Here at College Football Network, we take pride in watching all 134 FBS programs (to be honest, we watch all levels of football). This, of course, includes our behind-the-scenes favorite conference — the Mid-American Conference.
Sometimes, in the MAC, players break out to become national commodities, but all too often players are overlooked and underappreciated at the national level. Not anymore.
Let me explain today by Bowling Green Falcons TE Harold Fannin Jr. should not only be on your All-American lists, but he is actually the All-American this season.
Harold Fannin Jr. Is the Most Dominant Player in College Football
The title above may seem hyperbolic, I get that. But, when you break it down, it really isn’t.
Few players saw the amount of double-teams that Fannin saw in 2024. And even fewer saw triple-teams on a regular basis. To be fair to Fannin, you could probably say that no other player in the country was as feared by their opponents on a per-game basis.
That’s because Fannin broke the mold as a tight end, morphing into an unstoppable pass-catching menace with elite-level wide receiver skills, elusive running-back style moves after the catch, and a manufactured gameplan that proved unstoppable in every game of the 2024 season.
And that’s why Fannin should be on every All-American list across the country.
Not to tip our own hands, but Fannin will absolutely dominate the CFN All-American lists from this season. Any list that doesn’t have Fannin as the top tight end in the country is just scouting helmets and not the player. They’re likely just looking at brand, not the athlete.
And that’s wrong.
Fannin is not only the best tight end in the country (we’ll get more into this a bit later), but he’s also the best pass-catcher in the country.
He was one of just two players to record at least 100 catches this season and he did so while averaging 13.4 yards per catch. This is, again, while facing multiple double- and triple-teams on a regular basis.
And this is with also averaging an average depth of target just over seven yards past the line of scrimmage. That just means Fannin himself averaged more than seven yards after the catch per reception.
He was just simply unstoppable this season.
Fannin was all but snubbed by the Biletnikoff Award finalist list this season. For an award that prides itself on being awarded to the best pass-catcher in the country, the lack of inclusion of a player who entered the final week of the season (when ballots were due) as the nation’s leader in yards and receptions is almost unfathomable.
At least Fannin can hang his cap on what likely looks like a sure thing for him to win the John Mackey Award and earn consensus All-American status.
But that isn’t even beginning to scratch the surface.
Fannin had to do all of this receiving prowess while also worry about staying in on pass protection and dominating on the ground with his run blocking. And that’s what separates Fannin from the rest of the country’s pass-catchers.
Fannin’s Receiving Prowess Catches On
It was early in the season that some of the national media opened their eyes to Fannin’s abilities. Think around the Penn State game when he outdid fellow Mackey Award finalist Tyler Warren in Happy Valley.
But as the season went along, Fannin’s abilities were seemingly an afterthought to the nation. And yet, all he did was finish the season with a ridiculous statistical output:
- 1,342 receiving yards (1st among TE, 2nd overall)
- 100 receptions (1st among TE, 2nd overall)
- 9 touchdowns (1st among TE, 9th overall)
- 7 games with 100+ yards (1st among TE, T-1st overall)
- 750 yards after the catch (1st among TE, 2nd overall)
- 31 missed tackles forced (1st among TE, 1st overall)
- 64 first-down receptions (1st among TE, 1st overall)
Those numbers were also good to place him in the history books as his 1,342 receiving yards in the regular season were the most in history from a tight end. His 100 receptions were third-most all-time by a tight end.
And that really only tells half the story with Fannin.
Fannin’s Blocking Game Deserves More Credit
Making Fannin’s case even more compelling for All-American status is the unreal fact that he also put forth dominant displays with his blocking skills.
According to PFF, Fannin stayed in to pass protect on six snaps but put up career-high numbers on the ground with 251 run-blocking snaps. And those weren’t just Fannin going through the motions. Fannin was planting cornerbacks in the ground or setting the edge against defensive ends almost at will.
And Harold Fannin wasn’t just going through the motions as a blocker out there. On his 251 run-blocking snaps, Fannin was out there pushing to the whistle and dominating CBs, SAFs, LBs, DEs, or even DTs at times. pic.twitter.com/M4qOyWraJV
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) December 1, 2024
It’s this kind of play that went overlooked by those who didn’t watch the nation’s top tight end at work throughout the 12-game season.
And it’s this kind of work that deserves all the praise in the world.
Playing tight end is difficult. You’re asked to pass protect, run block, and catch the ball.
And when you do ALL of those things at elite levels, you should be noticed for it.
Harold Fannin Jr. — we noticed. And we appreciate you.
Now, wake up, America. Flip on the tape. Watch Fannin at work this season. You’ll change your votes if you haven’t already nominated him as a First-Team All-American.
Fannin deserves it.
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