Noah Fant Declares for 2019 NFL Draft; B/R's Matt Miller's No. 1-Ranked TE

Iowa tight end Noah Fant announced Friday that he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft.

Fant made it official with the following letter on Twitter:

On his latest big board, published Friday, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Fant as the No. 1 tight end and No. 11 overall prospect in the 2019 draft class.

Fant has registered 39 receptions for 519 yards and seven touchdowns this season, resulting in his selection as a member of the All-Big Ten first team.

As a sophomore in 2017, Fant made 30 grabs for 494 yards, and he tied for the national lead in touchdowns receptions by a tight end with 11.

Miller noted that this year's tight end class is likely stronger than the wide receiver class, as the top-rated wideout on his board is Arizona State's N'Keal Harry at No. 28.

In a draft that looks to be heavy on defensive talent, Fant is Miller's No. 1 offensive player ahead of Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams at No. 12.

Fant's entry into the NFL draft leaves Iowa's tight end situation for 2019 in question.

Fellow Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson has put up big numbers this season as a redshirt sophomore (46 catches for 717 yards and six touchdowns) and was named the Big Ten's top tight end.

Hockenson could return next season and net an even higher share of the targets, but he is also eligible to enter the NFL draft.

Hayden Hurst was the only tight end selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, while O.J. Howard, Evan Engram and David Njoku all come off the board in the 2017 first round.

There is perhaps enough talent at tight end to replicate what happened in 2017, but Fant is the early leader to get picked first among them given his production at Iowa and ability to stretch the field.