With a rebuilt offensive line, the Cleveland Browns knew they still needed one piece to finish the puzzle. Even while trading down from No. 6 to No. 9 in the 2027 NFL Draft, they knew all along that Spencer Fano was the best left tackle prospect in the class.
Despite his promising college production, some talent evaluators felt Fano would be better suited as a guard in the NFL due to his arm length. That made sense to a degree, but the talent was too evident to overlook.
After watching Fano manhandle the Pittsburgh Steelers and their elite pass-rushing trio on Thursday night, in just his fourth career game as a pro, it's become pretty evident that the Browns were right about him all along. He's their franchise left tackle.
Spencer Fano shut down the Steelers' pass rush with zero pressures allowed in his biggest test yet
As pointed out by FanSided's Marcus Mosher, Fano didn't allow a single pressure on 37 pass-blocking snaps in Week 4. That's despite going against the likes of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nate Herbig.
More importantly, it was Fano's second game without allowing a pressure.
Through four games, the rookie out of Utah has surrendered a grand total of nine pressures, eight hurries, and one sack. He's been called for one penalty, and that's actually a positive with the way the Browns have been flagged this season.
We're talking about a young man who didn't even play left tackle over his final two years in college and was still learning the ropes of the position when he arrived in training camp. Fano was the first on the field and the last to go, working on his technique on the practice field for hours on end.
Fano's friendly demeanor off the field would lead some to think that he's not tough enough to hold his own in this league. That couldn't be further from the truth. He's a mauler and an incredibly strong human being — and he's just getting started.
Admittedly, Fano had a shaky debut against Josh Hines-Allen in Week 1. It was a bit of a baptism by fire, but to be fair, the entire team looked terrible in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's also benefiting from more reps alongside his teammates.
This team has found someone to keep the quarterback's blindside safe and sound, short arms and all. Fano is an absolute Dawg of a player, and those who haven't been paying attention will remember his name after watching him shut down the Steelers' pass-rushing trio.
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