In some ways, Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo has been overshadowed by the Seattle Seahawks’ other highly compelling early-round NFL Draft picks.
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First-round offensive lineman Grey Zabel has deservedly gotten much of the spotlight. Second-round safety Nick Emmanwori also has received plenty of attention, due to his rare athletic traits and the fact that Seattle traded up to grab him. And then there was Seattle’s bold decision to select dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round, which has sparked considerable interest and discussion.
As a result, Arroyo flew a bit under the radar after the Seahawks selected him in the second round at No. 50 overall.
But to Pro Football Focus lead NFL Draft analyst Trevor Sikkema, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Arroyo was the team’s most intriguing pick. Sikkema heaped praise on Arroyo during an appearance Monday on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.
“I love the Elijah Arroyo selection for them in the second round,” Sikkema said. “This is a player who I think is a fantastic wide receiver version of what you would want from a tight end. He’s somebody who was one of the best receiving tight ends that we had in college football this past year. … I think he is excellent for exactly what they want.”
A big receiving threat
Arroyo missed most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with a knee injury, but had a breakout 2024 campaign at Miami with 35 catches for 590 yards and seven touchdowns. He led all FBS tight ends with 16.9 yards per catch, while showcasing impressive speed and athleticism for his size.
In Seattle, Arroyo provides a much-needed big receiving threat. The Seahawks’ projected top two receivers are 6-foot Jaxon Smith-Njigba and 6-foot-1 Cooper Kupp.
Arroyo also may have the positional flexibility to move around and play in some receiver spots. Last season at Miami, he lined up as an inline tight end for 49.2% of his snaps, as a slot receiver for 39.5% of his snaps and as an outside receiver for 5.7% of his snaps, according to PFF.
“They needed big receivers,” Sikkema said. “And I think that Elijah Arroyo is talented enough where you could play him as an X (receiver). You could play him on the outside.
“And so that to me is the most intriguing pick and the one that I’m the most excited about, because he fills a lot of different receiving needs that they would want from that big receiver role.”
What about his blocking?
As a receiving tight end, the big question for Arroyo centers around his blocking. But Sikkema thinks Arroyo’s frame should allow him to be at least a competent blocker.
Arroyo graded out fairly well as a run blocker last year at Miami, ranking 72nd out of 437 qualified FBS tight ends in PFF run blocking.
“I think that he’s a decent pound-for-pound blocker,” Sikkema said. “… Him being a receiver is his calling card, but he is a legit 6 foot 5, 250 pounds. So even just by nature of how he’s built, he is stronger than most receiving tight ends you would talk about nowadays.
“So is he gonna be somebody that you consider that sixth offensive lineman that you have attached to the line of scrimmage? No. But pound for pound, I think he is a good blocker, and you at least have faith in his frame that he’s built like a guy who can play on the trenches.”
Listen to the full conversation with Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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