Jason Burgos
A new report reveals the prospect that the Miami Dolphins are the highest on heading into this month’s NFL Draft, and it is sure to underwhelm fans of the team.
This has been a very busy offseason for the Dolphins. After a 7-10 finish, ownership decided to clean house of the team’s leadership and brought in a new regime led by Jon-Eric Sullivan as general manager and Jeff Hafley as head coach. But that was just the beginning.
Over the last few weeks, the team has gone with an addition by subtraction strategy by trading Jaylen Waddle and Minkah Fitzpatrick and cutting Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Bradley Chubb. It has been a major overhaul that comes with a ton of dead cap and serious limitations to fill those holes. That is why the 2026 draft will be so important in year one for Sullivan and Hafley. Especially their selection at 11th overall.
The team has been linked to a variety of players at that spot. As we get closer to the event, projected top five talents Carnell Tate and Caleb Downs are becoming realistic options for the Dolphins at 11. Either could fill the spots left open by Hill, Waddle, or Fitzpatrick. However, the team’s new leadership has a different player they would prefer to get.
Spencer Fano is the Miami Dolphins’ dream pick at No. 11 in NFL Draft
“Sources have told me the Dolphins are big fans of Utah lineman Spencer Fano and would take him at No. 11,” ESPN’s Jordan Reid reports. “The team loves his versatility, believing he can play any interior spot or be a plug-and-play starter at right tackle.
“Austin Jackson is entering a contract year, and there are a lot of question marks surrounding his durability. New front offices have leaned on selecting an offensive lineman to start their tenure, so this pairing makes a lot of sense,” he added.
While getting an offensive lineman won’t excite Dolphins fans — especially if Downs and Tate are still on the board at that time — Fano is a fascinating prospect. He doesn’t look it, but he is an impressive athlete for his position and was dominant during his tenure with the Utes. Furthermore, he can play the two guard and tackle spots at a high level, and he took snaps as a center during the combine.
Taking Fano at 11 won’t get loud cheers from Dolphins fans, but he could easily be a key building block of competitive teams for years to come.
