Watching Harold Fannin Jr. fall to No. 67 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft felt unreal. Even if he didn't play against top competition in college, his numbers at Bowling Green weren't just record-breaking, they were mesmerizing. Regardless of he had to play, the tape was even more impressive.
The Cleveland Browns didn't need much time to realize they had a special talent in their building. They got him going early and often from Day 1 of the regular season. Now, with Todd Monken taking the reins of the offense as Cleveland's new head coach, that's not going to change one bit.
Monken has worked wonders with his tight ends. More than that, he will reportedly hire Baltimore Ravens run game coordinator Travis Switzer as his new offensive coordinator, who's worked with tight ends in the past.
That should be music to Fannin's ears entering Year 2.
Todd Monken’s tight end magic might unlock a Harold Fannin Jr. leap
Despite missing one game, sharing the field with David Njoku, and having one of the worst quarterback rooms in the league, Fannin's rookie season was a hit. He hauled in 72 receptions on 107 targets for 731 yards and six touchdowns, leading the team in all those categories. He also had seven carries for 13 yards and one score.
Now, looking at Monken's previous success with tight ends, the sky seems to be the limit.
With Monken at the helm, Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington combined to average 79 catches for 1,216 yards and 12 touchdowns per year in two seasons at Georgia. In his three years with the Ravens, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely averaged 86 receptions for 945 yards and 11 scores.
Monken has been great at adapting to his personnel. From the Bulldogs' balanced approach to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' high-flying passing game, all the way to the Ravens' run-heavy offense, he works with the hand he's been given. As such, he's certainly going to make Fannin the focal point of the passing game.
Of course, the Browns still have to add a true No. 1 wide receiever to complement Jerry Jeudy, and they have to make a decision on Njoku's future. Even so, Fannin's skills are impossible to ignore, and having someone else also drawing defensive attention will only help him get more open looks.
The Browns' offense was tough to watch at times last season, but the rookie class should give the fans a glimmer of hope for the future. Fannin is a star in the making, and the Browns got him the right coach to unleash his blossoming potential.