Cleveland Browns' Surprising Draft Pick Lands Startling Prediction

The Cleveland Browns made a rather surprising choice in the third round of the NFL Draft last Friday, selecting Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. with the 67th overall pick.

The decision came as a surprise given that the Browns needed a wide receiver, plus the fact that they already have David Njoku at tight end.

However, Cleveland was clearly enamored with Fannin, who hauled in 117 receptions for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. Yes, it may have been in the Mid-Atlantic Conference, but those are eye-popping numbers no matter how you slice it.

Well, Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport definitely seems to like Fannin heading into 2025 and has listed him among six value picks in the draft that could be Fantasy Football stars as soon as next season.

"The Browns may have Njoku, but the team also has a collection of wide receivers that is, um, yeah. There could easily be a lot of 12 personnel (two-TE sets) in Kevin Stefanski's offense this year," Davenport wrote. "And if the Browns can get any real level of quarterback play, Fannin has a chance to challenge to be the No. 1 rookie tight end of 2025."

Fannin spent three years at Bowling Green, beginning to establish himself as a genuine threat in 2023 when he caught 44 passes for 623 yards and six scores. He then obviously broke out this past season.

With Njoku having just one year remaining on his deal, Cleveland could potentially be viewing Fannin as the No. 1 tight end for the future, especially given how disappointing the former has been throughout the vast majority of his Browns tenure.