Cleveland's early investment in Spencer Fano is paying off
Grade: B
The Cleveland Browns selected the first offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft when they took Spencer Fano ninth overall.
Fano moved back to left tackle for Cleveland, where he played as a freshman at Utah, and he's looked good since making the switch.
Fano's athleticism was his main selling point in the draft. He's a fluid mover in a phone booth and out in space, with great body control, balance, and speed. These athletic traits made him a good candidate to switch sides, and so far, it's worked.
Fano is showing quick hands and feet in pass protection. He quickly fires out of his stance and gets to work up the arc against edge rushers. He uses his hands effectively by negating pass-rush moves and getting his hands on the defender.
In the run game, Fano is really effective in space. There were several plays where he would be at the second and third levels, running freely with the ball carrier behind him.
The only thing Fano is struggling with so far is the bull rush. Fano has just enough anchor to recover from any speed-to-power pass-rush moves. But the direct bull rush to the chest has knocked Fano back into Deshaun Watson's space a few times.
Defenders are picking up on this and trying to chop his hands down quickly to gain access to that area. But it's been mostly clean for Fano so far this season.
Final verdict: It's great to see Fano's athleticism shine through, as well as his ability to play with good technique and anchor in pass protection. Once he finds a consistent counter for the bull rush, Fano could develop into an All-Pro-caliber tackle sometime in the future.
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