Spencer Fano was among five Utah Utes players who took part in the 2026 NFL Combine. The offensive tackle is already being projected as a strong candidate to be the first player at his position selected in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
Spencer Fano’s NFL Hopes Take a Turn Amid Rising Pre-Draft Questions
A total of 56 offensive linemen were invited to the NFL combine this year, including Fano, who is widely considered to be one of the best offensive tackles in the 2026 draft. However, draft analyst Sanjit T. offered a critical take on Fano’s prospects, writing:
“Spencer Fano struggles on tape with power, and with 32 1/8 inch arms I’m not sure he goes in the 1st round now. The tackle class this year is bad. Probably only 1 guy I would take in the 1st round and be good with (Monroe Freeling).”
The critique stems from the fact that first-round tackles usually have arm lengths of at least 33 inches.
Keeping aside that concern, Fano proved his potential in the Combine, as his 40-yard dash time of 4.91 seconds tied for second among offensive linemen, just behind Iowa center Logan Jones, who ran 4.90 seconds. He also led all offensive tackles in the three-cone drill and posted strong marks in other events: a 10-yard split of 1.72 seconds, a 32-inch vertical jump, and a 9-foot-3 broad jump. Next Gen Stats gave him a combine score of 91, ranking first among tackles.
Though his on-field work in Indianapolis was phenomenal, concerns about his arm length remain. NFL.com lead draft writer Eric Edholm noted that the shorter measurement could hurt Fano’s chances of being a top-10 pick. The positive thing is that Fano has already expressed openness to a position change after his arm-length shortcomings.
“If you want me to play center, I’ll play center,” Fano said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to be great in this league.”
Fano played 822 snaps without allowing a single hit or sack last season, giving up only five hurries. He ranked No. 3 in the PFSN’s CFB OL Impact Metrics with a score of 94.0. Fano himself recognizes his own caliber.
“I think you’re getting someone that’s not going to allow himself to fail,” Fano told reporters this week about whichever NFL team may select him. “I have too many people to prove right to allow myself to fail them and fail myself. So I want to do everything it takes to be great in this league. And to improve on, I definitely could stay square in a lot of my pass sets, for sure.”
The Combine is one of the final stops before the draft in April, where Fano will await his name being called. If he gets selected before No. 8, he will become the second-highest draft pick ever from Utah, behind only 2005 No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith.
