2026 THIRD ROUND DRAFT PICK ELI RARIDON

PRESS CONFERENCE
April 24, 2026

Q: Eli, welcome to New England. Just curious about your level of pre-draft contact with the Patriots and what sort of preconceived ideas did you have about the Patriots coming into this process?

ER: Yeah, I did a 30 visit with them a few weeks ago and have been in contact with a couple of guys, knew it was a very real possibility for me, and absolutely loved when I visited there. Loved the coaching staff, love the people running the organization, and I’m just so happy to have an opportunity.

Q: Hey Eli, congratulations. Just kind of on the familiarity with the Patriots, I’m curious, you’re going to be working with Hunter Henry. Your familiarity with him and if he’s somebody whose game you’ve studied?

ER: Yeah, Hunter Henry is someone, you know, I haven’t studied his game, but really like. I know he’s a great player, great person, heard great things about him and I’m really excited to learn under him.

Q: Hi Eli, congratulations. I’m just curious, how would you describe your game to Patriots fans? What can they expect from you in New England?

Yeah, I feel like a good way to describe me is I’m versatile. I can do both things in the passing and blocking game. I can make explosive plays with the ball in my hands and also dominate defenders in the run game as well. So, I’m someone who I feel brings versatility to the table, so I’m going to do both things.

Q: Hey Eli, congratulations. Who would you say you model your game after? Who do you look up to among NFL tight ends?

ER: Yeah, I’ve looked up to George Kittle a lot; just love how he can do both things extremely well, love the way he blocks, love his mentality of playing the game, and obviously he makes great plays in the passing game as well. And that’s someone who I try to embody my game after.

Q: Eli, I know it happened going on four or five years ago now, but you tore your ACL in your right knee. Any sort of residual effects from that injury? How have you recovered it and got past it?

ER: Yeah, I’m feeling amazing, no effects at all. And I give all glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, and he’s been watching over me and taking care of me. And obviously I’ve done a lot of hard work to rehab that as well, but my body feels amazing and I’m ready to get to work.

Q: Hey Eli, congrats. Building off of the ACL, I guess what’s the mental strength it needs to take to come back from those injuries, and how do you think that’s helped throughout your football career?

ER: Yeah, a lot of my mental strength resided in my faith, trusting the Lord, trusting that he has a plan for me. And just to put everything I have into the sport, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. But it has worked out, and I just have all my faith in him. And I just play free out there, I’m not worried about anything.

Q: Hey Eli, curious of your impressions, just watching from afar, of Drake Maye?

ER: Yeah, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and I’m really excited to play with him. And yeah, I’m pumped.

Q: Eli, thank you for your time man, welcome to New England. I know in Notre Dame’s offense, you didn’t get a ton of opportunities to catch the ball, but especially deep downfield, you made the most of those. I’m curious, where did you attain those ball skills in such limited opportunities? And how much do you pride yourself in that ability to be a consistent downfield threat?

ER: Yeah, that’s something I take a lot of pride in, being a deep threat who can go up and get the ball when it’s thrown to me. And I think basketball has helped with that, I think the coaching staff at Notre Dame has helped with that, just practicing and getting reps. And that’s something I definitely take a lot of pride in.

Q: Congratulations, Eli. What do you remember about your visit? What struck you about the visit? Who did you meet with when you were in Foxborough?

ER: Yeah, I thought the new facilities were awesome. I thought the coaches I met with, tight ends coach [Thomas Brown], Coach [Mike] Vrabel, some of the higher up guys as well were amazing. And really excited to be part of an organization that has such great leadership and such great people and staff, and I’m really excited.

Q: Hey Eli, you mentioned it briefly, but I also saw you did an interview about your basketball past and how you played a lot. Can you talk a little bit about your history of playing basketball and maybe how that’s helped you in football?

ER: Yeah, basketball was always part of my life growing up, and I really feel like it helped me be better controlled with my body going up, high pointing the ball, things like that. And I think it’s definitely helped me translate early on in my career.