The closer we get to the 2026 NFL Draft, the more it seems like the Cleveland Browns could trade out of their spot at No. 6 overall. If GM Andrew Berry and the Browns do stand pat and make a selection, there’s a strong chance the top offensive tackle on their board is headed to Berea.
Draft analyst Dane Brugler released his massive draft guide for The Athletic on Wednesday, and his analysis on the top 100 prospects could seal the deal for Cleveland in its first draft of the Todd Monken era.
There’s been plenty of buzz around the Browns and Georgia left tackle Monroe Freeling, a 21-year-old prospect with only three years of college experience who tested off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine. Freeling has been a popular projection for the Browns at No. 6 in recent mock drafts, but Brugler said the quiet part out loud in his rankings. He listed Freeling as his No. 3 tackle and the 17th-best prospect overall, labeling him as an ascending prospect "with real work to do."
Another prospect Browns fans have likely seen mocked to them a ton is Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, who’s actually younger than Freeling and played exclusively as the Hurricanes' right tackle over his three collegiate seasons. Brugler’s analysis might have crushed expert predictions linking Mauigoa to the Browns. He listed him as the No. 2 tackle but projects him as a guard in the NFL.
The No. 1 tackle on Brugler’s big board? He should be available based on the vast majority of mock drafts, which prominently feature quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, and a mix of defensive stalwarts like linebacker Sonny Styles and EDGE David Bailey, and running back Jeremiyah Love inside the top five. Styles, for what it’s worth, was Brugler’s No. 1 rated prospect in the entire class.
His top tackle is Utah’s Spencer Fano, who feels like the perfect fit for the Browns if they make their selection at No. 6. He finished his career with the Utes on the right side, but has experience at left tackle and the profile to develop into that role for an NFL team. He was also a central figure in Utah’s rushing attack, which ranked No. 2 in the nation in 2025.
“When Utah needed a yard,” Brugler wrote of Fano, who was the No. 8 overall prospect on his big board, “it ran behind No. 55; he projects as an immediate starter.”
Spencer Fano would fit the Browns' timeline at No. 6 overall
Brugler highlighting Fano’s prowess in the run game should resonate with Browns fans, who know Monken wants to run the football at a high rate this season. No team in the NFL ran the ball on a higher percentage of offensive plays than the Baltimore Ravens in 2024 and 2025, with Monken as offensive coordinator. Cleveland doesn’t just need to find its left tackle of the future, it needs to find the right fit specifically for a Monken offense.
Fano could be that guy. The Browns need size and athleticism at their left tackle spot, a player who can move and execute Monken’s varied blocking schemes in the run game. Brugler’s scouting report described Fano as a strong match in that regard:
- Latch-and-drive bully in run game and has affection for finishing
- Rangy on pulls — does some of his best work away from the line of scrimmage
- Fits up and erases linebackers at second level
The lingering concern with Fano is similar to the other top tackle prospects in this class — can he really develop into a franchise player on the left side? Brugler views him as an immediate starter at right tackle or guard with room to grow. That profile would fit the Browns' timeline, as they still have a capable starter at left tackle in fourth-year pro Dawand Jones.
The Browns will almost certainly leave Day 1 of the 2026 draft with one of the top offensive tackle prospects, with guys like Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor and Caleb Lomu, Utah’s other starting tackle in 2025, also in the mix. None of them will be perfect, though, and Fano would make the most sense if Cleveland makes its pick at No. 6 overall in two weeks.