Finding franchise quarterback Drake Maye a No. 1 wide receiver has been a popular topic of discussion during the offseason, but the New England Patriots also needed to give their most valuable player another tight end to target in the passing attack.
The Patriots lost Austin Hooper in free agency last month, leaving veteran Hunter Henry as the only reliable pass-catcher at the position.
So, it wasn’t surprising that the Patriots selected Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon with the No. 95 overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night.
Raridon set career highs with 32 receptions and 482 receiving yards at Notre Dame last season. He is listed at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds.
Our Patriots insider Phil Perry gives the Raridon pick a “B+” grade. Here’s his analysis:
In a loaded tight end class, the Patriots came away with one of the few who profiles as a well-rounded “Y” who could be used to block on the line of scrimmage as well as impact games as a pass-catcher. At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, he tested as a high-end athlete at this year’s combine (81st percentile 40 time, 81st percentile vertical, 88th percentile broad jump), and those traits showed up at Notre Dame where he averaged the fourth-most yards per catch (15.1) among Power 4 tight ends.
While he’s a willing blocker, he could use some refinement there, and his injury history (tore his right ACL twice in 10 months four years ago) may have helped lead to a bit of a slide down the board for him Friday. But in Josh McDaniels’ offense, it’s easy to envision Raridon complementing Hunter Henry as a versatile seam-stretcher with an impressive catch radius.
The Patriots do not have a fourth-round pick on Day 3 of the draft because they traded them in separate deals to move up in the first and second rounds.
Their next pick is at No. 171 overall in the fifth round. It’s the first of five Day 3 picks that New England currently owns.
