Chargers’ early riser Oronde Gadsden II making a good first impression

EL SEGUNDO — Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II usually wakes up at first light, which these days in Southern California is about 5 a.m. He hasn’t adjusted to the Pacific Time Zone after living all of his life in the Eastern Time Zone, so it’s been difficult to get back to sleep in an unfamiliar hotel room. Then he’s out the door and on his bike for an 8-minute ride to the Chargers’ practice facility.

Is anyone else around The Bolt at that unspeakable hour?

“The security guy,” Gadsden said.

It’s too early for breakfast.

The locker room is empty.

So is the training room.

And the weight room is, too, although strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert usually isn’t far behind.

Gadsden, 21, then heads onto one of the three practice fields hours before the sun breaks through the marine layer and well before he’s required to be on hand for the last of the Chargers’ organized team activities this week before a nearly monthlong break before the start of training camp on July 17.

So far, perhaps the most difficult part of practices and workouts for Gadsden since the Chargers drafted him in the fifth round in April has been adjusting to the different time zone. He’s been early for practice, for workouts, for meetings, for breakfast, for every aspect of his rookie year.

“Being around when my dad was playing kind of taught me the ins and outs and how everything is going to go,” Gadsden said of his father, also named Oronde, who spent six seasons as a wide receiver with the Miami Dolphins between 1998 and 2003. “Most of it has gone how I expected.”

The elder Gadsden also drilled one very important lesson into his son’s head.

“My dad always told me that you should show up early,” Gadsden said.

In addition to impressing Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, tight ends coach Andy Bischoff and veteran teammates such as fellow tight ends Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly, Gadsden’s early arrivals have had another benefit. Gadsden has walked through the playbook on his own on the field.

“Coach Herb,” as the Chargers call him to distinguish him from quarterback Justin Herbert, suggested Gadsden hit the field early in order to drill down on the plays and better prepare for team walk-throughs and practices that often don’t start until noon or later. It’s been very helpful.

“He was really the one that came up with that,” Gadsden said of Ben Herbert.

Conklin and Dissly have been helpful in mentoring Gadsden as he makes the transition from Syracuse University to the Chargers. The tight end’s job isn’t just about catching spirals from Justin Herbert. It’s also about blocking and clearing space for running backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton.

“He wants to listen, he wants to learn,” Bischoff said of Gadsden. “All you ever ask of a blocker is a willingness, and we can take it from there. If they have a willingness, then you’ve got to hone in on the fundamentals and help them grow. If they don’t have a willingness, that’s a challenge.

“He has a willingness.”

Gadsden also has shown in spring practices that he can make plays, which in addition to his 6-foot-5, 236-pound frame, was what attracted Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz to him before the draft. The Chargers believe he can be another reliable target for Justin Herbert.

Last season at Syracuse, Gadsden caught 73 passes for 934 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games. He was a third-team AP All-America selection and a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference pick in 2024 and 2022 after moving to tight end from wide receiver before the ’22 season.

“It’s way early, way early, but he’s twitchy,” Bischoff said in evaluating Gadsden’s play so far. “He separates. He does some really good things in the passing game, and I think, as he’s become more comfortable in our system in the last four or five days, people are beginning to see that.”

Now, if the Chargers can just get him to sleep past the crack of dawn.