With a staggering combine and senior bowl performance, Harold Fannin Jr. shot himself up across draft boards and landed himself with the Cleveland Browns at pick No. 67 in round 3.
Fannin led the nation in catches amongst tight ends (117), receiving yards amongst tight ends (1,555) and yards per game amongst tight ends (119.6), all while attending a MAC school not known for producing high-caliber NFL talent.
Fannin was a great pick, but it now leaves the Browns with two extremely athletic tight ends in Fannin and David Njoku. “Chief” as fans call him, has been in Cleveland for eight seasons and has become known for his acrobatic catches, but unfortunately, health has been a struggle.
Two years into a four-year contract, there was some chirping last year that an extension could be in his future, but now it looks like general manager Andrew Berry is going to make him earn it with stiff competition against Fannin.
With more than $17 million of cap relief next year if cut (post June 1), we will now get some serious excitement as Fannin looks to prove himself and Njoku looks to hold his place or at a minimum show out for a new contract even with a new team.
There are concerns about whether either one of these guys can produce on the interior blocking scheme, but there is no doubt that we will see some spectacular catches by both over the 2025 season.