2028 4-star OL Taio Fano on Utah, Jordan Gross and building his own legacy (Exclusive)

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The Fano name means a lot around the Utah Utes football program.

Logan and Spencer Fano both became stars for the Utes before making the jump to the NFL, and now their younger brother Taio is quickly becoming one of the most highly recruited offensive linemen in the country.

But when it comes to Taio Fano’s recruitment, there is one thing that has stood out about the way Utah has handled it.

The Utes have made sure he knows they want him.

“A big thing to me was that Coach Scalley made it clear to me that they are recruiting me for me and not for my brother, and that was huge to me,” Fano told me.

That might be the most important thing Utah could have done early in this recruitment.

Fano is a four-star 2028 offensive lineman out of Orem who has already become one of the top tackles in the country. He has offers from programs all over the nation and has already been selected to play in the 2027 Polynesian Bowl.

The attention will only keep growing. But having two older brothers who have already been through everything that comes with being a major recruit has given Taio a pretty good blueprint for how he wants to handle it.

“First of all, thank you, that is a huge compliment to me and my family,” Fano said when I commented on the Fanos being one of the biggest football families in the state, and asked what he’s learned from Spencer and Logan. “What I have learned from my brothers about the recruiting process is to take it slow and not think about it too much until I really need to.”

That is easier said than done when just about every major program in the country is calling.

Fano mentioned Utah, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona, Ohio State and BYU among the programs that have stood out to him so far. And even as his recruitment has taken off, he doesn't sound like someone who has let any of it change how he approaches football.

“I don’t think it has fully hit me yet, to be honest,” Fano said. “I have always been taught that there is always someone out there working harder than you, so you can never be complacent. But it has been really nice to see the work I have put in get recognized.”

That mindset shows up in his game. Fano is already one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the 2028 class. When I asked what he believes separates him from other top linemen nationally, he pointed to three things.

“I think what separates me is my athleticism and technique and how aggressive I am at the point of attack,” he said.

He is athletic, can move in space, is technically advanced for his age, and brings the physicality you want from an offensive lineman. And with two more high school seasons ahead of him, there is still a lot of development left.

That brings us back to Utah.

For all of the obvious connections between the Fano family and the Utes, Utah still has to recruit Taio just like everybody else.

“I love how the University of Utah has recruited me,” Fano said. “I have a great connection with Coach Scalley and a ton of the other coaches.”

That connection with Scalley feels especially important.

Taio already knows Utah. He has seen the program up close through his brothers. He understands the history and what Utah has been about.

But Utah is different now.

Scalley is running the program, RSNB has become the identity he is trying to build around, and that message has connected with Fano.

“What stands out to me about Coach Scalley is the culture he is building,” Fano said. “I love RSNB and what he is building with that culture. I also love the way he approaches football and the way he coaches it.”

“And I love the way he is as a man. He is a great man and leader.”

That matters. Utah can sell the family connection all it wants, but Taio will make his own decision. What Scalley has done well here is give him reasons to like Utah that have nothing to do with what Spencer or Logan did in Salt Lake City.

The other major piece is new offensive line coach Jordan Gross. For an offensive lineman, there may not be many better résumés to sit across from in a recruiting meeting.

Gross played at Utah before becoming the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft and spending 11 seasons with the Carolina Panthers, earning three Pro Bowl selections and First-Team All-Pro honors.

Fano has known Gross for only a short time, but that relationship is already developing.

“I have just met Coach Gross this past year, and I have already built a great connection with him,” Fano said. “Yes, having a past NFL player and an all-around legend as a coach would be really cool.”

And that relationship could carry a lot of weight because of what Fano says he is looking for in a school.

“The biggest thing I am looking for is how I connect and get along with their O-line coach,” Fano said. “That is definitely the biggest thing, and then the culture, and then if I could realistically live there.”

That is where Gross becomes such an important part of this recruitment.

Utah already checks the familiarity box. Fano knows the program. He knows the area. His family knows what Utah can offer.

But the relationship between Taio and Gross has to become its own thing. So far, it sounds like that is happening. There is still a long way to go here.

Fano made it clear that he doesn't have an official group of favorites yet, and since he is still only entering his junior season, there is no reason to rush anything.

“I do not have an official list of my top schools,” Fano said, but did mention Utah, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona, Ohio State and BYU as programs that have stood out. That is a serious list.

Utah is going against some of the biggest brands in college football for one of the top offensive linemen in the 2028 class, But the Utes also have real things working in their favor.

For now, though, Fano’s focus is not on making a college decision. It is on Orem.

The Tigers are coming off a dominant 5A state championship run, finishing last season with a 42-7 win over Springville at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Fano wants another one.

“My biggest goal is first to win another state championship for me and my seniors,” Fano said. “And to improve at my craft every day going against the best ends in the country.”

That last part probably tells you as much about Fano as anything else.

His recruitment has exploded. The offers are coming from everywhere. He has two older brothers who already showed what the Fano name can look like at Utah and beyond.

But he doesn't talk like someone who thinks he's arrived.

And Utah is making sure he knows they are recruiting the next chapter of the Fano family for exactly who he is.

More Utah Utes News:

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Why Morgan Scalley's RSNB culture has Utah as early favorite for blue-chip defender

Utah football is all over social media after film session catches attention of NFL veteran

'They develop players': 2028 WR Amarion Taylor talks Utah offer

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