The Cleveland Browns viewed 2025 as an opportunity to rebuild their roster with several talented players from the NFL draft.
Most of the team’s rookies either start or hold key roles for the Browns, showing Cleveland’s commitment to its younger players.
After two games, analyst Alex Kay believes one of the team’s rookies from this draft class is a “steal.”
Kay labeled Harold Fannin Jr. as a player who is already turning heads across the NFL and looks like a great pick for the Browns.
“Harold Fannin Jr. might be the best of the Browns’ first-year bunch. He may not have been nearly as hyped as fellow rookies such as second-rounder Quinshon Judkins or fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders, but the unheralded Bowling Green product has gotten off to a blazing start to his professional career. Despite having to contend with entrenched veteran David Njoku for snaps and Cleveland’s plethora of talented wideouts such as Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman for looks, Fannin has reeled in a team-high 12 receptions while ranking No. 2 in both targets (14) and receiving yardage (111),” Kay wrote.
He’s also a versatile weapon for the Browns to deploy.
Kay noted that while at Bowling Green, Fannin received multiple rushing opportunities and netted over 150 yards and five scores for the Falcons.
The analyst predicted that Cleveland would continue to use him similarly for future games.
The Browns have started both him and veteran tight end David Njoku, giving Cleveland a strong one-two punch.
Currently, Fannin is outpacing Njoku with more targets, receptions, and receiving yards than the one-time Pro Bowler.
Fannin’s early-season performance led Kay to suggest that the Browns may not re-sign the veteran next season, opting instead for the younger player beyond the 2025 campaign.
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