fano's pre-snap fundamentals are textbook. In the annotated frame from the NFLFilmRoom breakdown (film_2_004, red circle on #55), his three-point stance shows a wide, balanced base, flat back, weight loaded forward on his down hand, and his head up reading the defensive alignment. He doesn't tip run vs. pass in his stance — his pre-snap discipline is consistent across formations and down-and-distance (film_009–film_012, all showing similar fundamentals regardless of coverage shell). His footwork in zone concepts is fluid — he's not just a power mauler but a legitimate athlete who can lateral-step and redirect. The area he needs to develop is his kick-slide technique on pure pass sets against elite speed. In the BYU game at Rice-Eccles (film_005–film_018), some of his pass sets were slightly upright, and he occasionally allowed his base to narrow when defending the outside speed rush. That's correctable — it's the kind of thing that improves from year one to year two in an NFL system.

Key frame citations: film_004 (player card — overall grade showing technique quality), film_009 (pre-snap stance, vs. BYU), film_014 (pass set vs. BYU), film_2_004 (annotated stance — wide base, balanced weight, head up), film_2_009 (circled — vs. OSU, pre-snap discipline on 3rd & 3).

Athleticism — **A-**

You don't put up a 93.6 run grade without elite athleticism for the position. Fano moves like a man 30 pounds lighter than he is. His lateral quickness in zone schemes is evident across multiple game cuts: in the Oklahoma State highlights, he's able to reach the second level against Big 12 competition in space (film_2_008), which requires both the initial step quickness to disengage from a defensive lineman and the open-field speed to arrive at a linebacker before the run lane closes. At 6'6"/302, that kind of movement skill is uncommon. He's not finished physically — at 21 he still has developmental body weight to add — but his movement pattern suggests he can absorb functional mass without losing the athleticism that makes him special. The CBS Sports segment (highlights_013–highlights_018) specifically highlighted how Ran Carthon and Ryan Wilson view his tape as showing "consistency across the board," a nod to his athleticism showing up in multiple blocking contexts, not just in a system-specific way.

Key frame citations: film_2_008 (second-level athleticism vs. OSU), film_2_009 (lateral quickness on zone concept), highlights_013 (CBS action photo — balanced athletic stance in pass pro vs. TCU).

Versatility — **B+**

Fano has played exclusively at right tackle at Utah, which is a strength in the sense that he has a clearly established identity — he's not a "tweener" who doesn't know where he'll play. He projects as a right tackle at the next level, with the size and power to potentially play left tackle for teams that need it. Utah's run-heavy Big 12 offense asked him to execute zone runs, gap/power concepts, goal-line blocking, second-level work, and pass protection across 743 snaps (highlights_012). That's a diverse blocking menu for a sophomore, and he handled all of it. He has not been asked to play guard, so there's no tape there, but the footwork and body type suggest he could flex inside if an NFL team needed emergency depth — though his value is clearly as a tackle.

Key frame citations: film_2_003–film_2_004 (goal-line — heavy personnel), film_005 (standard split — run set), film_014 (pass pro — drop-back), film_2_006 (standard down — vs. OSU), highlights_012 (2024 stat card — snap count confirms full workload).

Strengths Summary

Concerns & Risks

NFL Comp

Primary Comp: Penei Sewell (Detroit Lions)

The comparison is almost uncomfortable in how directly it applies. Sewell came out of Utah as a young underclassman with absurd run-blocking grades, elite athleticism for the position, and a pass protection profile that was good-but-not-elite for his age — then became one of the best tackles in the NFL. Fano is on a nearly identical physical and statistical trajectory: similar measurables, same program, same run-heavy background, same college production arc. The cautionary note is that Sewell was considered a generational prospect — Fano is elite, but the gap between them in terms of raw physical gifts is real. Sewell had elite pass-pro tape as a freshman. Fano is closer to Sewell's 2019 tape than his 2020 tape.

Secondary Comp: Teven Jenkins (young version)

Jenkins came out of Oklahoma State with dominant run-blocking tape, a big, athletic frame, and questions about whether his pass protection would hold up against NFL edge rushers — the exact profile Fano presents. Jenkins translated into a quality NFL starter. The difference is Fano is younger and is already producing at a higher ceiling level than Jenkins was at the same point in his career.

Bottom Line

Spencer Fano is a legitimate first-round offensive tackle with the rare combination of size, athleticism, and proven production at the college level — delivered as a 21-year-old who still has his best football in front of him. His run-blocking tape from the Big 12 is as good as any tackle in this draft class, and his pass-protection metrics, while not dominant on grade, reflect a player who is already keeping quarterbacks clean at an elite rate. The dynasty question isn't whether he's good — he clearly is — it's whether the still-developing pass-protection technique holds up against NFL edge speed in Year 1, or whether there's a learning-curve dip before he locks in. Given his age and the Utah pipeline's track record, the upside bet is firmly worth taking.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 88/100

Projected Pick: R1, Pick 12-22

Film Score: 88 / 100

Spencer Fano Scouting Report - Scout 2 (Contrarian View)

The Short Version

Fano's tape screams \"pass-pro specialist\" with elite PFF grades, but that's inflated by Utah's scheme and weak Pac-12 edges. He's no mauler in the run game—more of a technician who gets exposed by power and speed. Mid-round steal if you need RT depth, but don't buy the top-15 hype.

Measurables & Background

| Trait | Detail |

|----------------|-------------------------|

| Height | 6'6.5\" |

| Weight | 315 lbs |

| Arm Length | 34\" |

| 40 Time | ~5.25 est. |

| Age (2026 Dr.) | 21 |

| Hometown | Lehi, UT |

| High School | Lehi HS (3-star recruit)|

| Experience | RS Sophomore, 12 starts in 2024 |

| Accolades | 1st Team All-Big 12, PFF Pass Block Grade 93.7 |

Film Sources

| Source | Title/Description | Duration | Frames | Prefix |

|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|----------|--------|------------|

| NFLTradingRoom | Spencer Fano Film Breakdown - 2026 NFL Draft Summer Scouting | 8:17 | 37 | film_ |

| NFL on CBS | Spencer Fano 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: 'Consistency' | 4:56 | 18 | highlights_ |

| The NFL Film Room | Spencer Fano College Highlights \| Utah RT \| NFL Draft | 5:33 | 19 | film_2_ |

Film Analysis

Focused on key OT traits. Conventional wisdom loves his \"consistency,\" but I see scheme dependency and limitations vs. athletic rushers/power. Grades averaged to Overall: B (82/100).

Strengths

Concerns

Dynasty Outlook

Year 1: Rotational RT in zone-heavy scheme (fits Shanahan trees). Year 2: Potential starter if adds mass/power. Year 3: Long-term RT2 for pass-first teams like MIA/DET. Avoid for run-first (PHI, PIT).

NFL Comp

Bottom Line

Fano is a plug-and-play pass protector who'll thrive in the right system but bust as a blindside mauler. Pass on top-50; target Day 2 for value.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 82/100

Projected Pick: R2, Pick 40-60

Film Score: 82 / 100