Cleveland Browns fans have been buzzing about the NFL Draft since the team locked in their position for the No. 2 overall pick.
Drafting this high effectively gets the Browns their pick of the litter, getting access to the highest-rated prospects in the upcoming pool of players.
It is a lot of pressure to draft this high, but the Browns’ upper brass seem confident in their evaluations.
While a lot of people are focusing on the first-round pick, Emmett Golden, an ESPN Cleveland radio host, recently talked about a player that he’d like the Browns to select in the later rounds.
“There’s a name that I am shocked that I don’t hear Browns fans talking about. Harold Fannin Jr. is a tight end that went to Bowling Green, and he might be one of the best tight ends in this draft, and no one is talking about him,” Golden said.
I want the Browns to draft @fannin_jr pic.twitter.com/zB6CM61jm8
— Emmett Golden (@egoldie80) January 30, 2025
Assuming the Browns take a quarterback at 2, they’ll need additional pass-catchers to join him in the offense, which is where Fannin could fit in.
Harold Fannin Jr. has reportedly “started to separate himself” as the best TE in attendance at the Senior Bowl this year.
Multiple NFL scouts reportedly believe Fannin’s game is “reminiscent” of a faster Antonio Gates.
Fannin Jr. himself recently said that he likes to “model”… pic.twitter.com/283Z6XwiAm
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) January 30, 2025
He’s not being talked about much in the general media at the moment, which could lead the Browns to lock him down at a significant discount.
Fannin went to Bowling Green, as Golden mentioned, instantly building in the narrative of a local kid being selected by the Browns.
He is already familiar with the area, and a transition to the NFL might be easier if he doesn’t have to move far away.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that his stats were fantastic in his final year at Bowling Green, which should at least earn him some consideration in Cleveland.
