Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu make history for Utah football
Apr 23, 2026, 11:21 PM | Updated: Apr 24, 2026, 11:26 am
Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu celebrate a touchdown against Utah State. Photo courtesy by Utah Athletics.
SALT LAKE CITY — For the first time in program history, Utah produced two first-round picks in the same NFL Draft, as Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu both heard their names called on Thursday night — a moment years in the making.
Fano went early, selected No. 9 overall after anchoring one of the nation’s top offensive lines. He was the first lineman taken in the draft, putting the debate to rest.
Lomu went later in the first round after New England traded up to No. 28 to secure him. And his selection stamped this historic moment for Utah football.
A first in Utah football program history
Utah has produced first-round talent before — from Alex Smith going No. 1 overall in 2005 or Garett Bolles in 2017 to more recent picks like Devin Lloyd and Dalton Kincaid.
But never like this. Never two in the same night.
That’s what separates this moment. It’s not just about adding to a list — it’s about breaking a ceiling that had never been touched before, even as the program steadily climbed into national relevance.
𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 😤@FanoSpencer & @CalebLomu51 are the first Utah teammates ever drafted in the first round of the same #NFLDraft‼️ #GoUtes | #ProUtes pic.twitter.com/7C2pX13RRl
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 24, 2026
Browns land a plug-and-play cornerstone in Spencer Fano
Cleveland didn’t just draft a tackle — they drafted stability.
Fano comes in as one of the most complete offensive linemen in the class, and the expectation internally isn’t gradual development. It’s early contribution. The Browns took him No. 9 overall after trading down, and he immediately fills a need on a retooled offensive line that’s been a clear priority this offseason. What they’re getting is versatility and efficiency.
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Fano started games at both left and right tackle in college, played 35 career starts, and allowed just five pressures with zero sacks and zero quarterback hits in his final season. That level of pass protection consistency is exactly what teams drafting in the top 10 are paying for.
The scouting report is pretty straightforward:
- Elite movement skills and balance
- Clean pass sets with strong recovery ability
- Positional flexibility across the line
There are minor concerns — mainly anchor strength against power rushers — but those are refinement issues, not red flags.
Cleveland is getting a Day 1 starter with Pro Bowl upside, and more importantly, a player they can trust to protect the quarterback early in his career.
Patriots bet on the ceiling with Caleb Lomu
The Patriots traded up to No. 28 to get him, which tells you how they view his ceiling. New England is adding a player with a tremendous ceiling to their offensive line room.
Lomu was a redshirt sophomore last season and has started 24 games at left tackle over the past two seasons. He allowed just two sacks over those two seasons, both of which happened in 2024.
What they’re getting:
- High-level pass protection flashes
- Elite frame and length
- Developmental upside to become a long-term starter
At 6-foot-6, 313 pounds with high-end athleticism, Lomu looks the part of a modern NFL tackle. He played left tackle at Utah but is expected to transition to right tackle early in his career, likely starting as a swing option before growing into a full-time role.
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Validity to Utah football’s OL blueprint
Over the last decade, the Utah program has quietly built one of the most consistent NFL pipelines in the country — not through volume at the top, but through reliability across the board. That’s partly a credit to recruiting and development at Utah.
Fano and Lomu arrived in Salt Lake City as very talented prospects out of high school. Ever before they committed and joined the program, the two developed a close friendship.
Over time, they became the backbone of Utah’s identity — physical, disciplined, and technically sound. Fano was a day one starter, while Lomu redshirted in year one. In 2024, the two became the bookend starters and raised the profile of the offensive line.
By the time they left, they weren’t just starters. They were the reason Utah’s offensive line became one of the most respected units in college football — a group that evaluators consistently trusted to translate to the next level.
Now, with Fano and Lomu being drafted together in the first round, it adds validity to a blueprint Utah has used in recruiting linemen to the program. This past recruiting cycle, Utah recruited and landed two highly sought-after prospects in Kelvin Obot and Mataalii Benjamin, and these two very well could follow a similar path that Fano and Lomu just paved.
The Bottom Line
This wasn’t just a good night for University of Utah — it was a historically defining one.
Two first-round offensive linemen in the same draft doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a program that has become extremely consistent at identifying, developing, and maximizing talent in the trenches. Spencer Fano is the finished product — polished, proven, and ready to start immediately. Caleb Lomu is the projection — traits, upside, and long-term value that teams are willing to invest in.
That balance is the blueprint. And more importantly, it’s now visible. For recruits, for evaluators, and for the next wave of Utah linemen, this night reinforces something the program has been building quietly for years: if you come here and develop the right way, the NFL isn’t a long shot — it’s a legitimate expectation.
