INGLEWOOD, CA — Catching passes from Justin Herbert is a full circle moment for Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II.
Gadsden’s father, who he’s named after, played with the Miami Dolphins for six seasons, from 1998 to 2003. Gadsden’s allegiance was to the Dolphins growing up because of his father.
Gadsden II was still in high school in 2020, the year the Dolphins had the fifth pick in the draft. He wanted Miami to draft Justin Herbert with the selection.
The Dolphins chose Tua Tagovailoa, instead, and the Chargers took Herbert with the next selection.
Five years later, Gadsden is catching passes from Herbert on the Chargers.
“It feels great. He’s a guy I’ve been watching for a long time, as long as he’s been in the league,” Gadsden told USA TODAY Sports. “I was a Dolphins fan growing up, so I really was hoping that the Dolphins drafted him back then. So, this guy’s great to play with now and be one of his good targets.”
Gadsden’s turned into one of Herbert’s favorite targets while taking over the Chargers starting tight end position.
The Chargers’ offense has featured Gadsden the past two weeks.
“He’s a stud,” Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey said. “I knew he was special. He’s getting his opportunity and he’s playing like (a) vet.”
Even in a loss in Week 7, Gadsden produced 164 receiving yards, the fourth-most by a rookie tight end in a game in NFL history, and a touchdown. The Chargers offense operated out of 22 personnel (two running backs and two tight ends) on 27 plays in Week 8, tied for third-most by an offense in a game since 2016, per Next Gen Stats. Gadsden compiled five catches, 77 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers’ 37-10 win versus the Minnesota Vikings. He’s just the third rookie tight end since 1970 to register consecutive games with 75 receiving yards and a touchdown.
“As soon as he got here for camp, we knew he was gonna be pretty good. He made a ton of plays, picked up the offense really quickly, and just found a way to get open. That’s what he did (Thursday),” Herbert said. “We’re definitely gonna get him the ball as much as we can, because good things happen when he gets it.”
The rookie fifth-round pick now has 27 catches, 385 receiving yards and two touchdowns in six games this season. He’s quickly become a reliable target over the middle for Herbert and a Chargers team that came into Week 8 with the NFL’s third-best passing offense.
“Just super talented. The thing that strikes me the most is he plays like he’s been playing in the NFL for two, three, four years. He seems like a four-year, five-year player to me,’ Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said.
‘Sure that’s Mr. Gadsden and Mrs. Gadsden who have poured that into him. And with his dad playing, you can probably connect the dots that he’s been in the league his whole life. That’s how he plays. That’s how he approaches everything that he does.
‘That’s been well coached into him and well parented into Oronde, and bodes well for the Chargers.”
Gadsden’s football bloodlines have already paid dividends for the Chargers. His 164 receiving yards in Week 7 were the most by a Chargers tight end since Hall of Famer Antonio Gates had a 167-yard outing in 2009. Gadsden followed up that performance with another superb game in prime time on Thursday night.
‘Bringing the energy, bringing the speed, being consistent in practice, how I am in the game. Then being able to catch the ball every time it’s thrown at me, plus being able to get open versus man,’ Gadsden said of his approach this season.
It’s working thus far. If he continues his positive trajectory, the Chargers might’ve found their tight end of the present and future in the fifth round of the draft.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
