Mel Kiper Explains Why Utah Football Has Two First-Round Picks In 2026 NFL Draft
Jul 1, 2025, 10:32 AM
Utah offensive tackles Caleb Lomu, Spencer Fano. PHOTOS by Joel Davidson
SALT LAKE CITY—The early consensus on the 2026 NFL Draft is that Utah football could be very well represented.
Throughout the offseason, two Utah starters have received growing buzz as first-round prospects to watch in 2026: offensive tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu.
On Monday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his first 2026 NFL mock draft, along with analysis and projected landing spots for each player.
Kiper listed the two Utah tackles not only as first-round selections, but as top 12 picks.
𝐔𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 📈 pic.twitter.com/Y3rTvOFdoA
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) June 16, 2025
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Utah football’s Spencer Fano is a top 10 pick, according to Mel Kiper
Fano has emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the Big 12 and in the entire country. He was a Freshman All-American in 2023 and a First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2024.
As with other national outlets’ early mock drafts, Fano topped Kiper’s list of Utah players available in next year’s draft. Kiper sees Fano as the No. 10 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks and shared this on the pick:
“It was surprising that the Seahawks waited until Round 7 to draft a tackle in 2025, considering that Abraham Lucas’ injuries have created instability at right tackle. If that continues, Seattle could go with a tackle very early in 2026. Fano has played both left and right tackle at Utah, but his size (6-foot-5, 304 pounds) has some scouts projecting him as an NFL guard. Fano enters 2025 as one of the nation’s best linemen after allowing one sack in 2024, and his movement ability and understanding of angles and leverage make him an ideal NFL right tackle.”
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Entering the 2025 season, Fano is the No. 3 ranked offensive tackle in Kiper’s mock draft behind the Miami Hurricanes’ Francis Mauigoa, and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor.
The season is just around the corner, and all eyes will be on @FanoSpencer‼️
He has been named to the @WalterCampFF 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦.
📰 https://t.co/ZBqszn5hlo#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/swkrfpT1AH
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) July 1, 2025
Caleb Lomu trending towards top 10 status
Only a couple spots later is where Kiper pegs Utah’s starting left tackle to land. He currently has the Cleveland Browns taking Lomu, and shared this assessment of the potential draft marriage:
“With right tackle Jack Conklin slowing down and unproven Dawand Jones set to start at left tackle, it was a bit surprising that the Browns punted on the position in the 2025 draft. But 2026 looks deeper in true left tackle prospects, and Lomu is a player with considerable growth potential. He performed well as a redshirt freshman, allowing three sacks and committing one penalty. Lomu should break out further in 2025, with his easy movement ability in the run game and quick reaction time in pass protection. While Lomu isn’t currently OT1, he has top-five potential if he expands on what he showed last season.”
In 33 starts last year, Lomu surrendered just two sacks on 425 pass-block snaps, earning Freshman All-American honors. Heading into 2025, Lomu is on several preseason watch lists, including the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award.
Utah’s starting left tackle is coming off a stellar Freshman All-American campaign and is looking to build on that in year two.
Jim Harding, O-Block culture, the reasons for Lomu’s commitment to Utah
A former four-star gem out of Gilbert, Arizona, Lomu topped Utah’s 2023 haul—choosing the Utes over blue-bloods like Michigan, Florida, Oregon, Ole Miss, USC, Tennessee, and Washington. Interest in him hasn’t stopped either, but Lomu has remained committed to Jim Harding and the Utes.
“Harding was the main reason I came here,” Lomu said. “When I came here, it was football, but it was also a family. Everyone would be hanging around, joking around, the coaches, the players, like an actual family. That’s a huge part of the Utah culture.”
As he prepares for the 2025 season, Lomu is working to achieve his goals, all of which center around getting the team where they want to be. Lomu plays a high-leverage position and his steady presence can make a significant impact on the Utah offense.
“The goal is just to get better every game and improve on what I do,” Lomu said. “We’ve talked, I shared my goals with him, and he told me he could do that for me. I believe in him. I love the way he coaches; he doesn’t just coach football, he coaches in life.”
Lomu will run it back with Fano on the other side, and the three other starting linemen from last season: Tanoa Togiai, Jaren Kump, and Michael Mokofisi. Those five will play a significant role in Utah’s outlook next season.
“The O-Block has its own culture for sure, and it’s been running through the University of Utah for many years,” Lomu said. “It’s a very important role to take, the O-Block’s known for being aggressive, leading the way for the offense, and how the O-Block goes is how the rest of the team will go.”
Promising trajectories for Utah football starting offensive tackles
As Lomu gears up for his second year as Utah’s starting left tackle, his goal is straightforward: outdo himself. He’s modeling his offseason work on the massive improvement Spencer Fano showed between his first and second seasons.
Coach Harding has challenged Lomu to not only execute his assignments but to do so with a level of force and authority that makes opponents think twice. If Lomu mirrors Fano’s leap—transforming from solid role player into a game-wrecker—he’ll be in a position to weigh a return to campus against declaring for the NFL Draft.
As the 2025 season nears, both of Utah’s tackles are on a clear upward path, and Lomu’s next jump could cement his status alongside Fano as Utah’s premier pro prospects.
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