Why is this studly Chargers weapon being completely ignored?

The Los Angeles Chargers went into the offseason knowing they needed to add some weapons for Justin Herbert, and while mostly failed to add proven veterans for him, they did manage to pick up some interesting pieces in the NFL draft.

The Chargers bagged wide receivers Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, hoping that at least one of them will provide a reliable secondary option behind Ladd McConkey.

But neither Harris nor Lambert-Smith are the most compelling pickup Los Angeles made in the draft. No, that title belongs to Syracuse Orange tight end Oronde Gadsden II, whom the Bolts selected in the fifth round.

How Gadsden fell all the way to Round 5 is pretty mind boggling considering the numbers he posted at Syracuse when healthy.

Putting aside 2023, where he played in just two games due to a Lisfranc injury that ended his season, Gadsden racked up over 900 receiving yards in both 2022 and 2024, establishing himself as one of the top tight ends in the country.

And yet, the Chargers are being labeled as a top potential trade destination for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, who has actually been a pretty significant disappointment since his monster rookie year back in 2021.

Gadsden is 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and runs the field like a wide receiver. Los Angeles will actually be able to put him out wide based on how athletic he is.

Remember: the Chargers clearly had a need for a tight end after seeing Will Dissly's disastrous showing in LA's Wild Card Round playoff loss to the Houston Texans, and while most fans wanted Colston Loveland on Day 1, Los Angeles was not able to bag him.

But hey: "settling" for Gadsden is hardly a bad thing, and a legitimate argument can be made that Gadsden is actually the more interesting prospect, at least as far as his ceiling is concerned.

Much of the attention this spring has been on Harris, who is being expected to step up immediately in Week 1. But why are we ignoring Gadsden, who may very well prove to be one of the biggest steals in the 2025 draft class?

Fans may be in for a pleasant surprise when it comes to watching Gadsden next fall.

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