Former Notre Dame football tight end Eli Raridon is officially an NFL rookie after the New England Patriots selected him in the third round (95th overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here’s what Raridon brings to the Patriots, based on his career with the Irish.
What Eli Raridon brings to the New England Patriots in 2026 NFL Draft
After overcoming a pair of torn ACLs in his right knee, including one setback that happened five games into his freshman season in 2022, Eli Raridon becomes the 13th straight primary Notre Dame tight end to be selected in the NFL Draft. The streak goes back more than two decades to 2006 draftee Anthony Fasano.
Eli Raridon’s highlights at Notre Dame football
Raridon is a willing blocker with a lanky frame who pulled down four contested catches as a senior. He also dropped three passes, including two in the season-opening loss at Miami, and caught just three career touchdowns, none of those in 2025. He married his high school sweetheart before his senior season, and the couple is expecting its first child.
Eli Raridon’s statistics at Notre Dame football
Officially measured at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, Raridon posted a 36-inch vertical at the NFL Scouting Combine, where his overall athleticism score of 75 ranked 11th among tight ends who tested. A Des Moines, Iowa product whose father, Scott, was a long snapper for the Irish, Raridon had 48 career receptions for 623 yards.
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: New England Patriots pick Notre Dame football’s Eli Raridon in NFL Draft
Reporting by Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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