The Cleveland Browns needed another threat for the passing game.
They didn’t get a wide receiver at any point in the NFL Draft, but they may have still addressed that need.
Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr. was an absolute stud during his days in college, and he had a final season for the ages.
That’s why Ben Arthur of FOX Sports believes he could be one of the stars of this class, even though he wasn’t taken in Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft:
“Fannin had a historic 2024 campaign at Bowling Green, breaking the FBS records for tight ends in receiving yards, receptions, receiving yards per game and receptions per game. A gifted receiver, Fanning has great run-after-the-catch ability that should translate to the NFL level, despite the fact that he’s not the most graceful athlete. At just 20 years old, his best football appears to be ahead of him,” Arthur wrote.
Fannin hauled in a whopping 117 receptions for 1,555 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in his final campaign in college.
While he admitted that he actually grew up rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he’s a homegrown talent who will get to stay close to home and become an instant fan favorite.
He might not be thrown into the fire right out of the gate since the team already has David Njoku ahead of him in the pecking order.
Nevertheless, with Kevin Stefanski calling the shots on offense again, both of them will take the field in several multi-tight-end sets at the same time.
He needs to improve as a blocker, but he’s an NFL-ready pass-catcher and perennial mismatch in the open field.
Also, the team and Njoku’s representatives reportedly expect to reach an agreement on a contract extension sooner rather than later, but if that’s not the case, they might feel comfortable trading him or letting him walk because they have a budding star in Fannin.
NEXT: Browns Receive Interesting Grade For Offseason Moves
