Why Spencer Fano Makes Sense at Pick 11

Why Spencer Fano Makes Sense at Pick 11

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Dolphins’ brass would take the University of Utah’s Spencer Fano with the number 11 pick in the NFL Draft later this month.

And honestly, taking Fano with the first pick of this new regime makes a lot of sense.

First, what do we know of the Dolphins since this century began?

They have been trying to fix the offensive line permanently.

While they have had some very strong offensive lines that have led to multiple playoff appearances, they have never had multiple cornerstones on the front that they can rely on for multiple seasons.

Heading into 2026, they have Patrick Paul, who looks like a rising star at left tackle, while Aaron Brewer looks like one of the other cornerstone players at his position at center in the NFL.

If Miami can find another young star up front to pair with Brewer and Paul, the Dolphins could suddenly have one of the best offensive lines in the AFC for years to come.

That is where Fano comes in.

He could play all along the offensive line from tackle to guard and all the way inside to center.

That is the kind of flexibility that Miami has been lacking through the years.

They have strong starters but are very limited.

With Fano, Miami would not have that problem as he would serve as a quality starter, potentially a cornerstone player alongside Paul up front, while also allowing the Dolphins to not see a major drop-off, as he could fill in anywhere and not allow the group to miss a beat.

How many times have we seen that the Dolphins’ offense gets crippled when a starting offensive lineman goes down?

Drafting Fano would deepen the Dolphins’ offensive line unit while also raising the ceiling of the group.

Fano was a beast in college as he started 12 games as a true freshman, was a first-team all-conference player as a sophomore, and then leveled up as a junior in his final year with a first-team all-American recognition and an Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) award.

Simply put, he was dominant for the Utes.

At 6’6, 311 pounds, and a strong athletic profile, which includes a 1.72 10-yard split, it is easy to see why he would succeed in a zone-run scheme.

That makes him a great fit for the Dolphins and a great first pick of this new regime.