From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Syracuse TE Oronde Gadsden II.
#19 ORONDE GADSDEN II/TE SYRACUSE – 6045, 243 POUNDS (Senior)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Oronde Gadsden II | 6045/243 | 10 | 33 3/8 | 81 5/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’6″ | 34 | N/A |
The Good
– Good age, being 21 on draft night, along with above-average height that falls in the 67th percentile
– Tested well at the combine with the testing he chose to participate in, where his vertical jump landed in the 74th percentile and his broad jump landed in the 52nd percentile
– Solid production in the two seasons he was healthy for, where he combined for over 1,900 yards and 13 touchdowns
– Solid showing at the Shrine Bowl, where he looked like the most consistent tight end
– Flashes some after-the-catch ability
– Top in-game speed shows to be good, which makes it hard for linebackers to cover him
– Great hands catcher who is good in contested catch situations and comfortable with back-shoulder throws
– Good twitch at the top of his routes to shake off defenders
– Alignment versatility to be a mismatch in multiple areas
– Able to find success in all areas of the field as a receiver
The Bad
– Adds very little as a blocker, which limits his ability to be an in-line player at the next level
– Raw player who is learning how to play his position since he transitioned from wide receiver in 2022
– Occasionally seems to jog his routes instead of giving full effort
– Lacks agility, which appears in multiple aspects of his game
– Not an ideal target in a contested catch situation
– Limited ceiling due to not having a true position and forcing him to be a complimentary player
Bio
– 21 years old (June 25th, 2003)
– 36 games played for Syracuse from 2021-2024
– 144 offensive touches, 2,012 scrimmage yards, 14 scrimmage touchdowns, and 14.0 yards per catch in his college career
– 74 offensive touches, 946 scrimmage yards, seven scrimmage touchdowns, and 12.8 yards per catch in 2024
– Missed 11 games in 2023 due to a Lisfranc fracture in his right foot, where he had surgery to insert a metal screw and then had a second surgery to remove the screws; missed four weeks in 2021 due to an undisclosed injury
– Three-star WR in his 2021 high school class from Fort Lauderdale, FL
– Was a two-sport athlete in high school, playing football and track
– Father, Oronde Sr., played wide receiver and won a Super Bowl in 1995 with the Cowboys despite being more known for his stint with the Dolphins from 1998 until 2003
– Teammates with several NFL talents at American Heritage High School under Head Coach Patrick Surtain Sr., including Minnesota Vikings’ player Dallas Turner, Oklahoma Sooner’s Marvin Jones Jr., and Tennessee Titans’ James Williams
– Had 37 catches, 608 yards, and 13 touchdowns for American Heritage High School while being a two-time state champion in Florida and a team captain in 2020
– Switched positions from wide receiver to tight end in 2022
– Holds numerous records at Syracuse, which include being their career receptions (141) and yards (1,970) record holder by a tight end
– Two-time First-team All-ACC (2022 & 2024) and 2024 Third-team AP All-American
Tape Breakdown
Plays like these are why most people say Oronde Gadsden should move back to wide receiver in the NFL. He only played in-line on about 33 percent of his snaps. That causes his film to look like this play, where he is lined up outside. He attacks the defender by limiting the space between them before cutting on his corner route. Gadsden shows his natural receiver instincts by making a true hands catch and toe-tapping the sideline. This play shows his instincts and body control, which are some of the best in this class in terms of his position.
— Steven (@Elspedd) March 14, 2025
Here, Gadsden is lined up as the second tight end with seemingly an over route. He creates a step of separation by closing the gap, as he did in the previous clip, before bursting out of his break. He makes sure to attack the ball at its catch point and makes a true hands catch through traffic. Plays like these speak volumes about who Gadsden is as a receiver.
— Steven (@Elspedd) March 14, 2025
While one of Gadsden’s biggest negatives is his blocking, he is not completely useless in that aspect. This is a short clip of him at the Shrine Bowl, making a pretty nice block on the right side of the line to create the rushing lane. Gadsden knows this is one of his weaknesses, which is why he spent last spring’s training focusing on it and even hopped into some offensive line second-level blocking drills last season. He is not a good blocker, but he actively works to get better at it.
— Steven (@Elspedd) March 14, 2025
Here, Gadsden is lined up in the slot with a go-route responsibility against a safety. Gadsden has a noticeable height advantage against the defender, and Syracuse exploits that. The ball is placed directly on Gadsden, which forces him into an almost back-shoulder catch situation that is caught with ease. This is an example of how Gadsden can be used as a chess piece and how defenses can have a hard time matching up with him due to his size and speed combination.
— Steven (@Elspedd) March 14, 2025
Although it is not one of his best traits, Gadsden shows really promising flashes of getting yards after the catch. He had this incredible run in his breakout 2022 campaign against Wagner, where he stiff-armed a defender before hitting the next one with a back-juke. On this one play alone, he made two defenders miss in different ways. He used power on the first defender and finesse on the second, which shows the promise Gadsden has in this aspect of his game.
— Steven (@Elspedd) March 11, 2025
Conclusion
Oronde Gadsden has a lot of improving to do if he wants to be a consistent starter at the next level. He shows great traits, but they make him appear as a big receiver playing tight end rather than a receiving tight end. He made the switch only in 2022, and even though statistically he was dominant, it seems like a move that works in college but won’t be at the next level.
He best fits as a day 3 pick who can be a complimentary player to a true starter and give some work on special teams. Teams should draft Gadsden in hopes of developing him to reach his full potential, but even at his best, I struggle to see the talent of a guy who can be elite at his position.
My pro comparison for Gadsden is Ed Dickson. Coming out of college, they measured roughly the same in height, weight, hand size, and arm length. They also posted identical numbers in the broad and vertical jumps. Gadsden was the more productive of the two, but I believe they share similar skill sets. Dickson was someone who could always complement an in-line starter by playing more of that power slot role. I see Gadsden being the same way in the NFL.
Projection: Late Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 – Fourth Round – Rotational Player
Games Watched: Shrine Bowl (2025), California (2024), NC State (2024), Clemson (2022), Wagner (2022)
