Oronde Gadsden | Syracuse 6’4 ½” 243 lbs. 6/25/2003 (20)
Oronde Gadsden was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers, becoming the 9th tight end and 165th overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
| Targets | Rec | Yards | Rec TDs | Target Rate | YPRR | |
| 2021 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 7.1% | 0.43 |
| 2022 | 93 | 61 | 966 | 6 | 22.1% | 2.30 |
| 2023 | 9 | 7 | 67 | 1 | 47.4% | 3.53 |
| 2024 | 103 | 73 | 934 | 7 | 20.9% | 1.89 |
| Totals | 209 | 143 | 1,991 | 14 | 21.2% | 2.02 |
Gadsden was a wide receiver coming out of American Heritage High School, helping the football team secure two Florida state championships. Gadsden moved to tight end at Syracuse and broke out as a true sophomore, posting nearly 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The rising star was primed for a big junior season in 2023, but a Lisfranc injury in Week 2 ended his year prematurely. Following the Lisfranc injury (which is a difficult one to recover from), Oronde was all but forgotten in Devy circles. We saw a resurgence in 2024, however, as Gadsden posted nearly identical numbers to his 2022 season.
From an efficiency standpoint, Gadsden put up some impressive career numbers for a tight end. With a target rate over 21% and over 2.0 yards per route run (YPRR), Gadsden has proven he can be a very fantasy-friendly tight end if he gets the opportunity at the NFL level.
FILM
Son of former Dolphins WR Oronde Gadsden Sr., we know this young man comes from NFL bloodlines and is a highly talented individual. Gadsden is an athletic, lanky pass catcher with a full route tree and a natural ability to adjust to poorly thrown passes. He came into the Shrine Bowl bigger than expected, at 247 lbs, but his normal playing weight is likely thinner than this. Gadsden lacks some play strength after the catch, and while he’s a polished route runner, he isn’t very explosive out of his breaks. He puts in good effort as a run and pass blocker but can stand too upright and lose leverage at times. Gadsden’s skillset is one that has legitimate fantasy upside – he’s a vertical threat with excellent ball skills and a large catch radius.
ATHLETIC TESTING
Gadsden posted a 7.96 RAS, impressing with his 4.65 40-yard dash and 1.62 10-yard split. He’s quick to get up to speed and could be a matchup problem at the next level. Linebackers won’t have the quickness to prevent Gadsden from separating in the second and third levels, and DBs may be too small to find consistent success against him. Oronde is slightly thinner than your average NFL tight end, which is understandable, seeing that he is a converted tight end.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Below Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Excellent
Oronde Gadsden II was selected 165th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Being the ninth tight end off the board and a Day 3 pick is far from ideal. However, the landing spot Gadsden finds himself in could not be any better. The only notable tight ends on contract for LA heading into 2025 are Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly. There’s no doubt in my mind Gadsden is the most talented athlete of this group, so don’t be surprised if he emerges as the Chargers’ TE1 as early as midseason. Oronde is tied to a spectacular franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, so all the pieces are in place for an early NFL breakout.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Gadsden moved up my Superflex rookie ranks a couple spots following the NFL Draft, given his clear path to routes right away. I currently have Gadsden valued as my 30th overall rookie prospect and the TE6 of the class. If he can stay healthy, I think Gadsden could have TE1 (Top 12) upside within the next couple of seasons.
The Chargers also drafted RB Omarion Hampton in the first round and WR Tre Harris in the second, so they are making it a priority to surround Herbert with some more legitimate weapons on offense. After Ladd McConkey gets his 25%+ target share, the remaining targets are pretty much wide open for the taking here. Gadsden has an excellent opportunity in LA and should be a target in the mid-to-late third round of your Dynasty SF Rookie drafts.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
