49ers to Host Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr. on Top-30 Visit

This is extremely interesting.

Jan 29, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team tight end Harold Fannin Jr. of Bowling Green (44) talks with media members after Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

This is extremely interesting.

The 49ers will host Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. on a top-30 visit according to Sportskeeda's Tony Pauline. That means Fannin will be one of 30 prospects the 49ers interview at their facility in Santa Clara. They also had a formal meeting with Fannin at the Combine.

Keep in mind, the 49ers recently signed tight end Luke Farrell to a three-year, $20.25 million contract. In addition, George Kittle, who's 31, is entering the final season of his deal and wants an extension that presumably would make him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL because he's coming off arguably the best season of his career.

Maybe the 49ers will give Kittle the lucrative extension he wants. Or, maybe they'll try to draft his eventual replacement. They don't seem particularly eager to spend big money on older players any more. They did that last year and got burned.

Fannin isn't nearly as good of a blocker as Kittle, but he is a good receiver. He finds holes in zone coverage, he's dangerous up the seams and he's violent after the catch. In fact, he's quite similar to a young Jordan Reed, whom Kyle Shanahan drafted in Round 3 of the 2013 NFL Draft when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Washington.

Like Reed, Fannin is expected to get drafted in Round 3.

With Fannin and Farrell, the 49ers would have a receiving specialist and a blocking specialist at tight end. Because it takes two players to replace a future Hall of Famer such as Kittle.