{"id":105170,"date":"2025-08-29T21:14:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T21:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/105170\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T21:14:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T21:14:07","slug":"nfl-draft-analyst-makes-interesting-pro-comparison-for-utah-star-lineman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/105170\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL draft analyst makes interesting pro comparison for Utah star lineman"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Utah football program<\/a> has never had two players selected in the first round of the same NFL draft before.<\/p>\n

Draft analyst Todd McShay believes there’s a good chance that’ll change next spring.<\/p>\n

“Who would have thought that Utah has potentially like two of the top three or four offensive tackles in the entire draft?” McShay said during an appearance on Inside the Big 12<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The two standout tackles McShay referred to were Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, otherwise known as the bookends of one of the most highly-touted offensive line groups in college football going into the 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n

Fano was tabbed as an All-American by several outlets heading into his junior season, receiving first-team honors from the Associated Press<\/a> and ESPN<\/a> after finishing 2024 with the top overall Pro Football Focus grade (93.0) among Football Bowl Subdivision tackles. Over the offseason, PPF<\/a> named Fano the No. 1 returning offensive lineman in the country and the top tackle prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

Lomu was praised for an impressive redshirt freshman season, in which the 6-foot-6 Gilbert, Arizona, native allowed only two sacks and six quarterback hits out of 425 total snaps in pass protection, earning him spots on Senior Bowl Top 300<\/a> list and preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy<\/a> \u2014 alongside Fano \u2014 leading up to the 2025 regular season.<\/p>\n

Utah starting center Jaren Kump was also featured on the top draft-eligible prospects list from the Senior Bowl, in addition to receiving the captain nod from his teammates.<\/p>\n

“On paper, it’s the best offensive line we’ve had,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said <\/a>Monday before his team’s season opener against UCLA. “We got to go out and prove it, but you got two guys that are hopefully high draft choices, and three seniors inside; I mean, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be very solid up front.”<\/p>\n

Fano’s viewed as Utah’s top NFL prospect, and like his colleagues, McShay is high on the Spanish Fork, Utah, native’s draft stock \u2014 higher than most, in fact.<\/p>\n

“Like, ‘OT1’-high,” McShay said of Fano. “I think he could be the top offensive tackle drafted. I really do.”<\/p>\n

McShay’s latest mock draft from earlier in August confirmed as such, with Fano appearing as the projected No. 3 overall pick to the New York Giants in McShay’s early version of the 2026 draft.<\/p>\n

“Get to know Fano\u2019s name!” McShay wrote<\/a> in his evaluation. “He\u2019s still getting stronger and developing, but my goodness, his agility and range as a blocker \u2014 in the run and pass game \u2014 are beautiful to watch on tape.”<\/p>\n

In addition to having the best overall grade among FBS tackles, Fano posted the best PFF run-blocking grade (91.8) among right tackles last season. <\/p>\n

As for Lomu, he wasn’t much further down McShay’s board as the No. 13 overall prospect in his 2026 mock draft, making him the projected third offensive tackle taken behind Fano and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor (No. 8 overall).<\/p>\n

“They’re both athletic,” McShay said of the Utes’ tackles. “But Fano, man \u2014 it’s almost like watching Tyler Warren with like 40 more pounds on his body.”<\/p>\n

Warren, a 6-foot-5 tight end out of Penn State, was the No. 14 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft. Though making a pro comparison using a player of a different position was unconventional for McShay, it underscored how he views Fano’s athleticism beyond what’s normally considered adequate for an NFL tackle.<\/p>\n

“You don’t find many guys 300-plus pounds [who] can move the way that this young man does,” McShay said. “I’m so excited to see him in his second year as a starter.”<\/p>\n

We’re all fans of Fano, @McShay13<\/a> included\ud83d\ude0e
OT1 loading?\ud83d\udd04#Big12FB<\/a> | @Utah_Football<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/J97okxKEik<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) August 29, 2025<\/a>MORE UTAH NEWS & ANALYSIS