The 2025 NFL Draft is an opportunity for every team to pick a college star who can bolster their roster and help reduce the team's weaknesses. For the Indianapolis Colts, there are notable areas of need on both offense and defense. The Colts' tight end room is notoriously weak, while on defense, the secondary has a serious lack of depth.
The names most often recommended for the Colts to draft this year are Penn State's Tyler Warren, who is a star tight end, and Georgia's Malaki Starks, a safety who can help on defense. Of course, with the 14th pick, another team might snap both of those players up before Indianapolis even has a chance, so there need to be other candidates in mind, just in case.
And one person in particular could have a ready-made in with the Colts, thanks to the Senior Bowl.
SI's Jake Arthur reported that Colts assistant offensive line coach Chris Watt is the tight ends coach for the National Team this week at the Senior Bowl, and Harold Fannin, Jr. is making a big impact already.
"In three years at Bowling Green, Fannin rewrote the record books and increased his output each season, culminating in an incredible 117-catch, 1,555-yard, 10-touchdown season in 2024 that earned him Consensus All-American honors," Arthur said. "He broke numerous school, conference, and FBS single-season tight end records, including receptions, receiving yards, receptions per game, and receiving yards per game."
Yet while Fannin has proven his prowess as a receiver, he's struggled more as a blocker, which he admitted in an interview with SI.
"You know, like everybody says I'm a little lighter, you know what I mean? They think I can't block. So, having (Watt) as a coach who actually knows how to block, you know, he can kind of instill that in me and obviously help me improve my game on blocking."Harold Fannin, Jr.
Arthur noted that at just 230 pounds, there is a big question mark surrounding Fannin's ability to block on run plays, but that his potential could be "too good to pass up." Yet with a much stronger group of tight ends available in this year's draft class, is Fannin really worth the gamble?