Eli Raridon

● Towering, well-put-together frame, with density in his hips/quads ● Moves with linear twitch and long strides to outpace linebackers on seams ● Coordinated quickness to avoid route disruptors without leaving his route path ● Makes athletic adjustments on back-shoulder throws ● Wingspan and hand strength help him finish grabs in traffic ● Finishes with both balance and toughness as a runner ● Ascending inline blocker and wham player ● Able to reach and wall off targets on the backside ● Mature mindset (already married) ● Stayed healthy past two seasons, playing in all 28 games

● Narrow through his torso; has room to add more mass ● Stiff hips show at the break point ● Lacks nuance in route construction and tips his path ● Runs well, just not well enough to outrun pursuit ● Didn’t find the end zone over 12 starts as a senior ● Inconsistent anchor in pass protection ● Can be out-leveraged in the run game, especially when his hand placement is off 183 Back to table of contents -- 187 of 629 -- ● Tore ACL in his right knee during basketball season as a senior in high school (Dec. 2021); received hamstring-grafting procedure to quickly get back to full health — and was running routes four months after surgery — but re-tore the same ACL during practice as a college freshman (Oct. 2022)

A one-and-a-half-year starter at Notre Dame, Raridon was a Y tight end (50-50 split between inline and slot) in offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s scheme. A native son of South Bend (his dad was an offensive lineman for Brady Quinn), his first two seasons were disrupted by knee injuries, but he stayed healthy as a junior and senior and was productive when targeted — even if he wasn’t a central aspect of the offense. Raridon shows more promise than one might expect of a player with just 48 career catches. Though rough around the edges as a route runner, he has an athletic foundation that can become a strength of his game. As a blocker, his upright posture and inconsistent hands work against him, but he can reach and cut off defenders without sacrificing his control. Overall, Raridon is still figuring things out, but he gets to top gear quickly and has promising ball skills and blocking chops. His college tape shows the building blocks of an intriguing pro-level tight end, although the medicals will influence his draft projection.