Three Utah football standouts took one step closer to having their dreams of playing professional football come to fruition over the weekend as the 2026 NFL Dra …
Three Utah football standouts took one step closer to having their dreams of playing professional football come to fruition over the weekend as the 2026 NFL Draft played out from Pittsburgh.
On Thursday, offensive linemen Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu heard their names called by commissioner Roger Goodell, with the former going No. 9 overall to the Cleveland Browns and the latter getting picked up by the New England Patriots at No. 28 overall.
Nearly 48 hours after his teammates made history as the first Utes to be drafted in the same first round in program history, Dallen Bentley helped put a bow on the three-day event as the Denver Broncos selected him with the penultimate pick (No. 256 overall) on Saturday.
With their departures from Utah official, let’s take a look at the impact of each, starting from the least to most significant.
3. Dallen Bentley (TE)
Bentley was basically Utah’s No. 2 receiving option in 2025, as he hauled in 48 catches for 620 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-foot-4 Snow College product also played a role as an extra blocker in the Utes’ dominant run game, which finished No. 2 in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 266.3 rush yards per game and 41 rushing touchdowns in 13 games.
That being said, Utah has a potential star in the making in rising sophomore Hunter Andrews, who was on track for a big freshman year until an injury in September derailed his 2025 campaign. The former three-star recruit isn’t the same type of tight end as Bentley — he’s much more of an H-back than anything else — though his versatility and route running will make him an essential part of the Utes’ passing game in 2026.
Speaking of which, Utah shouldn’t be as limited at wide receiver as it was in 2025. The presence of Braden Pegan and Kyri Shoels should open things up for the Utes’ other pass catchers.
2. Caleb Lomu (LT)
Losing a starting left tackle who was an all-conference player as a redshirt sophomore is going to sting — even if his replacement ends up being a first-round pick in a few years.
The Utes hope blue chip 2026 recruit Kelvin Obot is the next pro-caliber offensive lineman to come through the program’s doors, though only time will tell if the Idaho native reaches his full potential. For now, he’s a freshman with plenty to learn and absorb from his more-experienced teammates.
Of course, there’s a possibility Obot is a really good right off the bat, which would help relieve some of the sting from Lomu’s departure. Either way, though, the Utes aren’t plugging in another bonafide first-round talent at left tackle.
1. Spencer Fano (RT)
Surprise, surprise: The departure of a consensus All-American and Outland Trophy recipient (nation’s top offensive lineman award) shapes up to be Utah’s biggest offseason loss.
It’s not enough that Utah is losing someone who didn’t give up a sack in over 350 pass blocking opportunities last season; the Utes are saying goodbye to a program stalwart and someone who could’ve realistically played guard or center in Spencer Fano. That versatility is partly why the Cleveland Browns selected him with the No. 9 overall pick.
Utah has some experienced players who could step in and fill Fano’s vacancy; Zereoue Williams and Keith Olson stand out as potential candidates going into fall camp. But as is the case at left tackle, the Utes don’t have someone of Fano’s caliber to plug in and protect the right side of the O-line.
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