Chargers coach can't help but throw eye-opening comparison for rookie Oronde Gadsden

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It’s starting to look like Los Angeles Chargers fans were right for hyping rookie Oronde Gadsden so much. 

Since the team drafted Gadsden in the fifth round, Chargers fans have circled him as the guy to watch as a breakout candidate. Some of it was his obvious upside, while a bunch of it was the underwhelming depth chart with Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly leading the way. 

But Gadsden has started to match some of the hype with his showings in early minicamp work. And the comments from coaches aren’t hurting, either. 

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Take Chargers tight ends coach  Andy Bischoff, who went as far as comparing Gadsden to Darren Waller. 

"I know it's a huge forecast, but I mean I was fortunate to coach Darren Waller," Bischoff told reporters. "And Darren Waller was a receiver in college. And we turned him into a tight end. He's got some of those traits. It's way early. Way early. But he's twitchy. He separates, he does some really good things in the pass game.”

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As Chargers fans surely know, Waller was a standout player for the Las Vegas Raiders for a few years, going to the Pro Bowl and at one point putting up back-to-back seasons of 1,100-plus yards with a career high of nine touchdowns in a single season. 

Funnily enough, Waller had a slow start to his career, while Gadsden is already starting to look the part despite his status as a former wideout. With a strong few months right now, he could be a bigger part of Justin Herbert’s attack than anticipated, which could put him in a position to perhaps even exceed the expectations fans have thrown his way.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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