ESPN projects Utah Utes offensive linemen as first-round picks in 2026 NFL Draft

Based on early readings into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Utah football program is on track to make history next April.

The Utes have produced a No. 1 overall pick before in Alex Smith, in addition to generating back-to-back first-round picks in 2022 (Devin Lloyd, No. 27 overall) and 2023 (Dalton Kincaid, No. 25 overall). They've had pro bowl-caliber players selected as late as the seventh round and have seen as many as eight players taken in a single draft.

Utah hasn't, however, seen two players go in the same first round of a draft — at least, not yet. According to the latest mock draft from ESPN, 2026 could see a pair of Utes go in the first 12 picks of the draft, let alone the first round.

Starting right tackle Spencer Fano is slated to land with the Seattle Seahawks as the No. 10 overall pick, while Cale Lomu, on the other side of Utah's stout offensive line, is forecasted as the No. 12 overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in ESPN's most recent first-round mock draft.

Fano's receiving a lot of draft buzz thanks to a standout 2024-25 season from the 6-foot-6 rising junior, in which he he led all Football Bowl Subdivision tackles with a 93.6 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus, and had the second-highest "wins above average" rating in the country, per PFF's database.

Already dubbed the top returning offensive lineman in college football after earning All-America honors at the end of his sophomore campaign, Fano will enter next season as one of the most decorated offensive linemen in the country. He's also received a spot on the Walter Camp preseason All-America first team.

"Fano has played both left and right tackle at Utah, but his size (6-foot-5, 304 pounds) has some scouts projecting him as an NFL guard," ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller wrote. "Fano enters 2025 as one of the nation's best linemen after allowing one sack in 2024, and his movement ability and understanding of angles and leverage make him an ideal NFL right tackle."

Along with Fano, Lomu has rightfully been receiving first-round buzz ahead of his redshirt sophomore season. Lomu only allowed two sacks and six quarterback hits out of 425 total snaps in pass protection last season, earning a respectable 76.0 pass-blocking grade from PFF in his first year as a starter.

"Lomu should break out further in 2025, with his easy movement ability in the run game and quick reaction time in pass protection," Miller wrote. "While Lomu isn't currently OT1, he has top-five potential if he expands on what he showed last season."

With another year to add size to his frame and experience under his belt, Lomu could see his name climb up draft analysts' big boards in the lead up to the 2026 NFL Draft.

For now, Lomu and Fano anchor one of the top-rated offensive lines in college football heading into the 2025-26 campaign.