As a senior in high school Eli Raridon showcased rare ability. Whether on the football field or the basketball court at Valley High School in Iowa, Raridon stood out with his size, speed and elite athleticism. But it was the court where he suffered through the first speed bump of his budding career.

As a gifted power forward known for his crowd-pleasing dunks, Raridon earned second-team all-state honors as a junior before tearing the ACL in his right knee the following season. That didn't stop Notre Dame from offering the big tight end a scholarship, however, and the 6-6, 245-pounder was back on the practice field in his first year with the Irish just 10 months later.

Then he tore the ACL again, causing him to miss the final eight games of his freshman season. He missed the beginning of 2023 while recovering but was able to start the final three games. It wasn't until his junior year when Raridon began to regain his trademark mobility as he appeared in all 16 games for an Irish team that advanced to the national championship game before falling to Ohio State.

With his knee now at 100 percent, Raridon was ready to emerge as a senior and averaged better than 15 yards per catch on his 32 receptions while starting all 12 games. It was the start of fulfilling the promise that he displayed in high school, and the kind of development that caught the eye of his coaches and made him the Patriots choice in the third round (95^th overall).

"The only thing that held Eli back was the injuries," Notre Dame offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock said. "You could see the athleticism and his ability to cause matchup issues within the framework of our offense. Defenses knew they were going to have to use a safety to cover him because linebackers weren't going to be able to stay with him. He creates opportunities for himself and for others. He's a weapon."

For a guy who finished his collegiate career with only 48 catches that seems like lofty praise. But a closer look at Raridon's path shows why Denbrock speaks so highly of him. The pair of ACL tears basically eliminated his first two seasons, but Denbrock believes the way Raridon handled the adversity showed his true character.

"He's mature beyond his years," Denbrock explained. "He has a tremendous work ethic, which he showed while rehabbing to get back so quickly. He's a tremendous teammate. He can be counted on in hard times, in good times and pretty much every time in between. He's just scratching the surface, and his best football is definitely ahead of him."

Those words no doubt are music to Josh McDaniels' ears. The Patriots offensive coordinator loves having tight ends who can represent chess pieces both in the running and passing games. Raridon is an unfinished product due to his lack of experience but has the ability to make an impact in both phases.

Denbrock believes his pupil will need to add some bulk to his angular frame but feels he has the physicality and desire to improve as an in-line blocker. But where Raridon separates himself is with his potential to create mismatches, particularly deep down the seam as a receiver.

"That's one reason why I feel his best days are still to come," Denbrock said. "He's more than willing to attack people and play the physical end of things. He understands spacing and leverage and techniques and he wants to get better.

"We definitely relied on him to create a spark for our offense. We had a couple of pretty talented kids (first-round running backs Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price) and he was such a great complement to those guys as the season went along. The trust factor between him and C.J. [Carr], our quarterback, grew and grew and he became a go-to guy for us, especially in critical situations."

It's that ability as a receiver that might allow the 22-year-old Raridon to contribute quickly. It's easy to envision him alongside Hunter Henry in two-tight end sets with the rookie stretching the field for Drake Maye. While he won't likely emerge immediately as a huge piece to the puzzle, his size and catch radius should be attractive qualities for McDaniels and Maye.

"He's just a real solid guy," Denbrock concluded. "His No. 1 priority is his new bride (Anna) and building a family of his own. He comes having some maturity about him, which you certainly need if you're taking that step. They were high school sweethearts and now they're starting their family. He has a steadiness that he goes about his day-to-day life with. He's had a pro's mentality for about the last year and a half. Getting out with the party crowd isn't in his wheelhouse. It's all about his family."

And now Raridon is looking to become part of the Patriots family.

Eli Raridon
TE, 6-6, 245
Notre Dame
West Des Moines, Iowa
3rd round, 95th overall

Strengths: Great size and wingspan. … Adjusts well to back shoulder throws. … Strong hands to win in traffic. … Has athleticism to finish as a runner. … Willing in-line blocker and athleticism allows him to wall off defenders on second level. … Shows awareness to find gaps as a receiver against zone coverages. … After dealing with injuries early in his career, Raridon has the potential to be an ascending player at the NFL level.

Weaknesses: Needs to add mass to his frame. … Can sometimes fail to disguise his routes, allowing defenders to get a jump. … Good but not great speed to outrun pursuit. … Wasn't a great red zone target at Notre Dame with just three career TDs and none as a senior. … Inconsistent in pass protection due to his limited bulk. … Struggles blocking in the run game with inconsistent technique. … Tore his right ACL as a senior in high school and again 10 months later during practice at Notre Dame.

Personal: Married his wife (Anna) in June 2025. … Attended Valley HS in West Des Moines, Iowa, and played football and basketball. … Earned second-team all-state honors as a power forward in basketball. … Father (Scott Jr.) played offensive line and long snapper at Notre Dame under Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis. … Grandfather (Scott Sr.) played football at Nebraska (1981-83) and was a strength coach at Notre Dame under Lou Holtz. … Uncle (John Raridon) played offensive line at Nebraska (2016-20). … X handle is @EliRaridon.

Comparable NFL player: Dalton Schultz, Texans – Combination of size, hands, toughness and athleticism compare favorably to Houston's veteran TE.

By the numbers

Raridon Combine Avg. for Pos.

* Times taken from his Pro Day

What they're saying …

"Raridon didn't have great stats in college (only 48 career catches), but banking on his above-the-rim ability and inline-blocker upside at this point in the draft is solid strategy. – ESPN.com's Matt Miller

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer