Nebraska Tight End Thomas Fidone Accepts Senior Bowl Invitation

Originally posted on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI
By Austin Jacobsen | Last updated Jan 19, 2025 11:04 AM ET

Thomas Fidone will be able to wear the Scarlet 'N' one final time before heading to the NFL Draft.

The former Nebraska football tight end announced on social media on Saturday his intention to join the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. on Feb. 1. Fidone declared for the National Football League Draft earlier in the week, appearing on a list of underclassmen who had entered for draft eligibility.

The junior tight end would have had one season of eligibility remaining, but elected to forgo his collegiate status and enter into the 2025 NFL Draft. The 6-6, 255 -pound native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was one of the top tight end prospects in the country when he arrived in Lincoln in 2021 as a top-40 recruit. According to 247Sports and Rivals, Fidone was the No. 1 tight end in the 2021 recruiting cycle.

Let’s go! https://t.co/tmGB9CUt4c
— Thomas Fidone II ²⁴ (@ThomasFidone) January 19, 2025

After sustaining back-to-back major knee injuries in 2021 and 2022, Fidone returned for productive seasons under coach Matt Rhule in 2023 and 2024. The former Under Armour All-American appeared in one game his first two seasons as a Cornhusker, but played in all 12 games with eight starts in 2023 as a redshirt sophomore. That season Fidone led Nebraska with four touchdown catches and was second on the team with 25 receptions for 260 receiving yards.

His final season in Lincoln ended with Fidone playing in all 13 games with nine starts, setting career highs with 36 receptions and 373 receiving yards. His 36 catches was fourth on the team, as the tight end nabbed multiple receptions in 10 of his 13 appearances.

Fidone also set a career-high in receiving yards twice, with 46 yards against Illinois before 91 yards at Indiana. He closed out his Husker tenure by leading Nebraska with five receptions and 50 yards in a Pinstripe Bowl victory over Boston College.

Fidone was a member of the Mackey Award watch list to begin his 2024 campaign, and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2022, 2023, and 2024. He was part of the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team in 2021 and a member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2021 and 2024.

Fidone will join teammates Ty Robinson and Tommi Hill as part of the Reese's Senior Bowl activities, as each aims to end Nebraska's NFL Draft drought after the Huskers were shutout in the 2024 Draft. Nebraska has had two draft picks in each class four out of the last five years, with the most recent picks being sixth-round selections Ochaun Mathis and Trey Palmer in 2023.

Fidone was a member of the Senior Bowl preseason watch list, joining Robinson, Hill, Nash Hutmacher, DeShon Singleton, Ben Scott, Jahmal Banks, Isaiah Neyor, and Micah Mazzcua.