Noah Fant Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell
Strengths:
Fast tight end
Mismatch weapon
Too fast for linebackers and some safeties
Red-zone weapon
Adept at finding the soft spot in zone
Quality route runner
Tracks the ball well
Athletic
Adjusts well to the ball
Leaping ability
Upside
Weaknesses:
Poor blocker
Lacks natural hands
Off-the-field issues
Makeup concerns
Summary: After hauling in 28 passes for 486 yards with 10 touchdowns in 2017, Fant entered the 2018 season with more hype, although it was teammate T.J. Hockenson who ended up as the No. 1 tight end prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft. Fant put together a solid junior year with 39 receptions for 519 yards and seven touchdowns, but Hockenson eclipsed him while they split targets for the Hawkeyes. Hockenson might be the more well-rounded player, Fant could end up having the more productive pro career because he is an ultra-fast tight end who is a receiving weapon for the passing-driven NFL.
The best trait about Fant is his speed. He is a very fast tight end who can cause problems for defenses with his ability to run away from coverage and tacklers. Fant is able to bolt down the seam and can generate separation from coverage, plus his size allows him to make receptions over defensive backs. Fant is a quality route runner and tracks the ball well downfield. He is adept at finding the soft spot in zone coverage and presenting a good target for his quarterback. With his speed and ability to get open, Fant should produce some good receiving numbers during his NFL career.
Fant is a true receiving tight end who could produce big numbers with his receiving skills as a pro. He is too fast for linebackers, and safeties can also struggle with his speed. In the open field, Fant has a second gear to run away from defenders and rip off long gains while being a scoring threat. Team evaluators say Fant is not a natural hands catcher of the football, and that could be seen at the combine when he had some drops in the field drills. Becoming more reliable with his hands is the biggest point of improvement for Fant.
As a blocker, Fant needs work for the NFL. His technique and strength could use improvement for battling pro defenders. He probably will never be a force in the ground game, but he could get better by giving more of an effort and blocking with more attitude.
Aside from his blocking, Fant has other things to improve. Team sources say that Fant has off-the-field issues, and they have concerns about his personal makeup. They don't sound like major issues, but they feel he has problems with maturity and how he conducts himself.
