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Making the Case: Where will elite TE Thomas Fidone land?

Thomas Fidone
Thomas Fidone (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

After an outstanding performance at the National Combine in San Antonio over the holidays, Thomas Fidone shot up the rankings and emerged as one of the top tight ends in the 2021 class.

The four-star from Council Bluffs (Iowa) Lewis Central is now the third-best player at that position, behind only Hudson Wolfe and Clemson commit Jake Briningstool.

And on Monday, Fidone’s recruitment took another interesting turn when he released his new top six.

Iowa, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Penn State are the front-runners for the four-star tight end. Another interesting nugget to this is that Ohio State recently offered, but the Buckeyes were not included in the top list.

Nebraska has long been considered a front-runner for Fidone because he lives about an hour from campus, and Iowa has also been high because it’s the in-state school and the Hawkeyes have done an excellent job developing tight ends recently. But now others cannot be counted out, either, as Fidone really focuses on those six programs in his recruitment.

Below, team-site publishers break down where things stand and then Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell gives his verdict in this Making The Case.

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MORE: Roundtable on impressive 2021 recruiting efforts

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

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IOWA 

"Iowa is still right in the mix. The Hawkeyes were the first school to offer, way before his recruiting took off, and their success at developing tight ends speaks for itself." - Blair Sanderson, HawkeyeReport.com

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LSU

"LSU has a need at tight end and the emergence of Thaddeus Moss in the Tigers' offense last fall makes them an intriguing option for talented pass catchers. The Tigers find themselves in striking distance for one of the nation's best in Fidone, but building that needed bond and familiarity between the two parties will be difficult under today's circumstances.

"Proximity appears to be a factor, along with familiarity, which works against the Tigers. But there may be enough time for the Tigers to gain more steam in the coming months, with a hopeful visit once life resumes, which generally works well for Ed Orgeron and Co." - Jimmy Smith, TigerDetails.com

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MICHIGAN

"Michigan has put itself in a really strong position for Fidone. The Wolverines have made him the top priority at the position. UM tight ends coach Sherrone Moore has worked relentlessly over the last couple of months.

"On top of that, Fidone and Michigan quarterback commit JJ McCarthy talk daily. Michigan was set to host him April 2. The Wolverines will look to get him in when this abrupt dead period ends. If Michigan makes a splash on that trip, watch out. UM is a trendy dark horse right now." - EJ Holland, TheWolverine.com


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NEBRASKA

"Nebraska is sitting in a pretty good spot with Fidone at this point. He has been able to visit Lincoln as often as any other program over the last six months or so, and in doing so he’s developed a good relationship with the coaches.

"Nebraska has distance on its side, as Fidone lives about 60 miles away from campus. The Huskers also have a big need at his position because they didn’t sign a tight end in 2020 and will lose four to graduation over the next two seasons. On top of all that, Fidone grew up cheering for the Big Red." - Nate Clouse, HuskerOnline.com

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NOTRE DAME

"Notre Dame joined the party a little late in Fidone's recruitment, and it may end up costing the Irish in the end. He was scheduled to see Notre Dame on April 1, but that visit is obviously off, which hurts the Irish in the meantime.

"I believe it's just a matter of when, in terms of a trip to South Bend for Fidone and connecting with new tight ends coach John McNulty. The allure of "Tight End U" could put the Irish over the top." - Mike Singer, BlueandGold.com

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PENN STATE

"Penn State has been great at developing tight ends in recent years. The Nittany Lions also have a great positional coach in Tyler Bowen. Fidone only earned an offer from the Lions in the beginning of February, so it's hard to predict much until he's able to visit. But if he does end up visiting this summer, Penn State has proven in the past to be a very appealing program to tight ends." - Ryan Snyder, BlueWhiteIllustrated.com

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THE VERDICT

"It’s way too early to predict anything for Fidone, but he’s an exciting prospect to follow so I’ll give it a shot. Just know I could change my mind numerous times. But, as of today, I’ll say Nebraska because of his numerous visits and how he grew up a fan of the Huskers. But let’s be clear: The Huskers are not a lock here at all. But they are off to a great start with Fidone." - Mike Farrell, Rivals National Recruiting Director

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