After a strong start to free agency, the Cleveland Browns will likely turn to the NFL Draft to fill their left tackle position.
However, as Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto pointed out in his latest column, history isn't on the Browns' side when it comes to finding and developing offensive linemen.
"From 2015-2025, the Browns drafted 13 offensive linemen. Only Jedrick Wills (57 starts) had more than 20 starts for the Browns," Pluto wrote. "That’s a miserable drafting record spanning three general managers."
Over the past decade, the Browns have drafted Cameron Erving (2015), Shon Coleman and Spencer Drango (2016), Roderick Johnson (2017), Austin Corbett (2018), Drew Forbes (2019), Jedrick Wills and Nick Harris (2020), James Hudson (2021), Dawson Deaton (2022), Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler (2023), and Zak Zinter (2024). As mentioned, Berry did well with Wills, but all other players are either injury-prone or rotational pieces.
That's why this time he cannot overthink it: He must take Spencer Fano if he's available at No. 6.
Spencer Fano can break the Browns' offensive line curse
Some reporters and analysts argue that the Browns could be tempted to trade down and get Georgia's Monroe Freeling. He's a promising player and an impressive athlete who definitely has a strong future in the league, but taking him if Fano is available would be a mistake.
The same goes for Carnell Tate. He's the best wide receiver prospect in this draft, but this class is particularly deep with first- and second-round-caliber pass catchers. The Browns could probably still get a No. 1 wide receiver with the No. 24 pick. Fano, on the other hand, is the type of player any team can only dream of building an offensive line around.
While Francis Mauigoa was the biggest winner in the offensive tackle market after the NFL Scouting Combine, Fano was projected to be the first tackle off the board for most of the pre-draft process. He's still that same physical specimen and, more importantly, he has extensive experience playing on both sides of the offensive line, not just on the right.
The Browns have gambled and lost way too many times with their offensive line. They've had to turn to free agency or trades to patch things up, and that's just a waste of a pick. They can't afford to make that mistake this time.
Freeling may have the Georgia-Todd Monken connection, and chances are that he's an even more athletic and physically impressive prospect. But he's not the most NFL-ready guy. Sometimes, the safe pick is the best pick, and there's simply no downside with Fano.
It's not unusual to see a player of his caliber fall past No. 5, and with Fernando Mendoza locked in at No. 1, Francis Mauigoa going to Arizona at No. 3, and Jeremiyah Love likely falling to No. 4, there's just no way it would be acceptable not to take Fano if he's still up for grabs at No. 6. It's time to break the curse once and for all.