Iowa Tight End Noah Fant Selected 20th Overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft

by
Former Writers
April 25, 2019

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Iowa Tight End Noah Fant Selected 20th Overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft

Promising Athletic Hawkeye Should Impact Broncos’ Passing Game Quickly

Former Iowa Hawkeyes TE Noah Fant should prove to be an asset for a Denver team in need of a strong receiving threat.

In 2017, Fant exploded in the red zone, catching eleven touchdowns. He broke several Iowa tight end records with his impressive athleticism and also played alongside another talented prospect in T.J. Hockensen.

Controversy arose in October 2018 after a 10-14 loss to Northwestern, leading to speculation about Fant’s dissatisfaction with the team’s offensive philosophies. In the game, of Iowa’s 41 pass attempts, only 3 targeted Fant. He managed 1 catch for 0 yards. Additionally, Fant was healthy, yet participated in less than half of the team’s second half offensive snaps. His brother tweeted outrage, prompting Fant to meet with coaches and stay focused.

Fant in the NFL

Fant is a competitive player whose insane athleticism dominated the NFL combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and a 6.81-second three cone. While Fant’s in-line blocking is not his strongest suit, it has seen improvement. Fant remains on his assignments even with results of poorer angles and stalemates on the line. For blocking, it is important to note that Hockensen took on the bigger assignments in Iowa games.

Fant’s route running is diverse, but also utilizes his tremendous athleticism to get open. Leaving a run-oriented team, Fant could find much greater use in the NFL. While his situation will not be the same in the NFL, Fant needs to improve on his “detail” to maintain production.

During the lead-up to the draft, Fant visited multiple teams. One visit included the 49ers, who feature rising TE star George Kittle, formerly of Iowa. Other visits included the Jaguars, Jets, Raiders, and Patriots. For the Patriots, they need a big receiving threat after losing Gronkowski and possibly Josh Gordon. The Denver Broncos, however, have secured Fant’s services.

Denver selected Fant with the 20th overall pick, acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a draft-day trade that saw Pittsburgh move up to select linebacker Devin Bush with Denver’s original 10th overall selection.

Noah Fant has the promise to be the next playmaking tight end. He has drawn comparisons to Evan Engram, Eric Ebron, and OJ Howard — well-regarded prospects drafted in the first round. Given Denver’s need for receiving options, having traded long-time receiver Demaryius Thomas mid-season, Fant will be able to make an immediate impact in his rookie season as a Bronco.