New York Giants rookie tight end Thomas Fidone II has impressed early on at OTAs.
Selected in round seven of the 2025 NFL Draft, Fidone was initially an afterthought to some, but he’s done well to make people show him more attention this spring.
While sharing what they’ve seen so far at OTAs with fans, Giants media members John Schmeelk and Paul Dottino highlighted Fidone on the June 2 edition of the “Big Blue Kickoff Live” podcast. They initially noted that he “made a really nice play” on a crossing route from fellow rookie Jaxson Dart at Monday’s practice, then chatted about the draft pick from there.
What immediately stands out about Fidone? His long, rangy arms.
“For a guy who’s that long and that tall, he’s not gawky, he’s fluid,” Dottino said on the podcast. Reiterating: “He’s absolutely fluid.”
“I’m really starting to like him,” Dottino went on, and the pair acknowledged that he was already a favorite of Schmeelk’s before Giants OTAs.
“He’s probably a little bit more sudden than [starting tight end] Theo Johnson is,” Schmeelk voiced. Although they both concurred that Johnson is much thicker than Fidone, and it’s already been pointed out that the former has put on positive weight this offseason.
Dottino concluded that he’s “intrigued” by the seventh-round pick the more he watches him play.
Giants Rookie Thomas Fidone II Could Push Daniel Bellinger for 3rd Tight End Role After Hot Start at OTAs
As Schmeelk and Dottino went back and forth on Fidone, the latter eventually made a statement that could end up being very important later this summer.
“Ironically, even though he’s only a rookie and he’s just coming into the NFL, [Fidone] looks more fluid, for instance, than [Daniel] Bellinger does when he’s out there in the passing game,” Dottino observed, and Schmeelk immediately agreed.
The further along we get in this Giants’ offseason, the more it feels like Bellinger’s back is up against the wall to make the 53-man roster in 2025.
Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen appear to love the potential of Johnson as the unquestioned starter, and they made it a priority to re-sign blocking tight end Chris Manhertz in free agency, too.
Both unseated Bellinger last season, and it doesn’t seem like he’s pushing to reclaim a top-two role anytime soon. Quite the opposite, actually, with Fidone emerging.
Bellinger was a fourth-round pick from Schoen’s initial 2022 draft class, which has largely been a flop of a class overall. He showed some promise as a rookie, but an eye injury derailed his progress, and he never really stood out from that point on.
With roster spots at a premium in 2025, it’ll be interesting to see if the Giants keep four tight ends at the 53-man cutdown. If they do, in all likelihood, Bellinger would be up against Denver Broncos cast-off Greg Dulcich and 2025 UDFA Jermaine Terry for that fourth and final spot.
Pre-Draft Scouting on Rookie Tight End Thomas Fidone II
Ahead of the draft, Fidone was scouted as a “long, competitive tight end with impressive receiving ability,” per The 33rd Team’s former lead draft expert Kyle Crabbs.
It’s easy to forget that this was a deep tight end class in 2025, so Fidone could have certainly gone a couple of rounds earlier if he were a part of a weaker TE year. Running backs and tight ends dropped lower than any other offensive position this April due to the sheer number of quality prospects who were available.
“Fidone projects as a flex tight end early in his career,” Crabbs graded in late March. “He should have enough route-running ability and pass-game prowess to be an early contributor, but teams with big ambitions should try to stack some more mass on his game and unleash him as a ‘do-it-all’ player at the position.”
Crabbs went as far as to predict that Fidone could develop into a “Pro Bowl-caliber player” if he finds the right landing spot.
Similarly, the Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler praised Fidone’s “outstanding hands” and yards after catch ability, calling him an “extremely intelligent ballplayer.”
Among Fidone’s concerns were a history of ACL injury, his technique as an in-line blocker and route-runner, and his lack of top-end speed.
Having said that, Fowler concluded that the Giants’ rookie “has shown the ability to expand a playbook and is a player who will also progress into a high-level red zone threat due to his hands.”
Giants Draft Pick Turns Heads at OTAs: ‘Really Starting to Like Him’