The 2025 NFL draft kicked off on Thursday night, and it didn't take the Atlanta Falcons long to make some noise. After selecting Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick, the Falcons traded Picks No. 46 and 242, as well as their 2026 first-rounder, to the L.A. Rams in exchange for the 26th (Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr.) and 101st picks.
There are still six rounds of the draft remaining, and the Falcons have some needs they need to address. It wouldn't be shocking if Atlanta used one of its upcoming late-round picks to draft a tight end because of Kyle Pitts' uncertain future with the franchise as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract.
Falcons Must Use Late-Round Pick on Syracuse TE Oronde Gadsden II
Whether or not the Falcons keep Pitts beyond the 2025 campaign, some insurance for the TE room is needed. Charlie Woerner, Feleipe Franks, Teagan Quitoriano, and Nikola Kalinic have also displayed limited offensive upside so far, which could open the door for Atlanta to draft a pass-catcher like Syracuse TE Oronde Gadsden II.
Gadsden is a wideout-turned-tight-end who's displayed promise during his four seasons with the Orange. The Fort Lauderdale, FL native garnered some attention as a receiver during his sophomore season, converting 61 receptions into 975 receiving yards and six touchdowns while earning first-team All-ACC honors.
A season-ending foot injury early in the 2023 campaign prevented Gadsden from immediately capitalizing on that performance. The good news is that he immediately picked up from where he left off during his first full season as a TE in 2024, posting a 73-934-7 stat line in 13 games before receiving first-team All-SEC and third-team All-American honors.
Gadsden's NFL pedigree should make him even more attractive to the Falcons. His father is a former undrafted receiver who racked up 227 catches for 3,252 yards and 22 TDs across six seasons with the Miami Dolphins, and was even on the Dallas Cowboys' roster for their Super Bowl XXX win.
With his foot injury seemingly in the rearview mirror, Gadsden is the perfect late-round target for the Falcons to roll the dice on. If Pitts leaves, they have some insurance with a decent amount of upside. If the former 2021 first-rounder stays, Atlanta can breathe easy knowing it has another dangerous weapon in its arsenal.
At the end of the day, targeting Gadsden with a late-round pick (Either No. 218 or another selection via trade) is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Falcons. Day 3 of the 2025 NFL draft begins when the fourth round starts on Saturday at noon ET.