Eli Raridon News: Scooped up by Patriots

New England selected Raridon in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 95th overall.

Raridon spent his entire four-year college career with Notre Dame, and he was able to overcome knee injuries in 2022 and 2023 to become a productive starter for the Fighting Irish. He put it all together in 2025 with 32 catches for 482 yards over 12 games, though he did not haul in a touchdown pass. Raridon showed steady improvement as a pass catcher over the course of his college career and has the athletic foundation (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) to establish himself as a large target in the passing game for Drake Maye, though the former will need to work on his blocking ability in order to earn consistent snaps on offense. Hunter Henry is New England's top option at tight end, but with Austin Hooper signing with the Falcons in March, Raridon has a chance to earn the TE2 job, with Julian Hill being his main competition.