2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame

Name: Eli Raridon

Position: Tight End

School: University of Notre Dame

Height/Weight: 6’7”, 252 lbs

Class: Senior (2025 season)

Hometown: Des Moines, IA

High School: Valley High School

Recruiting Rank: 4-star recruit, top-300 nationally (247Sports), top TE prospect in Iowa (2022 class)

Draft Projections (as of February 2026):

• ESPN (Mel Kiper Big Board, updated February 2026) → TE4

• Pro Football Network (PFSN Big Board, February 2026) → TE5

• PFF (Big Board, updated February 2026) → TE8, No. 210 overall

• NFL.com (prospect profile) → Day 3 projection, inline TE

• NFL Draft Buzz (profile) → TE8, late round

• Consensus (NFL Mock Draft Database, February 2026) → TE6-8, ~200 overall (Expected: 6th round, range 5th-7th)

Career Background

A four-star recruit from Valley High School in Des Moines, Iowa, Raridon was a standout tight end and athlete who committed to Notre Dame over offers from Iowa, Michigan, and others. He contributed as a backup early in his career before taking on a larger role in 2025, becoming a reliable inline and move tight end in the Irish offense. He helped Notre Dame reach the College Football Playoff while showcasing improved receiving production. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in January 2026 after four seasons in South Bend.

Career Stats

• 2022 (Freshman) → Limited action (redshirt year)

• 2023 (Sophomore) → 11 rec / 90 yds / 2 TDs

• 2024 (Junior) → 14 rec / 187 yds / 2 TDs

• 2025 (Senior) → 32 rec / 482 yds / 0 TDs

• Career Totals (4 Seasons) → 57 rec / 759 yds / 4 TDs

Advanced Stats (2025):

• PFF Overall Offensive Grade → 72.0 (mid-tier ranked TE)

• PFF Receiving Grade → 70.0 (mid-tier ranked TE)

• QB RTG When Targeted → 118.8

• Receptions/Targets → 32 / 45 (71.1%)

• Contested Catch → 5 rec / 9 targ (55.6%)

• Drops → 2 (on 45 targets)

• Yards After Catch → 112 (5.9 per rec / ~23% of total yards)

• Missed Tackles Forced → 5 (solid YAC contributor)

• Inline Rate → 68.4% (high usage as blocker)

Awards and Accolades

High School:

• All-State honors

• Consensus 4-star

College:

• Key contributor on Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff team (2025)

• Senior Bowl standout (2026)

Character and Leadership

Raridon is praised by coaches and teammates for his work ethic and toughness, with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman highlighting his growth and leadership in the tight end room. He has been noted for his maturity and ability to elevate those around him through consistent effort. In exit interviews, Raridon discussed learning to lead through both success and losses, and teammates like CJ Carr have been called out by him as the top leader, showing his self-awareness. No arrests, legal issues, suspensions, or off-field red flags reported across ESPN, local media, police records, or draft sources. He is viewed as a positive locker-room presence and dedicated professional-in-the-making.

Injuries

Raridon has an extensive injury history that has limited his availability and production at times, including multiple lower-body issues (notably two ACL tears on the same knee early in his career) that caused him to miss games in earlier seasons. In 2025, he started all 12 games but dealt with nagging injuries that impacted his consistency. Scouts are monitoring his medicals closely due to the history of soft-tissue and durability concerns. No major surgeries reported in recent years, but full clearance at the Combine will be key to his stock.

Play Style

Raridon is a big, physical tight end who excels as an inline blocker with the size to seal edges and sustain blocks in the run game. He shows receiving upside with soft hands and the ability to win contested catches, though his route-running is still developing. Fits traditional power-run offenses that value inline TEs; comps include shades of Hunter Long (size and reliability).

Strengths

1.  Inline Blocking Power — Dominant at the point of attack; sustains drives with leverage.

2.  Catch-Point Ability — Wins contested throws with length and hands.

3.  Physical Toughness — Plays through contact; high-effort finisher.

4.  Red-Zone Presence — Body control in tight windows.

5.  Size Advantage — Towering frame creates mismatches.

Weaknesses

1.  Athletic Limitations — Lacks elite burst for separation.

2.  Route Polish — Developing route tree; can be stiff.

3.  YAC Creation — Limited after the catch.

4.  Injury History — Multiple nagging issues; monitor durability.

5.  Speed Ceiling — Adequate but not mismatch threat vertically.

Final Evaluation

Eli Raridon is a solid TE4-5 in the 2026 class and a Day 3 talent with strong inline blocking. Cross-referencing PFF, PFN, ESPN, NFL.com, and The 33rd Team shows consensus on his size and run-game reliability as foundational traits. While receiving production was modest in Notre Dame’s scheme, his efficiency and blocking tape suggest immediate rotational value. In run-first NFL offenses that value complete TEs (think McBride/Long hybrids), Raridon projects as a dependable blocker who adds receiving flashes over time. He carries mid-to-late Day 3 value and could rise with strong testing.

Sources

• ESPN (Mel Kiper Big Board, prospect profiles)

• PFF (2025 grades from your CSV export, receiving analysis)

• Pro Football Network (Big Board, scouting reports)

• NFL.com (prospect profile, Lance Zierlein)

• NFL Draft Buzz (full profile)

• Notre Dame Athletics / Sports-Reference (bio, stats, accolades)

• The 33rd Team / Daft on Draft / A to Z Sports (detailed scouting reports)

• Local media (Notre Dame Insider, Irish Illustrated) for character and injury context