Harold Fannin Jr Is The Best Tight End In The Country
The best tight end in America doesn't play for a power conference. Harold Fannin Jr of Bowling Green is blowing away any and all expectations scouts and fans had for him coming into 2024.
It's not just enough that his stats are off the charts, and they are, but the 6'4, 230-pound junior was named a finalist for the John Mackey Award (best tight end in college football) and a semi-finalist for the Belitnikoff Award (best receiver in college football). He's going to make a lot of money on Sundays, and it's possible he will be better than last year's top tight end, Brock Bowers.
Harold Fannin Jr By The Numbers
As of November 30, 2024, Fannin has the second-most receptions (100) and second-most receiving yards (1,342) of any player in the NCAA. He trails San Jose State's Nick Nash in both categories. Nash is only slightly ahead, and according to Pro Football Focus, is nowhere near the offensive weapon or the receiver that Fannin is. Nash has an offensive grade of 84.4 and a receiver grade of 85.7. Fannin has an offensive grade of 95.7, first among skill position players (Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty is 95.2), and a receiver grade of 96.1 (also first in the nation (Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins is second at 90.3).
Fannin doesn't just get the job done by catching the ball. He is an elite-level blocker in the run game. His PFF run-blocking grade is 73.2. If he were an offensive lineman with that grade, he would be the 46th-best run-blocking tackle in college football, 33rd-best run-blocking guard, and 17th-best run-blocking center. He is essentially a starting-caliber offensive lineman, who is also the best wide receiver in the land. He might be the best tight-end prospect in recent NFL Draft history (should he choose not to return to college).
Harold Fannin Jr In The NFL
Kyle Pitts is the highest-drafted tight end in the history of the NFL (4th overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021). Teams were hung up on his size and speed combination, and while his 96.1 receiver grade at Florida is identical to Fannin's numbers at Bowling Green, Pitts's numbers are dwarfed in comparison. He caught 43 passes for 770 yards in his final year for the Gators. His NFL career has been a disappointment, to say the least. 2024 was supposed to be a breakout year for Pitts, with the arrival of quarterback Kirk Cousins, but through 11 games, he has managed just 35 receptions for 494 yards and three touchdowns.
On the flip[ side of that coin is Las Vegas Raiders rookie Brock Bowers. Taken with the 13th overall pick, and considered a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Bowers has hauled in 84 catches for 886 yards and four touchdowns through 12 games this season. In his last year in college, he had 56 catches for 717 yards and six touchdowns. He had a PFF offensive grade of 84.4, a receiver grade of 87.1, and a run-blocking grade (allegedly a strength of his) of 62.4. It is abundantly clear that Harold Fannin Jr is a better college tight end than either player.
Harold Fannin Jr In The Transfer Portal?
The knock on Fannin will be the level of competition he has faced. While Bowers and Pitts played in the SEC, against the top teams in the country, Bowling Green typically plays against Miami of Ohio or Kent State. They did play top-10-ranked Penn State in their second game of the season. Fannin managed 11 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown against the Nittany Lions. There may not be a team in the country that can game plan against his incredible skill set.
While Fannin's stock has never been higher, and all signs point to him entering the 2025 NFL Draft, he could choose to take his talents elsewhere in college football to show how elite he really is. Given the season he has had, there will be no shortage of suitors. A team like Michigan may look to pair him with their new $10 million investment, Bryce Underwood. Coach Prime could look to bring him to Boulder to keep Colorado going up and up. He'd look great catching passes from Arch Manning in Austin.
Whatever happens, it's important to take a few minutes to appreciate just how special a player Harold Fannin is. It's unlikely that someone like him will come along again for a long while. He has a bright future ahead of him, and he's sure to dazzle, amaze, and wow his teammates, opponents, and fans for the next decade or more.