Adding playmaking depth this offseason was a priority for the New York Giants. One of the most intriguing depth additions they made came in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Giants selected former Nebraska tight end Thomas Fidone II in the seventh round. On the surface, this pick might look like no big deal. But digging deeper, the Giants might have found something special at the end of the draft.
Thomas Fidone battled adversity on his path to the NFL
Fidone was once highly regarded as a prospect coming out of high school. Coming out of the 2021 recruiting class, Fidone was the top tight end in the nation, ranking ahead of classmate Brock Bowers.
However, Fidone didn’t find nearly the same amount of success as Bowers did in college, mainly due to the overwhelming injuries he sustained in his career.
Fidone tore his ACL just one game into his freshman season at Nebraska. The misfortune struck again when Fidone tore the same ACL a second time just before he could make his return as a freshman.
His concerning injury history raised red flags for NFL teams during the pre-draft process. This caused him to be overlooked and fall into the seventh round.
The Giants found great value with Fidone in the 7th Round
Despite his injury history, Fidone still possesses talent and potential that has gone untapped. The league overlooking him and passing on him due to his injuries makes Fidone a sleeper and an intriguing flier for the Giants.
The 6-foot-6, 243-pounder was projected by NFL.com to go in the fifth round of the draft. Landing him in Round 7 could look like a steal for the Giants.
Fidone finished his collegiate career with 61 receptions for 633 yards and four touchdowns across 26 games played.
He was held back by injuries, and his production left something to be desired. But Fidone is athletic and has gone through college with his potential completely untapped. Perhaps he can realize that potential with Big Blue.