Des Moines native and former Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon was recently selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Raridon was one of several Iowa natives selected in this year’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, which took place April 23-25. Here’s what NFL team Raridon will be suiting up for in 2026.
Where was Eli Raridon drafted to?
The New England Patriots took Raridon in the third round with the No. 95 pick. Patriots legend and two-time Super Bowl champion Deion Branch announced the pick live on ESPN.
The Valley product was the ninth tight end taken off the board, and when round seven wrapped up on April 25, over 20 tight ends were selected in total.
Raridon joins a Patriots squad fresh off appearing in its record 12th Super Bowl appearance in 2026, losing 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks after a 14-3 regular season record. New England is led by third-year quarterback Drake Maye, who finished second in MVP voting in 2025 with over 4,800 total yards and 33 touchdowns.
Raridon joins a tight end room with veteran Hunter Henry at the top of the depth chart. Henry, a 2016 second-round pick, has been with the team since 2021 and has recorded 47 touchdowns and more than 5,200 yards in his 10‑year NFL career.
Eli Raridon’s journey to becoming an NFL Draft pick
Football has long been a part of the Raridon family lineage. Eli’s grandfather, Scott Raridon Sr., played offensive tackle at Nebraska before a short NFL stint. After his playing career, Scott Sr. — a Mason City native — transitioned into coaching, becoming a strength and conditioning coach at Notre Dame, where he worked under legendary head coach Lou Holtz during the late 1980s.
That Notre Dame connection continued with Scott Raridon Jr., Eli’s father, who played offensive line and served as Notre Dame’s long snapper from 2003 to 2006. Eli was born during his father’s sophomore season in 2004, while his mother, Jena, was attending Indiana University–South Bend.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve been a die-hard Fighting Irish fan,” Eli told the Register in 2021. ” I remember praying as a little kid to get a scholarship to play football at Notre Dame.”
Eventually, Scott Jr. and Jenna moved back to their home state and settled in central Iowa, where Eli grew up alongside his three younger siblings, Cynthia, Ariel and Shepard. Continuing a strong family football tradition — Eli’s uncle, John Raridon, signed with Nebraska as a highly ranked prospect out of Valley in 2014 — Eli developed into a premier multi‑sport athlete at Valley High School from 2018 to 2022.
During his Valley career, Raridon recorded more than 900 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on the football field, while also earning all‑state honors in basketball.
Coming out of Valley, Raridon ranked as a top‑five recruit in the state and one of the nation’s top tight ends. He ultimately committed to Notre Dame in May 2021, choosing the Fighting Irish over offers from Iowa, Iowa State and Tennessee.
Eli Raridon’s stats
Raridon appeared in 40 games over four seasons in South Bend. His first two years in South Bend were marred by knee issues, including a torn ACL in 2022, a re‑tear of the ligament he originally tore during his senior season of high school basketball in 2021.
After spending his first three seasons primarily backing up Mitchell Evans — including during Notre Dame’s 2025 national championship run — Raridon had his breakout as a senior. He finished third on the team in receiving yards, posting 482 yards on a 10–2 Fighting Irish team.
Here’s a season‑by‑season breakdown of Raridon’s college statistics:
Iowa keeps producing NFL talent
After going No. 95, Raridon joins a list of over 20 other Iowa natives to be drafted into the NFL since 2020. The others are:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Eli Raridon, former Valley star, drafted No. 95 by the Patriots
Reporting by Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
