Top TE Prospect Had Great Meeting With Patriots

Nearly one week since New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel praised how deep the versatile the upcoming class of tight ends are in the 2026 NFL Draft, one of the team's meetings with a top prospect at that position was made public.

The Patriots met with Notre Dame's Eli Raridon, according to Justin Melo, and they weren't alone. Every team met with Raridon at the East-West Shrine Bowl, with some of those informal meetings soon leading to a second round of interviews.

"Teams like the New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, I had great initial meetings with those teams," Raridon told Melo, who also mentioned that he met with the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and New Orleans Saints throughout the process.

Raridon had a breakout season with Notre Dame in 2025, recording 32 catches for 482 yards. He didn't score a touchdown, but started all of the team's 12 games before declaring for the draft. After he was invited to the Shrine Bowl, he was also invited to the NFL Combine, where he also excelled.

He ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash, and jumped his way to a 36-inch vertical and a 10-foot-3 broad jump. The 6-foot-6 Raridon was fifth-best among all tight ends in the broad jump in a class that also included big names like Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon), Oscar Delp (Georgia) and Max Klare (Ohio State).

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon (TE19) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Patriots will certainly be taking a tight end at some point during the NFL Draft. Hunter Henry, coming off the best season of his career, is nearing the end of his contract, while two others on the roster (Austin Hooper, Jack Westover) are both hitting free agency. Vrabel spoke about the depth at the tight end position, mentioning how even players taken later in the draft can find a way to contribute on the field.

What Does Vrabel Think Of The TE Class?

"I think there's volume at the tight end class," Vrabel said at the NFL Combine. "Whether they're premium players or what people would say are first-round picks, I just know that when you go and you evaluate other teams and you get ready to play for them, there's a bunch of fourth and fifth round tight ends that end up starting, playing and contributing."

Raridon could be a good fit for the Patriots, excelling as a blocker and getting open in the passing game. He's struggled with drops at times, but can certainly factor into an offense as a backup tight end before carving out a larger role for himself later on in the year.

"They’re getting an elite competitor first and foremost," Raridon said. "I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. I want to develop into the best player I can be. I feel like I have all of the intangibles, the physical and mental traits to become an elite tight end in the NFL."

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