The Athletic’s Brugler mocks Utah OT Spencer Fano to Cardinals in 2026 NFL Draft

With Oregon quarterback Dante Moore returning to school, many teams near the top of the draft board will likely rethink what positions to target in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, including the Cardinals.

With Moore off the board and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza likely gone by the time Arizona picks at No. 3, the Cardinals might be in a spot where they would be better off addressing other needs in the first round, including offensive tackle.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler mocked Utah’s Spencer Fano to the Cardinals as the first offensive tackle taken in the first round. He said that Fano would address a need at right tackle for Arizona and would slot in well opposite left tackle Paris Johnson Jr.

The Cardinals have a major question mark at quarterback, but the organization must also address a porous offensive line to protect whoever will be taking snaps. Paris Johnson Jr. is a building block at left tackle, but right tackle is a problem area as Arizona goes into the offseason. Fano played right tackle throughout high school, moved to left tackle as a freshman for the Utes, then kicked back over to the right side and became a two-time All-American.

Fano played 822 snaps in 37 games across three seasons with the Utes. He finished his 2025 season as the 11th-best graded tackle in college football with an 84 grade, per Pro Football Focus.

Fano has been projected by many as one of the top draft prospects, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who listed the 6-foot-6, 302-pound lineman as the 12th-best prospect.

How well would Fano fit on the Cardinals?

Outside of quarterback, offensive tackle is one of the biggest needs for a Cardinals. Their offensive line struggled throughout the season and was hit hard by injuries.

The Cardinals saw several players miss numerous games due to injuries, including Johnson, right tackle Jonah Williams and left guards Evan Brown and Jon Gaines II. Center Hjalte Froholdt and guard Isaiah Adams were the only starting linemen to play in all 17 games.

Johnson finished 2025 as the 20th-best tackle in the NFL with a 76.6 despite missing the Cardinals’ final four games due to a knee injury. Froholdt finished the season as the 14th-best center with a 69.4 grade, while finishing ninth in pass blocking with a 72 grade, per PFF.

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