The New England Patriots were busy trading up in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, but they decided to stay where they were in the late third. Their patience paid off, and they saw one of the top tight ends in the class fall into their laps at No. 95 overall.<\/p>\n
Instant grades: Patriots draft TE Eli Raridon 95th overall<\/p>\n
Bernd Buchmasser: Raridon is a legitimate Y-tight end, who provides an all-around skillset at the position: he can line up in-line and is physical enough to hold his own a blocker but also has the athleticism to line up in the slot or split out wide as a pass catcher. In that senses, he perfectly complements New England\u2019s current group at the position and should be able to make an impact fairly early in his career. | Grade: A<\/p>\n
Pat Lane: Raridon has prototypical size for a tight end, and can do everything a modern tight end has to do. He is a solid run blocker, and has shown some really good mobility and ability in the passing game as well. The Patriots have a huge need at tight end for the future, and they might have gotten a future TE1 at the end of the third round | Grade: A<\/p>\n
Matt St. Jean: Eli Raridon is an excellent pick for the Patriots. He\u2019s a fluid mover and solid blocker coming off a breakout season of production for Notre Dame. He projects into the backup role behind Hunter Henry, and he has the athleticism and receiving skills to develop into a quality starting tight end in this league. | Grade: A<\/p>\n
Andrew Guindon: A receiving tight end was a substantial need for the Patriots heading into day two, especially considering Hunter Henry\u2019s age. Raridon has a towering frame he uses to his advantage as a pass-catcher. Learning under Henry for a year is a significant advantage in his favor. He\u2019s a decent run blocker and has room for improvement in that area; however, Raridon could develop into a reliable option for Drake Maye and eventually take over the reigns of Henry\u2019s role. | Grade: A<\/p>\n