Spencer Fano and The Way of the Wolf

Spencer Fano and The Way of the Wolf

When trying to understand what the new Dolphins regime will do on Thursday night without any sort of history, you can only fall back on the tendencies of familiarity.

For 21 seasons, Jon-Eric Sullivan worked in Green Bay in an office above the spectacular atrium at Lambeau Field. There he would wander the corridors to sit in meetings with men like Ted Thompson, Bob Harlan, John Dorsey, Reggie McKenzie, John Schneider, Russ Ball, Eliot Wolf, Scot McCloughan, Tim Terry, Brian Gutenkunst, and Alonzo Highsmith, soaking up the Green Bay way. Many of them would go on to be general managers themselves, sharing twenty-one Super Bowl titles between them.

Whilst the physical work for the Packers players was done at the Don Hutson training centre, a Jordan Love deep ball across South Oneida Street from Lambeau, the bones and the beating heart of those Super Bowl crowns were put in place in those offices, with long skull sessions between those aforementioned names, all of whom were soaking up what’s known as The Way of the Wolf: the lessons passed down by the great Ron Wolf, who shaped the modern Packers and indirectly the teams those men went on to run.

And it will shape what the Dolphins do this weekend, most especially on Thursday night. And why, for any avoidance of doubt, despite the Dolphin on their shirts, we shouldn’t ignore what Carrying the G has meant to the man who kicks off this new era of drafting in South Florida at around 9.15 pm on Thursday night.

In Wolf’s world, there were several non-negotiables, and they’ve stayed with the men he brought through the front office ranks in Green Bay. Amongst his mantras were these gems: “identify what needs to be fixed, then go fix it”; “draft a QB every year, no matter the current roster situation”; “build from the inside out”; “cornerstone pieces are invaluable”; and an utter insistence on a “home-grown roster”. A few years ago, Press Gazette Media crunched the numbers to find that between 2005 and 2015, Ted Thompson, who took over from Wolf as Packers GM, drafted 104 players, and Green Bay led the NFL with 1,860 starts and 3,267 games played from drafted players – 119 more starts and 106 more games played by drafted players than any NFL team. Sullivan was there for every one of those years, and as we’ve already heard from him, building through the draft is a non-negotiable in Miami, too.

Consider our new GM, like Carmy Berzatto from The Bear. And his draft board is akin to breaking down the boxes, changing the menu every day, and having no hidden surprises.

Wolf was always honest in player assessments. Once, during a post-draft radio interview in which he was asked what he would say to angry Packer fans about the disappointing performance of first-round pick Terrell Buckley, he said simply: “Well, the fans of the Green Bay Packers are correct.” With T-Buck, he got away from his basic tenet of “height, weight, speed,” selected an undersized cornerback, and paid the price.

Non-negotiables.

The Packers have been one of the league’s very best when it comes to drafting on the offensive line, especially during Sullivan’s tenure, with an astounding success rate. Between 2004 and 2022, they selected 32 linemen. Nine of those 32 played more than 100 games in the NFL. Thirteen played 90+ games. Only three of the thirty-two never suited up once in a regular or postseason game. If you average that out, it would be 71.1 games per player for those thirty-two picks. That is some accomplishment, especially when you assess the caliber: Daryn Colledge, Allen Barbre, Josh Sitton, TJ Lang, Marshall Newhouse, Bryan Bulaga, JC Tretter, David Bakhtiari, Corey Linsley, Elgton Jenkins, Zach Tom.

Arguably, the most Green Bay linemen in this draft have a tantalizing value of around the 11th overall pick. He’s also the 11th-ranked player on my big board, a multi-year starter at left and right tackle who won the Outland Trophy last season, awarded to the best interior lineman in college football.

Yet there’s apathy amongst a section of Miami fans as to whether he’s worth it, with many saying – incorrectly – he’s not tough enough. When I was included in a multi-person conversation about this very point on social media the other day I proffered that this was a false narrative that someone said once and then it had been passed around and deemed to be true. So I put together a reel of him doing exactly the opposite of what this narrative suggested: pancakes, torquing guys to the ground, knockdown blocks, running guys into the sideline, smashing dudes, and throwing guys out of the club.

There wasn’t a single reply.

Spencer Fano is a really good player who has some eye-catching plays in pass protection and some dominant performances as a run blocker. He has terrific size and looks – and in many ways, moves – like a tight end. A 35-game starter – 11 at LT, 24 at RT – he finished up as an All American and the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and has been mentored by uncles, Spencer Reid (Carolina) and Gabe Reid (Chicago) and relations Tenny Palepoi who played 44 games for the Chargers, and Anton Palepoi who was a second round pick of the Seahawks.

Fano began playing football in kindergarten – as well as wrestling – but owing to his size, he played with older, third-grade children, originally starting as an RB until transitioning to the offensive line in 8th grade, a position he initially didn’t want to play as he saw himself as a defensive lineman. People have talked about his lack of strength and his short arms. There are times on his tape where his anchor comes under pressure, but he has fallback strength late in the rep, and although his 32 and 7/8 inches are a little short, he also has a giant 84-inch wingspan. Does he need a little more sand in his pants? Absolutely. Is it an issue? Absolutely not. I asked an AFC West scouting director last weekend, who scoffed and said simply: “Have you seen him run blocking?!”

And he’s right. This is a strong zone blocker who gets consistent movement off the line, able to get leverage and explode into defenders with good hand work, driving his hips, and he’s a strong finisher. He’s nimble as a mover, has outstanding lateral range, and can latch and turn.

In my Low Redzone DraftBook that I write every year, I wrote that Fano can be “an upper echelon RT through the duration of his first contract” and that, ironically, he “reminds me of Green Bay’s Zach Tom.” Their similarities won’t have gone unnoticed on Sullivan either, especially given the success he had with guys who look like they can dominate at one position but have the ability to play multiple spots. My podcast partner and friend, Kyle Crabbs, believes Fano could be an All-Pro caliber center should the need arise.

Yet some Dolphins fans see that sort of diversification as a weakness. Trust me, scouts and coaches see it as a universal strength.

Spencer Fano is one of the 11 best players in the draft, and I think it’s important to remember something that Albert Breer said about the Jaylen Waddle trade. Miami is aiming for 2028 as the year they’re really competitive. If you’re drafting a cornerstone position – Way of the Wolf – and allowing him to grow whilst you grow – Way of the Wolf – especially when he helps you build inside out – Way of the Wolf – then you can’t go far wrong.

You can’t go far wrong with this kid.

(You can read more about Fano and every prospect in this draft by ordering The Low Redzone DraftBook. Simply email thelowredzone@gmail.com)