The New England Patriots entered the offseason with several pressing needs. The top three were to add an offensive tackle or two, a couple of edge players, and two additions to the tight end unit. At tight end after losing Austin Hooper to free agency, they signed blocking tight end Julian Hill away from Miami. In addition, they invested their third-round pick in Notre Dame's Eli Raridon.
On The Next Pats Podcast with Phil Perry, Notre Dame offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock compared Raridon to two former Notre Dame tight ends: Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Eifert. Both were solid if not star NFL tight ends. If Raridon can stay healthy and equal their achievements, he'll provide a boost to the Patriots' offense and to quarterback Drake Maye.
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 buzz around Eli Raridon is being driven by someone who knows him best
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.
"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.”
Being suggested as a combination of two former solid NFL tight ends should be positive news for Patriots Nation. Interestingly, it was Rudolph who had the bigger receiving seasons, including catching 83 passes in 2016 for the Vikings. Eifert's best receiving year was in 2015 when he caught 52 passes and scored 13 touchdowns for the Bengals.
Raridon enters Foxborough with high expectations as a third-round pick. Having already suffered two torn ACLs in his right knee a few years ago, his injury status bears close watching.
The Patriots are betting on Raridon's upside as an intriguing do-it-all tight end, and one of the coaches who knows him best clearly thinks it was a smart one.
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