Canal Street Chronicles
New Orleans is doing its due diligence on the projected second-round pick.
New Orleans Saints TE coach Chase Haslett recently met with Bowling Green Falcons star Harold Fannin Jr. on Sunday, according to NFL Draft analyst Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.
Fannin Jr. is considered one of the top tight ends in this year’s draft class and is highly regarded as an early-to-mid Day 2 pick. With the Saints holding picks 40, 71 and 93, they’ve started evaluating the versatile pass catcher.
The 6’3”, 241-pounder had a monstrous junior season for the Falcons in 2024, with his 95.9 overall grade (96.4 receiving) ranking first among all tight ends, per Pro Football Focus. In 13 games, Fannin Jr. hauled in 117 receptions on 150 targets, setting an FBS single season record for most receptions by a tight end, eclipsing James Casey’s 111 catches for Rice in 2008. Additionally, Fannin Jr. snagged 10 touchdowns and set the FBS single season record for receiving yards by a tight end with 1,555, surpassing Jace Amaro’s previous record of 1,352 yards from the 2013 season with Texas Tech. His 119.6 yards per game also topped Amaro’s previous single-season record of 104.0 receiving yards per game. The 20-year-old had more contested catches (12—tied fourth among TEs with at least 25 targets) than dropped passes (4) and forced 34 missed tackles, the most among tight ends.
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein notably compared Fannin Jr. to current Saints TE Juwan Johnson. Standing at 6’4” and 231 pounds, Johnson is also a vertical threat who excels as a pass catcher given his experience as a former college wide receiver.
After Fannin Jr.’s performance at the NFL Combine, I expect him to be selected early in the second round, and maybe even squeak into the first:
However, that doesn’t rule out the Big Easy as a potential destination for Fannin Jr. If the Saints believe he’s within reach at the right price, they should make a move. We saw what new Saints HC Kellen Moore was able to do with Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl TE Dallas Goedert last season. So, if Fannin Jr. is Moore’s guy, they’ve got to go get him. The tight end position has been lackluster for quite some time, and Fannin Jr. could provide an immediate spark to an otherwise underwhelming group.
What are your thoughts on Harold Fannin Jr. potentially joining the black and gold? In which round do you think he’s most likely to land?
