""He's a big-bodied guy, long, athletic, can do the things in the passing game that I believe Tyler Eifert could do," Denbrock said. " And Kyle Rudolph was no slouch as a receiving tight end himself. He was great in the red zone. I think those are things that Eli can contribute. And then the physical presence. His size and his willingness to block. I think that kind of lends itself to Kyle Rudolph as well.""
"Eli Raridon's career was a mixed bag at Notre Dame. He played his first two seasons sparingly and only emerged as a true junior in 2024. His best season statistically was 2025, when he caught 32 passes for 492 yards but failed to get into the end zone. Those aren't earth-shattering stats, but Denbrock still has high expectations for the 6-foot-6, 245-pound playmaker."
"With two-thirds of their tight end room already rebuilt and Hunter Henry entering his age-31 season, the tight end position will likely be totally revamped by Mike Vrabel, possibly even after the 2026 season. Henry's three-year extension is over after this season, and his return will be a question mark in 2027."
The New England Patriots entered the offseason with needs at offensive tackle, edge positions, and tight end. After losing Austin Hooper to free agency, they signed blocking tight end Julian Hill from Miami and used a third-round pick on Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon. Notre Dame offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock compared Raridon’s profile to former Notre Dame tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Eifert, describing him as big-bodied, long, and athletic with passing-game capabilities. Raridon’s Notre Dame production included 32 catches for 492 yards in 2025, with no touchdowns. The Patriots’ tight end room is already being rebuilt, and Hunter Henry’s future beyond this season is uncertain.
Read at Musket Fire
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]