Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham has three players featured on Pro Football Focus' preseason All-Big 12 team. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Utah Utes trio earns preseason all conference honors from PFF

Originally posted on Utah Utes on SI | By Cole Forsman | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 2:51 PM ET

Three players from the Utah football program have been named to Pro Football Focus' preseason All-Big 12 team.

Starting right tackle Spencer Fano, left guard Tanoa Togiai and safety Tao Johnson each earned spots on PFF's preseason all-conference team, with Fano taking home offensive player of the year honors going into the 2025 regular season.

Fano boasted the highest overall PFF grade (93.0) among Football Bowl Subdivision tackles last season, as well as the No. 1 run-blocking grade (93.6). Based on PFF's "wins above average" metric, Fano was the second-most-valuable Power Four tackle in the country in 2024, trailing only top-10 draft pick Kelvin Banks Jr.

In addition to receiving All-America honors from the Walter Camp, Fano has also been tabbed to the preseason All-Big 12 team by the league's coaches.

As one of the top-rated returning safeties in the Big 12, Johnson was seen as a potential candidate for the league's all-conference team. The 6-foot-1 redshirt junior finished 2024 with an 82.5 PFF grade, which ranks as the third-highest score among the league's returners in 2025.

While showcasing elite speed and exceptional range, Johnson led Utah's secondary with 70 tackles and recorded an interception and one fumble across 12 games in 2024. His efforts helped the Utes finish No. 2 in the country in opponents' completion percentage (52.9%) and No. 9 in opposing quarterback rating (112).

Entering his sixth year of college football, Togiai returns to Salt Lake City after starting 10 games and making 11 appearances overall in 2024.

Arizona State, BYU, Baylor and Iowa State were the other Big 12 teams with at least three players on PFF's preseason all-conference team. When excluding special teams, Utah and Arizona State were the only ones with three representatives between the offensive and defensive teams.

PFF preseason All-Big 12 team

Offense

QB: Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
RB: Jahiem White, West Virginia
WR: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
WR: Chase Roberts, BYU
WR: Eric McAlister, TCU
TE: Tanner Koziol, Houston
LT: Jordan Seaton, Colorado
LG: Tanoa Togiai, Utah
C: Bryce Foster, Kansas
RG: Omar Aigbedion, Baylor
RT: Spencer Fano, Utah

Defense

DI: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
DI: Domonique Orange, Iowa State
EDGE: David Bailey, Texas Tech
EDGE: Nyjalik Kelly, UCF
LB: Austin Romaine, Kansas State
LB: Isaiah Glasker, BYU
CB: Jontez Williams, Iowa State
CB: DJ McKinney, Colorado
S: Bud Clark, TCU
S: Tao Johnson, Utah
Flex-D: Xavion Alford, Arizona State