Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Fannin was a recruit from McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio in the class of 2022

Harold Fannin Jr. was one of the nation’s most productive tight ends in 2023 and is positioned to compete for an All-American selection this season. His build and versatility make him one of the most unique prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Harold Fannin Jr., TE Bowling Green: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior tight end from Canton, Ohio

Background: Fannin was a recruit from McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio in the class of 2022. He did not receive a star rating or national ranking from 247Sports, Rivals, On3, or ESPN. Fannin played linebacker, safety, and wide receiver and returned kicks and punts for McKinley. In 2021, he amassed 106 tackles, two interceptions, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns to accompany 36 receptions for 601 yards and six touchdowns. Fannin was the Federal League and Northeast Inland District Player of the Year, the Stark County Player of the Year, and a First Team All-Ohio selection (as a defensive back). He broke up eight passes in 2020 and totaled 42 tackles and two interceptions in four games in 2019. Fannin also lettered in baseball.

Injuries & Off-Field: High school junior season cut short by a wrist injury, missed 2022 Akron game, left 2023 game vs. Michigan very early with an injury and missed games vs. Ohio and Georgia Tech, bell rung vs. Kent State but returned to the game (2023)

Awards: 2023 First Team All-MAC, 2023 Third Team All-American (CFN)

Pros: Experience taking snaps in-line, in the slot, out wide, and at H-back, arm length appears to check boxes but not by much, immediate acceleration from slot position, speed to overtake off-man defenders, tough for linebackers to stay with, stretched defenses up the seam, acceleration and smooth speed to threaten G5 corners, quickly clears LB-level in zone coverage, mixes route tempo and uses hesitation move, quick to get out and turn to QB on hitch routes, quick feet, sinks hips at stem’s peak, quick feet and dip lead to tight turns on routes, nice lower body fluidity, only one dropped pass in college, natural hands and ball tracking, dynamic and explosive after the catch, good contact balance, drives legs through contact, long strides and quick feet help him elude defenders in the open field, some one-cut upside, dead leg and sharp open field cuts, some impressive jump cuts, sets up and uses his blockers well, tucks away and protects the ball, willing blocker, frames blocks well, smooth mover on pulls, mobility to block on the perimeter, controls and displaces G5 DBs, leg drive to displace DBs and LBs, sets a nice edge on down blocks, anchored in pass pro to stonewall Marshawn Kneeland (2023)

Cons: Penalized three times in 2023, inconsistent competition level, limited special teams experience, likely shorter than listed height, lean build, a little high-hipped, lacks mass for traditional in-line role, heavily benefited from schemed touches, stands straight up before releasing from in-line position, runs upright, sometimes takes too long to decelerate and turn on comeback routes, disrupted by mid-route contact, successes primarily came on a limited route tree, some routes appear to be run at half speed, not aggressive or assertive enough at the catch point, run down from behind by DBs, play strength occasionally leads to issues sustaining blocks, needs to keep pad level low and maximize leverage advantage when blocking, generates inconsistent displacement, leans forward and falls off blocks in space, inconsistent mirroring in pass pro

Overview: Fannin has emerged as an All-American candidate as only a true junior despite not being on many recruiting radars coming out of high school. He mostly competes against non-Power Five competition and missed opportunities to face higher level teams in 2023 because of injuries. Fannin doesn’t play on special teams much, but he’s quickly become Bowling Green’s most versatile offensive weapon. He takes snaps in-line, in the slot, out wide, and at H-back but also receives direct snaps in the wildcat. The Falcons give him handoffs, screens, and shovel passes, and he plays fullback as a lead blocker on fourth and short situations. Fannin doesn’t have a typical tight end build. He’s likely shorter than his listed height and has a high-hipped, lean build that lacks mass for the position. His arms appear to meet the length thresholds but not by much. Fannin showcases immediate acceleration from the slot, quickly reaching top speed to overtake and stack defenders. Linebackers struggle to stay in the same zip code as Fannin, and he’s a true field-stretching threat up the seam. Even Group of Five cornerbacks struggle to match his smooth movement and acceleration. The Ohio native runs upright and sometimes stands straight up after the snap before releasing from his in-line position. He mixes route tempo and uses hesitation moves to freeze defenders. Fannin’s quick feet and hip sink at the stem’s peak make him a dynamic, fluid route runner capable of executing tight turns. He occasionally takes too long to decelerate on comeback routes. Fannin is not a fan of mid-route contact and lacks the play strength to combat it. His success in 2023 primarily came on a limited route tree and was buoyed by schemed touches. Despite his speed and vertical presence, Fannin’s average depth of target in 2023 was only 5.7 yards, which ranked 67th among 82 FBS tight ends who saw at least 30 targets. He did rank ahead of some other 2025 NFL Draft tight end prospects, including Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson (5.4) and LSU’s Mason Taylor (4.9). Fannin is a natural hands catcher with excellent ball tracking, but he doesn’t dominate at the catch point. The All-MAC selection is dynamic and explosive after the catch. He has the contact balance and leg drive to earn extra yards the hard way but can also be slippery in the open field thanks to his long strides, quick feet, and elusive, sharp one-cut ability. Fannin occasionally whips out a dead leg and executes impressive jump cuts. He also uses his blockers well to maximize yardage, but defensive backs chase him down from behind. The true junior frames blocks and shines when asked to pull and block on the perimeter. He displaces defensive backs and linebackers with his leg drive and sets a strong edge on down blocks. He even stonewalled Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland on a pass blocking set in 2023. Fannin’s play strength occasionally leads to issues sustaining blocks, and he doesn’t maintain a low pad level consistently. His abilities to displace defenders and mirror rushers in pass protection run hot and cold. Fannin falls off some blocks in space because he gets caught leaning forward on them.

Overall, despite his unconventional build, Fannin is a loose, explosive receiving threat who also excels as a blocker thanks to his powerful legs, block framing, and effort. Fannin plays almost every role possible for Bowling Green, which combines with his build and competition level to make his NFL projection muddy. The top 100 and more are easily in reach for Fannin, but it’s worth wondering what elements of his college versatility will translate to the league.

Role & Scheme Fit: Alignment versatile chess piece in an outside zone scheme

Round Grade: Fourth Round

Size: 6'4", 230 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 07-15-24