After a long wait from trading up to pick No. 55 from 63 to ensure they got the pass rusher they liked, the Patriots finally got to select their only player of the third round. They already added Gabe Jacas and Caleb Lomu in Round 1, and now they have added a much-needed tight end.
Eli Raridon joins the Patriots to work behind Hunter Henry, who is expected to remain the TE1 for the upcoming season. He will be the perfect mentor for Raridon to learn from, as he could eventually succeed him if he lives up to the potential analysts believe he has.
Much of the conversation surrounding the Notre Dame alum has centered on the injuries he suffered early in his career, including two ACL tears that likely contributed to his near-fall to the fourth round.
However, plenty of analysts believe his best football is ahead of him, even FanSided's resident expert Levi Dombro, and that's exactly what the Patriots need for their offense and the future of their tight end room.
Eli Raridon has all the traits of what the Patriots need in a tight end
Ahead of the draft, Dombro spoke about what kind of player Raridon is and could be. Although he doesn't check every box for what the Patriots need in a tight end to play alongside Henry, he fits enough and could develop into the superstar they need.
"You can tell if someone values traits or production more based on how they feel about Raridon. He stands at over 6-foot-6 and possesses elite athleticism to pair with long arms and big hands, but the problem is that Raridon has a very limited résumé.
Although he improved each year, he still left Notre Dame with career totals of just 48 catches for 623 yards and 3 touchdowns. But Raridon can block in the run game and could blossom with the right coach."
His inexperience is certainly something to keep in mind, and it will likely play a role in what we see from him early on, but Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf have proven to Patriots fans that they should be trusted with their judgment, so there's no reason to doubt them now.
Raridon might be a project and not an immediate starter, and that's okay. He has some solid veterans to learn from ,and that will invaluable.
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