Despite injury concerns, Raridon's combine performance reveals impressive measurements and a strong vertical jump, positioning him as a top tight end prospect.
Out of the six Notre Dame participants at the NFL Combine down in Indianapolis, tight end Eli Raridon had to have a strong NFL combine performance. Unfortunately, due to significant injuries earlier in his career in South Bend, Raridon wasn't able to put up some of the gaudy production numbers we've seen from previous Notre Dame tight ends that have entered the draft. Luckily, the Iowa native had the opportunity to showcase his abilities in front of numerous NFL Scouts down in Indianapolis this weekend. Here are some of his numbers from tonight:
MEASUREMENTS
Height: 6-6
Weight: 245-pounds
Arm Length: 32.5"
Hand Size: 10.5"
TESTING NUMBERS
40-Yard: 4.62
10-Yard: 1.61
Vertical Jump: 36"
Broad Jump: 10'3"
Bench Press: 20
Combine Performance Recap
Across the board, it's a pretty mixed bag. Raridon had the sixth best vertical jump of the group of tight ends. His first 40-yard dash time at 4.62 was relatively middle of the pack, and unfortunately, his second run didn't improve after he clocked in at 4.63. He finished the 40-yard dash times in eighth place amongst the tight end group, but given his size, that time isn't overly shocking.
Former Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer ran a 4.70, Mitchell Evans ran a 4.74 and Cole Kmet ran a 4.70 40-yard dash. Raridon has similar size to those former Fighting Irish tight ends. The 6-6, 245-pound Iowa native performed well in the on field drills and showcased his abilities as a pass catcher, something he will excel in at the next level. Compared to some of the other tight ends in the field, Raridon was physically impressive and was definitely one of the bigger-bodied tight ends in the 2026 draft class.
All together, I don't think Raridon did as much to improve his draft stock but I don't think he did much to hurt his draft stock either. He's still a top five to six tight end in this draft class, but he needed a strong performance to vault him up into day two which I don't know if he did. Raridon will still have an opportunity to perform at the Notre Dame Pro-Day later this spring and improve some of his times.
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