Patriots snag Eli Raridon, a deep-threat tight end known for impressive yards-after-catch and a dominant Combine performance.
The New England Patriots drafted former Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon in the third round of the NFL Draft. Raridon was taken with the 95th pick in the NFL Draft and he continues Notre Dame's dominance in producing tight ends.
Raridon was a first-year starter for Notre Dame in 2025 and he performed well for the Irish. He finished with 32 catches for 482 yards, averaging 15.1 yards per catch. Raridon was a legit downfield threat, catching all eight targets beyond 20 yards. That is what allowed him to dominate NC State, when he caught seven passes for 109 yards. Raridon caught two deep seams and a corner route for a big play in that win.
Raridon kicked off the 2025 season in impressive fashion, hauling in five passes for 97 yards against Miami and four passes for 85 yards against Texas A&M. He also had a strong performance in a road win over a ranked Pittsburgh team, catching six passes for 67 yards. Notre Dame spread the ball around in 2025, with five different players catching at least 26 passes, and of course the Irish had the two best backs in the draft, which tamped down Raridon's production.
The Iowa native had a strong NFL Scouting Combine performance, which helped boost his draft stock. He measured in at just over 6-6 and 245 pounds, with arms just under 33 inches. Raridon ran a 4.62, jumped 36 inches and had a 10'3" broad jump. He was strong as a route runner and showed off his vertical speed during drills.
He is a bit inconsistent at times as a blocker, but there is a lot of good tape of Raridon getting after it in the run game, so the tools are there. Earlier in his career at Notre Dame he was a strong blocker, so there is no question he can become a much more balanced player at the next level.
Notre Dame has now produced a tight end in the NFL Draft in three of the last four drafts. Mitchell Evans (Carolina Panthers) went in the fifth round last season and Michael Mayer (Las Vegas Raiders) went in the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Raridon continues Notre Dame's streak of starting tight ends being drafted, with the last time a starting TE for the Irish not being selected coming all the way back in late 1990s.
Raridon is the fourth Notre Dame offensive player to be selected in the first three rounds, joining running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price in the first round, and wide receiver Malachi Fields being taken in the third round. That explains why the Irish had the nation's No. 2 scoring offense in 2025 and why the Irish ranked No. 2 nationally in yards per play during their 10-2 season.
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