The 2026 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Eli Raridon NFL Draft Profile.
Eli Raridon Background
Position: Tight End
School:
Notre Dame
Size:
6-foot-6 1/8, 245 pounds
Class: Senior
2025 stats: 32 receptions, 482 receiving yards, 15.1 yards per reception
Raridon was a four-star recruit in the class of 2022 who signed with Notre Dame out of Iowa. He played sparingly in 2022 and 2023, registering just five catches for 51 yards and one touchdown. In 2024, Raridon played a bit more, as he had 11 catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He was a full-time starter in 2025, hauling in 32 passes for 482 yards. Raridon led the Fighting Irish to a 10-win season.
Following the season, Raridon has been preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a mid-round pick.
Eli Raridon Strengths
Raridon has a good starting frame for the NFL level. He measured in at over 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds at the NFL Combine. While he will need to fill out his frame to add play strength, he will have time to do so at the next level. He has long arms that are just under 33 inches, which helps to give him a large catch radius and can be used as a tool as a blocker.
While he did have three drops this past season, Raridon has solid hands for the most part. He usually focuses pretty well to get the easy ones. On top of that, he can haul in passes off his frame. Raridon is able to make contested catches at a good rate, using his size well to outmuscle defenders for the ball.
He isn’t the most athletic tight end, but he actually had success attacking defenses downfield. He can threaten the seams well and uses his size to win 50-50 balls. Linebackers and defensive backs can have struggles matching up with him, which lets him win matchups down the field when he is isolated.
Eli Raridon Weaknesses
Raridon clearly needs to fill out his frame more and add more strength to help his run blocking. He has room on his frame for the muscle and right now it can help him sustain his blocks longer. If he can keep his pad level down and use his length, Raridon can become a serviceable blocker at the next level.
He can run a little bit after the catch, but isn’t a huge threat. Raridon lacks the quickness and agility to make defenders miss after the catch. While he can be tough to get to the ground because of his size, he is more of a possession target who will get as many yards as the play calls for.
His route-running is average, as he can struggle to get in and out of his breaks. He can find the soft spot vs. zone coverage, but won’t always be able to separate against man coverage, which will make him have to complete contested catches to get a lot of his production.
Projected Draft Range: Third Round Pick-Fifth Round Pick
Draft Grade: Fourth Round Pick
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