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Eli Raridon
TE · NE

Eli Raridon

Position TE
Team NE
Bye Week —
PPR Rank —

Eli Raridon

NFL player. Position: TE. Team: NE.

Quick Facts

  • Position: TE
  • Team: NE (New England Patriots)
  • Draft: 2026, 95th overall (3rd round), Notre Dame
  • College Stats (2025): 32 rec, 482 yards, 15.1 yd/catch, 66.7% contested catch rate
  • Physical traits: Recovered from double ACL injuries (2021, 2022); 4.62 40-time, 81st percentile vertical, 88th percentile broad jump

2026 Outlook

Despite concerning injury history (torn right ACL twice in college, 2021 and 2022), Raridon tested well at combine and showed sound medicals heading into 2026 draft. Patriots medical team (Jim Whalen, Dr. Scott Martin, Mike Baum) cleared Raridon with "no real concerns" about the knee injury history, giving confidence he's ready for NFL workload. Third-round selection puts him immediately behind Hunter Henry with clear runway to early-career opportunity. He displays immediate juice with ball in hands, solid footwork in route breaks, and good body control to adjust to back shoulder throws. Raridon plays with tenacity in pass protection, sustaining blocks and driving defenders downfield. Already showing strong chemistry with QB Drake Maye at Patriots OTAs and pushing for first-team reps early in training camp. Following a strong Day 3 display, Raridon is functioning as the clear TE2 behind Hunter Henry. (per Patriots confident in Eli Raridon despite double ACL injury history and Patriots training camp Day 3 depth chart updates)

Post-minicamp re-grade (June 2026): Sports Illustrated profiled Raridon among its top-five re-graded TEs, noting he was "lost in a deep tight end class" but the Patriots correctly valued him at pick 95 (3rd round). "Local sources indicate Raridon was very impressive through offseason workouts, even catching passes from Drake Maye with the first-team offense," establishing him as an immediate TE2 behind 31-year-old Hunter Henry. The Patriots' pathway for Raridon is clear: he recovered from a "brutal injury" earlier in his college career to produce 482 yards and 15.1 yards per catch at Notre Dame in 2025, suggesting he has a "future pathway to him becoming the lead option in 2027" (per Two Months Later, These Five Tight Ends Rewrite 2026 NFL Draft Grades).

Dynasty evaluators project Raridon as immediate TE2 behind Henry with clear path to 2027 starter role. Hunter Henry is free agent after 2026 season, meaning the runway clears quickly for Raridon. Analysts view him as strong second-round value in rookie drafts if you can absorb short-term injury recovery risk. By 2027, he's positioned to become the team's unquestioned starter (per 10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Targets (2026 Fantasy Football)).

Fantasy In Frames post-draft analysis highlights Raridon as "frustratingly underappreciated" with one of the few true Y tight end profiles who can be utilized as both blocker and receiver. After recovering from a double ACL injury (torn same ACL twice in 2021 and 2022), he showed true downfield chops at Notre Dame. Josh McDaniels can finish developing Raridon, who can sit behind Hunter Henry (great receiver) and Julian Hill (great blocker) and learn from both. Henry's contract expires after 2026, clearing the way for Raridon to take his role and become Drake Maye's security blanket. He has impressive ball skills and ability to move larger defenders off the edge. At this draft position, he's going after pick 30 and could prove to be a steal (per 2026 Rookie Tight End Risers & Fallers After The NFL Draft | Fantasy In Frames - Fantasy In Frames).

July 2026 consensus: Ranked #6 in the 2026 rookie TE class (avoid redraft, stash dynasty), confirming his underrated prospect status despite the tight end class lacking early-season fantasy value (per 2026 Fantasy football: Rookie TE rankings - Vikings Wire).

Training camp breakthrough (7/30–8/1): Raridon making immediate impact in first week of Patriots training camp, widely praised as standout rookie so far. Coach Mike Vrabel emphasized playing fast and not overthinking mistakes, mentality Raridon credits for early success. Scored his first NFL TD on catch-and-run in red zone during first padded practice. Getting heavy involvement with both first and second units, with offense "slowing down" as his comfort level grows. QB Drake Maye praised Raridon's intelligence ("he's smart... he understands positions... he understands how to play both positions at the tight end spot"), athleticism, and work ethic. Backup QB Tommy DeVito highlighted Raridon's hands, frame, and growing confidence, noting the young TE "has everything going for him." Season-ending IR placement of veteran tight end Julian Hill in June solidified Raridon as uncontested TE2 behind Hunter Henry, giving him clear pathway to early role (per What Patriots QBs are saying about standout rookie tight end Eli Raridon, Eli Raridon credits advice from Mike Vrabel in hot start to rookie camp, Training Camp Injuries Just Opened the Door For These Five NFL Rookies).

August 15 preseason Week 1: Raridon showed improved run-blocking in preseason opener vs. Indianapolis, particularly on a second-quarter fourth-down conversion attempt. While blocking remains not his primary strength, he demonstrated he can be serviceable in this facet more than expected for a pure receiving prospect, suggesting he's developing the complete tight-end skillset (per Patriots film review: 18 takeaways from the preseason opener vs. the Colts).

By late training camp, Raridon has capitalized on Julian Hill's season-ending injury, emerging as the clear TE2 for the Patriots. He's developing strong chemistry with veteran tight end Hunter Henry and is positioned as an underrated contributor all season long. His momentum from OTAs and training camp has carried through the preseason, validating the third-round selection and establishing him as a strong dynasty stash with upside for 2027 when Hunter Henry's contract expires. (per 10 NFL Rookies Drafted Outside First Round Exceeding Expectations)

Role / Depth Chart

Clear backup to Hunter Henry. Roundtable.io's pre-training-camp 53-man roster projection (July 9) confirmed that Raridon is "a virtual lock to make the roster," establishing him as the Patriots' primary TE2 behind veteran Hunter Henry. With Julian Hill sidelined due to season-ending injury, Raridon becomes the clear second tight end heading into 2026, providing immediate pathway to NFL snaps (per New England Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection: Pre-Training Camp 2026).

Injury Status

Appears healthy.

Recent News

Open Questions

Sources

Coaches shaping Eli's role

Mike VrabelHead CoachJosh McDanielsOffensive CoordinatorThomas BrownTight Ends / Passing Game CoordinatorDoug MarroneOffensive LineJason HoughtalingAssistant Offensive LineJonathan DecosterOffensive Line Assistant

What the Experts Are Saying

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