Is there hope for Noah Fant or is the rookie a bust?
Oct 25, 2019, 6:22 AM
The Broncos have missed in the first round of the draft too often to count. The opening round is where you have the best talent pool to choose from, yet the Broncos have missed the mark more times than they’ve hit in recent years.
In the 2019 NFL Draft, the Broncos moved back from the No. 10 spot (when Michigan linebacker Devin Bush was right there for the taking) so they could add more picks from the Steelers (who gladly selected Bush) and with the No. 20 overall pick they selected tight end Noah Fant out of Iowa.
After seven games this season, Fant has not flashed a ton on the field. Instead of making big plays down the seam and being a big red-zone presence, the rookie tight end is known more for dropping crucial passes and holding penalties.
Is Fant a bust, or is there hope for improvement? Let’s take a look.
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College Drops Continue
Fant dropped one out of every seven passes thrown his way in college. It was one of the most telling stats that came out during the pre-draft process.
He is physically gifted, but there are times when he’s trying to do too much before he secures the catch. This is a problem that has continued into his career with the Broncos and I don’t know how they break him of that bad habit.
It sounds dangerous, but perhaps giving him more high-value targets is the answer. Fant caught a touchdown one out of every 4.1 catches during his college career. He’s known as a significant weapon in the red zone, yet only has one touchdown for the Broncos this season after seven games. In fact, Fant has only been targeted once this season inside an opponent’s 20-yard line.
I gave him a first-round grade for his natural talent, but these problems with drops and concentration are not new. This is who he has been during his football career. We’ll see if he can work to change that.
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Rookie Struggles Common
Everyone knows that tight ends take some time to develop in the NFL. The game is much more complicated at the pro level and there is a lot to absorb for rookies.
On Wednesday, I asked Colts head coach Frank Reich why it takes so long for tight ends to develop in the pros.
“When you play inside like that, there’s a lot to understand in terms of coverages and leverage. The coverages at this level are more complex. The players are that much better. Then, it’s a question of confidence and making some plays,” Reich said.
The top-five tight ends so far this year in terms of receptions are Austin Hooper (Falcons, 46), Darren Waller (Raiders, 44), Travis Kelce (Chiefs, 38), Mark Andrews (Ravens, 36) and Zach Ertz (Eagles, 35).
Outside of Kelce, these top-flight tight ends did not fill up the stat sheet that much when they first got into the league. During their respective rookie seasons, Hooper had 19 catches (2016), Waller had two (2015), Kelce had 67 (2014), Andrews had 34 (2018) and Ertz had 36 (2013).
Fant is on a good track for a rookie tight end. It may not seem like it on a week-to-week basis, but his numbers should be in line with what other top players at the position had in their debut seasons.
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Eric Ebron 2.0?
Patience is necessary when evaluating tight ends. Take for example, Colts tight end Eric Ebron. The Lions made Ebron the No. 10 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, famously taking him ahead of superstar wide receiver O’Dell Beckham Jr. For years with the Lions, Ebron was seen as a bust and failed to play up to the athletic profile and potential that got him drafted that high in the first place.
Ebron had 14 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown after seven games during his rookie season with the Lions. In total, Ebron had 25 catches for 248 yards and one touchdown during his first season in the pros. Sitting with 15 catches for 159 yards and one touchdown, Fant only needs 10 more catches and less than 100 yards receiving in the remaining nine games to surpass those numbers put up by Ebron as a rookie.
I know that Ebron had a breakout season with the Colts last year, and he’s continuing to make plays for them this season. I asked Reich what’s been the key for unlocking Ebron’s ability.
“The key is to try and get the right matchups, to put him in the right position. He’s been an extensive role-player mode. We don’t try to play him 60 plays a game and wear him down as a blocker. He’s got elite pass-receiving ability and that’s how we try to use him. We don’t want to wear him out with some of that other stuff when he’s got elite receiver skills,” Reich said.
Hopefully, Fant can make a large impact sooner than Ebron did. Let’s also hope it doesn’t take a change of scenery like it did for Ebron in order for Fant to finally play up to his potential.
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Summary
Calling Fant a bust right now after seven games in his rookie season is foolish. He’s still dropping too many passes, just like he did in college and that’s perhaps the most disappointing area of his game – but it should not be shocking considering he was well known for this bad habit.
Even with the negatives to his game, there is a lot to like about Fant both physically and mentally. He’s big, fast and physical – so Fant can create mismatches anytime he’s on the field. Fant also holds himself to a higher standard than he’s playing right now. He’s a stand-up guy who has no trouble answering tough questions about his game and admitting that he has to be better.
His physical skill set along with his positive mindset had a lot of teams excited about him before the draft.
Just look at what Reich told me about Fant on Wednesday.
“Coming out of college, we had Fant rated off the charts high as a player. I know there will be big things ahead for him for sure,” Reich said.
All of Broncos Country hopes that Fant can break the trend of first-round busts the Broncos have had in recent years. As much as this team needs him to play at a high level now, the simple fact is more patience is required.
