By the time Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft arrived last month, there was no question that the Cleveland Browns were going to select an offensive tackle with one of their two picks inside the top 25. Where the questions started was after the team ultimately landed on Utah’s Spencer Fano at pick No. 9 overall.
Fano played both tackle spots over his three collegiate seasons with the Utes, but most of them came on the right side. Of his 36 total starts, 25 were at right tackle, where he played exclusively from 2024 onward, per Pro Football Focus.
Cleveland, of course, traded a fifth-round draft pick and then promptly extended Tytus Howard, presumably to fill the right tackle void left by Jack Conklin. Howard has started at multiple positions throughout his seven-year NFL career, but he’s most prominently played either right tackle or left guard.
That brings us to the real question: Would the Browns really bank on a 21-year-old rookie learning on the fly as their starting left tackle in 2026?
There’s plenty of room to debate both sides of that argument, given the pre-draft chatter on Fano potentially moving inside. But Browns reporter Zac Jackson of The Athletic may have hinted that Fano manning the left tackle spot is the team’s preferred choice.
“Spencer Fano will have to re-learn left tackle after spending his final two college seasons on the right side, but the Browns trust he will adjust quickly.”
What starting Spencer Fano at left tackle would mean for the Browns’ line
After selecting three offensive linemen in the 2026 draft, the Browns now have the option to either go young or roll with a veteran at each O-line spot. Fano will have to prove he can handle being the team’s starting left tackle in Week 1, but if he can win the job, the Browns’ ideal front five would be set up perfectly.
Here’s an early projection on the Browns’ O-line depth chart based on Jackson’s report:
- Left tackle: Spencer Fano, Austin Barber
- Left guard: Elgton Jenkins, Zak Zinter
- Center: Parker Brailsford, Luke Wypler
- Right guard: Zion Johnson, Teven Jenkins
- Right tackle: Tytus Howard, KT Leveston
- Swing tackle: Dawand Jones
The Browns will likely carry 10 total offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster, leaving Leveston on the bubble. What placing Fano on the left side really does is slot Jones into what feels like a more natural spot at swing tackle. He’s struggled with injuries as a pro and just accepted a reduced salary to remain in the mix in 2026, which is the final year of his rookie deal. Opening the season as the top backup to Fano and Howard makes the most sense for both Jones and the team.
The true wild-card here might not be Fano — but rookie fifth-round pick Parker Brailsford. If the former Alabama standout can lock down Cleveland’s center spot, that would allow Elgton Jenkins to slide over to left guard, where he's made two career Pro Bowls, with Johnson anchoring the right guard spot. The Browns would have two rookies in their starting lineup in this scenario, but they would be set up for success with Jenkins lined up between them.
The Browns clearly prioritized versatility within their offensive line group, which makes their starting five extremely hard to predict here in early May. But the dream front five starts with Fano at left tackle. If the rookie can lock down one of the most important positions in the sport during training camp, the rest of the puzzle should fit together nicely.
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