Noah Fant selection fueled by three unexpected influencers

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — A nightmare turned into a dream.

It just took nearly five months for the pain and agony to disappear before the joy kicked in.

On Dec. 9, 2018, one man not only knocked the Broncos out of the playoffs, but rocked the organization—carving a path for a new head coach, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and setting the table for their future first-round pick.

Oh, he nearly made history in the first half, too.

On that gloomy afternoon in The Bay, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle’s 210 receiving yards on seven receptions came one yard shy of breaking Shannon Sharpe’s single-game record for most receiving yards in a game by a tight end.

Let me remind you, he did it all in one half.

You’ve got to me kittling me.

That’s what John Elway thought.

“With the success that Kittle had in San Francisco, with Rich [Scangarello] being out there last year, a speed tight end can be very effective in this offense,” Elway said on Thursday night, thinking back to Kittle’s 210-yard performance, coupled with his 1,377-yard season.

Fast forward to Thursday night, with Scangarello now in Denver as the Broncos’ new offensive coordinator, and Kittle’s success burned in Elway’s mind, the Broncos’ used their most valuable pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to select Iowa’s Noah Fant—the player they hope will be the next Kittle.

“Noah’s a guy that can really run and does a great job with his passing tree,” Elway explained after the selection. “Ultimately, he really can run. To have a guy that big, that size and able to really stretch the field really helps.”

It certainly helped in San Francisco where Kittle led the league in receiving yards for tight ends and finished as the league’s eighth-leading receiver, regardless of position.

To say Fant can do the same shouldn’t be a stretch, either.

In fact, Fant, the 20th overall pick, had Kittle, a fifth-round pick, beat in nearly every physical-testing measurement entering the draft, including Fant’s 4.5 40-yard dash just beating out Kittle’s 4.52.

“Hopefully I can live up to the same things that [Kittle’s] done in the NFL. That’s the goal,” an ecstatic Fant told the Denver media minutes after being selected by the Broncos, who he deemed as “the best situation for a tight end.”

Scangarello, who helped craft Kittle’s success as Kyle Shanahan’s quarterback coach the past two years, now has his much-needed threat in the middle of the field.

“It’s a good fit all around… especially with what we’re going to do offensively,” Elway said, pointing to Scangarello’s scheme.

At Iowa, in 2017, Fant’s 11 receiving touchdowns led the nation and set a school record, while his 16.5 yards per catch were the best in the nation as well.

“We liked really what he can do on the football field, what he can do as a receiver and getting down the field,” Elway said, pointing to his dangerous speed, with Vic Fangio insinuating he’ll be one of the fastest in the game at his position.

And then there’s Joe, the man many believed the Broncos could potentially replace on Thursday night.

Instead, Elway gave Joe Flacco the target he’s always looked to early and often.

“We obviously want to give him as many weapons as we can,” Elway said, pleased to give Flacco a dangerous receiving threat. “Joe likes the tight ends and stretches the field.”

“It’s another weapon that he brings in that situation. He can play three downs.”

It wasn’t John swinging for another quarterback, even with Drew Lock—a quarterback Elway was “very impressed” with—still on the board at No. 10, before they traded back, and at No. 20.

It wasn’t Vic Fangio getting his stud linebacker he publicly pleaded for at the combine, even with Devin Bush starring them in the face at No. 10.

It was a terrible memory from a former fifth-round tight end, a new offensive coordinator’s system and a quarterback that salivates at the idea of an average tight end, let alone a potential difference maker.

“It was like God wanted me to be in Denver,” Fant said in a bow tie and a crisp Broncos’ draft hat. “I wanted to be in Denver. The stars aligned in a perfect way.”

Scangarello and Flacco would certainly agree with their new big speedster ready to tear up the middle of the field.