With clear needs to address on the offensive side of the ball, the Browns traded, traded and landed two tackles Thursday night in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cleveland spent the No. 9 – pick acquired in a trade with Kansas City that also acquired the No. 74 and 148 – in Utah tackle Spencer Fano, then doubled offensively later in the first round to add Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion with the 24th pick.
“We’re very excited with how night one ended for us to get, you know, two of what I would call players on our short list to pick another top 100 pick and another top 150 pick,” general manager Andrew Berry said, via the team’s release. “You know, we were very pleased with just the whole activity tonight. We’re very excited about Spencer, his potential at left tackle. He’s a great athlete, very versatile, elite, you know, makeup. And then KC, he’s dynamic. He’s, you know, excellent separation, very good with the ball in his hands, those two players you know, will definitely help this class you know, most likely to deliver this class. offense forward.”
A three-year starter with experience at both tackles, Fano enters the NFL with versatility and athleticism as his greatest strengths. He moves quickly with quick feet and loose hips, making him an effective puller and reliable multi-level blocker. While he’s not an overwhelmingly violent blocker, just a few minutes of film review shows a player with a relentless motor who washes down runners in the run game, can stay connected to defenders longer than the average blocker and constantly has his eyes upfield looking for his next target, traits that will always be appreciated and can be further cultivated by an NFL coach.
Concerns about Fano’s physical profile — most notably, 32-1/8-inch arms, shorter than the ideal NFL tackle — have added questions to his projection. While he will enter the pro game as a tackle, he could be moved to guard, a transition Fano has already stated he is willing to make if asked.
Head coach Todd Monken, however, has little concern about Fano catching.
“Well, I think his athleticism and toughness, I just think all of the above,” Monken said when asked what he saw on film that alleviated concerns, given the team’s graduation. “I think that’s part of it, okay? Of course it is. Arm length? Of course it is. But there’s other things that go into it, other attributes that come into it. I think he’d be an elite guard, too, I think he’d be an elite center. I don’t care where you put him, I think he’d be an elite player.”
A 2025 first-team AP All-American and two-time All-Big 12 selection, Fano capped his three-year career at Utah by taking home the Outland Trophy and the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, an honor earned by posting a clean, sackless record in his final 23 career games (746 passer rating). While he may not be able to play the traditional tackle role most expect of a first-round pick, Fano’s consistency earned him first-round consideration. He will aim to maintain that reputation at the professional level, regardless of where he fits into the starting lineup.