The Patriots' 2026 draft class has seemingly not prompted as much excitement from fans as in previous seasons, likely due to picking so low in multiple rounds and, of course, because most of the positions they prioritized are vastly overlooked in the big scheme of things.
That's probably why there aren't many articles hyping up a player like offensive lineman Caleb Lomu, and all we've been hearing about second-rounder Gabe Jacas is far from ideal, since he has yet to join the team for practices and sign his rookie contract.
Beyond them, however, there should be a bit more optimism surrounding tight end Eli Raridon, who was one of the most forgotten players of his class, since it was widely considered a deep group at tight end this year. And although the Patriots didn't get one of the top names, Raridon still has a lot of potential and will work with one of the team's best mentors, Hunter Henry.
We haven't seen much from him just yet, but we expect to see a budding chemistry develop between him and Drake Maye once training camp begins. That will inevitably draw more eyes to him ahead of his rookie season, yet some in the media are already hyping him up before he even takes a snap.
In fact, Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated believes Raridon is the most overlooked tight end of the 2026 class and suggests he could become a big steal for the Patriots sooner rather than later.
Eli Raridon is getting some unexpected early praise that many Patriots fans need to hear
Because the Patriots' tight end room needed an upgrade this offseason, it was clear they would use one of their higher draft picks to select a player with a bright future in the NFL.
Many fans hoped to snag one of the top names, especially since a few fell in the second round, but they waited to take Raridon until a bit later. His past injuries have some concerned about how that might impact his performance, but he's coming off the best season of his college career, and that's something Melo thinks makes him a "slept-on prospect" in 2026.
"Eli Raridon was a slept-on prospect in a deep tight end class. He overcame an ACL injury early in his career to record a career-high 482 receiving yards in 2025 while averaging an explosive 15.1 yards per reception.
The New England Patriots drafted Raridon in the third round and he already showed some chemistry with starting quarterback Drake Maye during OTAs and minicamp. He's also an effective enough blocker to succeed with his hand in the dirt."
The rookie is stepping into a massive opportunity that wouldn't have arisen had Julian Hill, a veteran the Patriots signed in free agency, not suffered a season-ending injury earlier this offseason.
Raridon was expected to be the TE3 behind the two vets and to take his first season as a learning year behind two insightful players. Instead, he will be thrown into the mix much sooner than expected, giving him a good chance to prove early on just how good he can be for the offense.
It's something he should take advantage of and carve out a role for himself on offense for the foreseeable future, and based on takes like Melo's, there's plenty of reason to believe he could achieve that this fall.
He couldn't be set to work with anyone better than Henry early in his career, and Henry's mentorship could really shape what kind of player he could become for the Patriots. Hopefully, it's exactly what they need, and he will no longer be an overlooked player on their roster.
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