One of the biggest bright spots for the Cleveland Browns during a largely forgettable 2025 campaign was the play of rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. The third-round pick out of nearby Bowling Green burst onto the scene for Cleveland, en route to having 72 catches for 731 yards.
Fannin appears to be one of Cleveland’s best players moving forward, and he should only get better. He was one of the league’s top 2025 offensive rookies and led Cleveland in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Given the Browns' shaky quarterback play, that was no small feat for any tight end, let alone for a rookie.
With the emergence of Fannin, it's not surprising that David Njoku is no longer with the Browns. Cleveland did bring back Blake Whiteheart as a depth piece, and Jack Stoll was signed for blocking depth. But even with tight end not seeming like a significant need going into this year's draft, it was recently named as a "surprise need" to consider by Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report.
"While Stoll is a solid blocking option, Todd Monken just got done coaching a team that had Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. He knows how to get two dynamic tight ends involved in the offense," Ballentine wrote. "Adding a long-term running mate for Fannin in 12 personnel sets is an under-the-radar need that could diversify the Browns' offense."
Why the Browns could quietly target this overlooked draft need later than expected
Cleveland should have its top tight end for the foreseeable future in Fannin, and that played well into Njoku and the Browns going separate ways. As Ballentine mentioned, Monken did have Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely with the Baltimore Ravens as their offensive coordinator, so adding a young tight end in the draft makes sense.
Ballentine pointed out the likes of Max Klare, Sam Roush, and Oscar Delp as possible tight end targets for the Browns. Roush and Delp would feasibly be players to examine as Day 3 selections.
Roush and Delp would profile as blockers early on with some upside down the road as pass-catching options with their size. Klare has proven he can be a reliable receiving tight end. He posted 94 catches for 1,133 yards as a receiver over the last two seasons at Purdue (in 2024) and Ohio State, resulting in six total touchdowns.
Klare is projected to go much sooner than the other two suggested by Ballentine, and it’s difficult to foresee Cleveland going with a tight end in the second or third round. But from a general standpoint, while the Browns clearly need to add talent at wideout, there could be something to Cleveland adding an additional developmental tight end to the room.
That would ease some burden on Fannin, and at least theoretically, Cleveland could have more versatility in its red-zone and short-yardage packages. In that regard, one should keep an eye on prospects such as Tanner Koziol and Eli Raridon as well.
Of course, Cleveland has far more urgent needs to target in the draft than tight end, and the top priorities have to be offensive tackle and wide receiver. It could be a solid call, however, to add another developmental tight end to the group, particularly one that can play in-line but also has flashed some legitimate receiving capabilities.
As Ballentine pointed out, a tight end with that sort of balanced skill set could also help the quarterback position for the Browns. And in the same light, Cleveland could have more multiplicity with its formations, which would make life easier for Fannin and others around him while showing more looks for opponents to prepare for.