The Cleveland Browns surprised a lot of fans when they selected Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, as there were other more obvious needs on both sides of the ball, given the fact that star tight end David Njoku is still in town.
While it was a bit of a surprise, there is no doubt about Fannin’s talent, and his special day on Sunday should be another reminder of why Browns fans could be in for quite the bright future with their new tight end.
The Browns’ official X account posted happy birthday wishes to Fannin on Sunday, as the tight end just turned 21 years old.
Sending lots of happy birthday wishes to the rook, Harold! pic.twitter.com/nMFZfwGndF
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 20, 2025
The fact that Fannin is only 21 years old should get Browns fans excited, and as great as Njoku has been, he is eight years older than Fannin and it’s nice to know that his heir apparent could already be on the roster.
Fannin set single-season NCAA records for a tight end last year with 117 catches for 1,555 yards, and that same pass-catching acumen has already been on display at Browns camp.
He is a legitimate weapon and could be the latest rookie tight end to throw dirt on the possibly outdated notion that it takes tight ends a good two or three years in the NFL to start contributing at a high level.
For a team that had the worst offense in the NFL last season, having Fannin around should be an immediate upgrade, and it will be fun to see how Kevin Stefanski moves him around the field to get the most out of him.
Happy birthday to Harold Fannin Jr. from all of Browns Nation.
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