Harold Fannin Jr. TE Bowling Green | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Harold Fannin Jr. TE Bowling Green
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Inline Receiving TE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/19/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.62 seconds (85%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Inline Receiving TE | |
| Last Updated: 02/19/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.62 seconds (85%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 85.6 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
|
72% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 126.3 | |
| Hands: |
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87% |
| Short Receiving: |
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90% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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90% |
| Deep Threat: |
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90% |
| Blocking: |
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56% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Mid
Overall Rank:
#48
Position rank:
#3
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 1470 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trey McBride - Colorado State |
|
84% |
| Cade Stover - Ohio State |
|
84% |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders - Texas |
|
81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Harold Fannin Jr.'s journey to becoming an elite tight end prospect began on the defensive side of the ball at McKinley High School. The former safety and wide receiver earned First-team All-Ohio honors as a defensive back, showcasing his athleticism with 106 tackles and multiple forced turnovers his senior year. Despite going unranked as a recruit, Fannin's versatility shined through even then, as he also contributed 601 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns on offense.After arriving at Bowling Green, Fannin quickly established himself as a dynamic offensive weapon, leading the team in rushing touchdowns as a freshman despite playing behind an All-MAC tight end. His sophomore campaign saw him emerge as one of the nation's top tight ends, finishing with 623 yards and six touchdowns while posting the highest PFF grade (85.8) at his position. But it was his record-shattering junior season that truly announced his arrival as an elite prospect, as he became the first tight end in FBS history to lead the nation in both receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555).
Fannin's meteoric rise culminated in becoming Bowling Green's first-ever Consensus All-American and the MAC's Offensive Player of the Year – the first tight end in FBS history to earn conference-wide MVP honors. His combination of production and versatility is reflected in the 21 school records he now holds, including single-season marks for receptions, yards, and touchdowns at the tight end position.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Elite route-running technician who manipulates defenders with precise footwork and tempo changes - consistently creates separation against both man and zone coverage
- Exceptional hands and ball skills evidenced by just two drops on 171 career targets - displays natural ability to adjust to throws and maintain concentration through contact
- Dynamic after the catch with legitimate running back vision and instincts - led all tight ends with 873 YAC and 34 broken tackles in 2024
- Positional versatility to align anywhere in the formation - logged snaps inline (43.6%), in the slot (28.6%), and out wide (27.8%) in 2024
- Natural feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage and working back to the quarterback - converted 74 first downs in 2024
- Surprisingly effective blocker despite size limitations - uses leverage and technique to win against bigger defenders
- Proven big-play ability with 26 receptions of 20+ yards - averaged 13.3 yards per catch for his career
- Outstanding production against top competition - averaged 141 yards per game vs AP Top 25 teams in 2024
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Significantly undersized for an NFL tight end at 230 pounds
- Limited play strength could impact effectiveness as an in-line blocker against NFL edge defenders
- Still developing counter moves against physical press coverage at the line of scrimmage
- Level of competition in the MAC requires projection to NFL competition
- Release package needs expansion and refinement for success against NFL defensive backs
Scouting Report: Summary
Fannin projects as an immediate impact receiver at the next level who can create mismatches from multiple alignments. His combination of route-running prowess, reliable hands, and after-catch ability will make him a valuable weapon in any modern NFL offense. While his frame limits his ceiling as a traditional inline tight end, his versatility and proven production against top competition suggest he can thrive in a hybrid H-back/big slot role similar to how the 49ers deploy George Kittle or the Ravens use Mark Andrews.Creative offensive coordinators will be able to maximize his unique skill set by moving him around the formation and manufacturing touches in space. His advanced route-running and natural feel for finding voids in coverage should translate quickly to the NFL level. While he may never be a dominant point-of-attack blocker, his technique and competitive toughness make him adequate enough to stay on the field in most situations.
In the right system, Fannin has the tools to develop into a premier receiving threat who can consistently win against both safeties and linebackers while providing enough blocking utility to be an every-down player. His combination of proven production and athletic upside makes him one of the most intriguing offensive weapons in this draft class.
Harold Fannin Jr. percentiles vs other Tight Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Harold Fannin Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
67.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
5.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.