On Wednesday August 20, 2025, ESPN NFL expert Field Yates released his first 2026 Mock Draft and predicted the Las Vegas Raiders will select offensive tackle Spencer Fano out of Utah with the No. 7 overall pick.
Fano is the first tackle off the board in Yates’s mock.
“Fano has played both left and right tackle at the collegiate level, and I think he can do it in the NFL, too,” Yates wrote. “He has terrific length and impressive footwork, as he effortlessly matches and mirrors edge rushers as a pass protector. But Fano is not just a movement/finesse player. He has an edge and mean streak to his game that shows up when finishing blocks.”
“The Raiders recently reinvested in veteran left tackle Kolton Miller, but throwing more resources at the line will always be a focus for GM John Spytek.”
Yates’s projection also means that he thinks the Raiders will be at the bottom of the NFL again and miss the playoffs. That’s the only way they’d be in position to have the No. 7 pick, other than a trade. In Yates’s scenario, they earn the No. 7 pick because of a bad record.
All About Spencer Fano
Spencer Fano was always a highly touted prospect. A four-star prospect according to 247 Sports, Fano was ranked the No. 12 offensive lineman in the country out of Timpview High School in Provo, Utah.
Fano stepped onto the Utah campus in 2023 and became an immediate starter. He started 11 of the Utes’ 13 games at left tackle and 1 at right tackle.
In 2024, he started every Utah game at right tackle and was one of the best offensive linemen in the country. He earned All-American honors from AP, PFF and Walter Camp. Fano was even named to the All-Big 12 first team by the coaches and the AP.
He is projected to be an All-American once again in 2025.
Football is in Fano’s blood. He has four uncles who all played in the NFL: Gabe Reid, Spencer Reid, Teni Palepoi and Anton Palepoi. He also has a brother named Logan Fano who is on the Utah football roster.
He’s a physical monster at 6 feet 6 inches tall and 308 pounds. There’s no doubt he’s the kind of offensive line prospect that any NFL team would love to have.
Other Positions More Important?
It’s not a knock on Fano, or Yates, but it feels like there are more glaring issues with the Raiders roster they will have to address. Especially if they’re drafting with the No. 7 overall pick.
Some picks taken after the Fano pick in Yates’s mock feel like a bit better fit for Las Vegas.
The Raiders could target improvement in the secondary, with Avieon Terell and Jermod McCoy as good options at cornerback.
If the Raiders are one of the bottom-seven teams in the NFL in 2025, that’s also likely because they had a bad year at quarterback from Geno Smith. They’d be wise to take advantage of their high draft pick and get a QB. Sam Leavitt or Drew Allar are two promising stars who Yates projects to still be available at No. 7.
The Raiders also figure to weigh their options at wide receiver, though Yates projects this to be a weak class at that position.
Raiders fans, what do you think the Raiders will do with their 2026 first round pick?
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