Who's Leaving? 2024/25 version

[Cobra Kai]

He's currently considered a top 20 tight end in the draft pre-Combine and Pro Day. Add in the fact that his measurables are highly sought after (huge hands, big frame, adequately mobile), and he'll likely get a handful of invites to camps in the fall if he doesn't get outright drafted.

Important to remember that this past season was his first with an actual QB. Although his production wasn't nearly matching the hype he had coming in, he is talented nonetheless. In the right situations and some fortunate injury luck, he could easily find himself on an NFL roster for several years ahead. Hoping for the best for the guy, he worked pretty hard to come back and contribute, nice to see him get a chance at the pros.

I wish him well too.  He’s from my neck of the woods.  Idk…film doesn’t lie.  I find it hard to believe he’s a top 20 TE coming out with what he put on film…but what do I know.  
 

pre acls I think sky was the limit…now, I don’t think anyone could convince me that he’s a better pro prospect than jack stoll was and he was an udfa.  Time will tell hope he tests well and gets a shot!

 

[Husker in WI]

I wish him well too.  He’s from my neck of the woods.  Idk…film doesn’t lie.  I find it hard to believe he’s a top 20 TE coming out with what he put on film…but what do I know.  
 

pre acls I think sky was the limit…now, I don’t think anyone could convince me that he’s a better pro prospect than jack stoll was and he was an udfa.  Time will tell hope he tests well and gets a shot!

I think you're putting way too much stock into the early-season RPOs, which were both a bad fit for his skill set and horrendously blocked. Not pretending I am an expert evaluator either, but they go deeper into the film than "did that play suck?" and I think he was a lot better than the average fan is giving him credit for. The bad plays (-2 yard catches, missed blocks) were just much more memorable than the good ones.

I also still think about that pick-six against UCLA, he did everything he needed to have a 30+ yard catch and Raiola just chucked it at a LB instead. That's not actually a great example because most of it was play design rather than individual effort by Fidone - but the point is there are plays where he will get credit from actual scouts for doing his job, where people like me don't give him any credit because we didn't throw him the ball, or his block just wasn't noticeable. 

 

[Wistrom Disciple]

I wish him well too.  He’s from my neck of the woods.  Idk…film doesn’t lie.  I find it hard to believe he’s a top 20 TE coming out with what he put on film…but what do I know.  
 

pre acls I think sky was the limit…now, I don’t think anyone could convince me that he’s a better pro prospect than jack stoll was and he was an udfa.  Time will tell hope he tests well and gets a shot!

The first three sites I found list him at 19th, 24th, and 15th. Now, your guess is as good as mine on whether the 5th rated TE is noticeably better than the 25th rated TE. On paper, Fidone sits in a pretty decent spot all things considered (2 ACLs, relatively limited production, etc.).

In what I think is a relatively weak draft class this year, especially at tight end, it wouldn't shock me to see some teams take chances in the 5th or 6th round for players who fit the mold. And if Fidone tests well, he would certainly fit the bill as what teams are looking for at the position these days.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

My memories of Fidone mostly involve him catching the ball, turning upfield, and going down immediately upon contact. 

 

[Cobra Kai]

I think you're putting way too much stock into the early-season RPOs, which were both a bad fit for his skill set and horrendously blocked. Not pretending I am an expert evaluator either, but they go deeper into the film than "did that play suck?" and I think he was a lot better than the average fan is giving him credit for. The bad plays (-2 yard catches, missed blocks) were just much more memorable than the good ones.

I also still think about that pick-six against UCLA, he did everything he needed to have a 30+ yard catch and Raiola just chucked it at a LB instead. That's not actually a great example because most of it was play design rather than individual effort by Fidone - but the point is there are plays where he will get credit from actual scouts for doing his job, where people like me don't give him any credit because we didn't throw him the ball, or his block just wasn't noticeable. 

I’ll agree to disagree I’m not judging his skills on schematics…he just didn’t ever excite me too much once he got on the field. I want him to do well and get drafted and have a long career and all that jazz, so don’t get it twisted…I just don’t see him as an nfl guy….more than an udfa.

i think the jack stoll comp is where I keep going back to…stoll was a far better prospect for the NFL…still undrafted.  That’s not a knock he’s carved out an nfl career and still has some meat on the bone for his career.

i hope he proves me wrong and turns into an all pro  

 

[Lorewarn]

My memories of Fidone mostly involve him catching the ball, turning upfield, and going down immediately upon contact. 

I feel similarly. When I try to think, "What's my favorite Fidone highlight?" my mind is pretty blank. Most all of his contribution here was catching balls thrown well to him whilst open on simple curls, outs and seams, then going down on immediate initial contact. 

Wish him the best, glad he's healthy and think he was a solid role player for us, but I've never seen the talent being alleged by folks saying he's got a good shot at the NFL. 

What makes these highlights draft worthy compared to pre-injury Herrian, Mike McNeill, Cethan Carter, Austin Allen, etc.? I guess 'measurables', and maybe it's a weak class for TEs. Wouldn't be the first time NFL scouts were duped by the illustrious 'measurables' I guess.

 

[Husker in WI]

I’ll agree to disagree I’m not judging his skills on schematics…he just didn’t ever excite me too much once he got on the field. I want him to do well and get drafted and have a long career and all that jazz, so don’t get it twisted…I just don’t see him as an nfl guy….more than an udfa.

i think the jack stoll comp is where I keep going back to…stoll was a far better prospect for the NFL…still undrafted.  That’s not a knock he’s carved out an nfl career and still has some meat on the bone for his career.

i hope he proves me wrong and turns into an all pro  

I feel similarly. When I try to think, "What's my favorite Fidone highlight?" my mind is pretty blank. Most all of his contribution here was catching balls thrown well to him whilst open on simple curls, outs and seams, then going down on immediate initial contact. 

Wish him the best, glad he's healthy and think he was a solid role player for us, but I've never seen the talent being alleged by folks saying he's got a good shot at the NFL. 

What makes these highlights draft worthy compared to pre-injury Herrian, Mike McNeill, Cethan Carter, Austin Allen, etc.? I guess 'measurables', and maybe it's a weak class for TEs. Wouldn't be the first time NFL scouts were duped by the illustrious 'measurables' I guess.

I'll drop it after this one because I'm risking sounding like a Fidone family member - but what exactly made Jack Stoll seem like a better prospect? Fidone had two healthy years, and went 25/260/4 and 36/373/0. Even the first year was better than either of Stoll's productive years, which were 21/245/3 and 25/234/1. Austin Allen absolutely had a better college career (or at least season), but he also ran 4.8 and I think was probably the worst blocker of the 3. I also don't think Fidone is a blue-chip NFL prospect or anything, butthe talent level is higher than the rest of those guys (maybe not pre-injury Herian) and outside of one monster season from Allen the production is the same. 

I get the "meh, we'll be fine without him" view that both of you seem to have, although I do think it undersells what he actually did. What I don't understand is the chunk of the fanbase who are saying "good riddance." Gotta assume that's just some bitterness that he didn't live up to the billing as a top recruit, and that the bad plays (missed blocks and catches for negative yards) being much more obvious than the good ones. I don't think Brock Bowers, let alone Lindenmeyer or Boerkircher, would have been successful on those Arrow RPOs with how they were called and executed. 

 

[Cobra Kai]

I'll drop it after this one because I'm risking sounding like a Fidone family member - but what exactly made Jack Stoll seem like a better prospect? Fidone had two healthy years, and went 25/260/4 and 36/373/0. Even the first year was better than either of Stoll's productive years, which were 21/245/3 and 25/234/1. Austin Allen absolutely had a better college career (or at least season), but he also ran 4.8 and I think was probably the worst blocker of the 3. I also don't think Fidone is a blue-chip NFL prospect or anything, butthe talent level is higher than the rest of those guys (maybe not pre-injury Herian) and outside of one monster season from Allen the production is the same. 

I get the "meh, we'll be fine without him" view that both of you seem to have, although I do think it undersells what he actually did. What I don't understand is the chunk of the fanbase who are saying "good riddance." Gotta assume that's just some bitterness that he didn't live up to the billing as a top recruit, and that the bad plays (missed blocks and catches for negative yards) being much more obvious than the good ones. I don't think Brock Bowers, let alone Lindenmeyer or Boerkircher, would have been successful on those Arrow RPOs with how they were called and executed. 

It’s not really about the production…and to be clear, stoll wasn’t the gold standard, just a recent reference that went undrafted who has made some nfl rosters and contributed.  
 

Stoll was an inch shorter, weighed 7 pounds more, ran slightly faster, similar hand size, wingspan arm length…measurables are very similar…but he could block and was willing to block.  Findone has not shown a willingness to do much more than get in the way, I guess.

Idk man, I’m just putting in my two cents…for reference, I’m not employed by any of the current nfl teams…though the Winnipeg Jets have been reaching out  

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Some of Nebraska's tight ends have definitely been better than others, but they've all been used the same way. Their first order of business is blocking for the running game and covering the edge for pass protection. This sometimes allows our tallest, strongest receive to get wide open cutting across the middle or on a sideline route against smaller defensive backs, at which point everyone wonders why we don't use our tight ends more. 

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Watching Fidone's highlight reel made me think Hendrick Haarberg was a damn good quarterback.

That's the thing about highlight reels. 

 

[knapplc]

Fidone had potential to be a better blocker than Austin Allen, but Fidone whiffed on a LOT of blocks. You could make a highlight-reel length video of the plays where his missed block led directly to the ball-carrier being tackled.

Potential is why he likely gets drafted. We'll see if he can reach that potential in the league.