2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska

Nebraska tight end Thomas Fidone II has been a solid contributor to the Cornhuskers offense since 2023, but how does his full NFL scouting report look?

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Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of Nebraska Tight End Thomas Fidone II

Measurables:

• 6’6”
• 255 lbs

Player Background: 

A two-sport high school recruit, Thomas Fidone II committed to Nebraska out of Lewis Central HS as a four-star recruit and the top tight end in the 2021 class. The Top-50 overall recruit began his college career on a rough note, injuring himself in fall camp. He missed most of the 2021 season, only seeing action against Wisconsin and failing to record any offensive statistics in the contest.

Fidone II missed the entirety of the 2022 season as well, continuing to rehab from another ACL injury. A medical redshirt was granted to him, giving him an extra year of eligibility. He started eight games and played in 12 in 2023, finally breaking into the rotation. He led the team with four scores, catching 25 passes for 260 total yards.  His junior season in 2024 saw him start nine of 13 games, snagging 36 passes for 373 total yards without a score.

Accolades: 

• 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl Invitee

Strengths/Pros: 

Being a slower mover, Fidone II excels in the stop-and-start aspect of the game. He changes direction quickly both laterally and vertically, allowing him to sink into his cuts and generate some quick openings in his routes. It’s a similar story after the catch, comfortably gliding in space and working downfield. Despite his injury issues he works well through his legs when facing contact and drives downfield to gain extra yardage.

He sells help blocks smoothly early in plays, using solid contact and transitioning into his routes. Fidone II is a smart route runner when working against zone coverage, navigating traffic with ease and finding open space. His hands are solid both away from his body and when working through contact to secure passes. His best blocking skill comes as a chip blocker, positioning himself well and disrupting defenders. He recovers well after overshooting early as a pass blocker and loves to throw people around when he gets initial leverage.

Weaknesses/Cons: 

Fidone II just isn’t an elite mover in any capacity and it shows up repeatedly on tape. His two ACL surgeries definitely hinder his acceleration skills and he can’t work through some of his cuts as well. He doesn’t hit top speeds that will threaten DBs and won’t truly break away from them when straight-lining across the field. His hip fluidity is also a major issue, rounding his route cuts and making him more of a rigid mover.

His route tree is quite underdeveloped, making his projection as a pass-catching TE iffy. He gets too fidgety when working through contact in his routes, throwing his body around too much. Fidone II isn’t very twitched up off the snap, limiting his acceleration and causing him to struggle to counter faster edge rushers as a blocker. He also needs to get more creative as plays break down. His overall blocking technique is also an issue, relying too heavily on initial force and rarely successfully uses his hands as a blocker.

Potential Team Fits: 

• New York Giants
• Denver Broncos
• Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL Projection: 

It isn’t yet clear where and how Fidone II will fit into an NFL offense, and his ceiling isn’t impressively high. To be frank, he simply does enough to get by without making crucial mistakes. He can survive as a blocker in most alignments, is decently versatile, and his hands are good enough to be a reliable target, especially for younger QBs. He projects as more of a depth pick rather than a lottery ticket, but could be a decent rotational player in offenses that value TEs.

Prospect Grade: 

• Mid to Late 5th Round

Film Exposures: 

• 2024 vs. Illinois
• 2024 vs. Indiana
• 2024 vs. UCLA