'22 IA TE Eli Raridon (Notre Dame Signee)

Wild Bill

Wild Bill

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Dizzyphil said:
I love Raridon, but he's not in the Top 25 TE's for 2026 draft...
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You think there's 25 draft eligible tight ends who are more coveted that Raridon? The kid is 6'7'', can catch, run, block, and has his head screwed on straight. Based on his build, my guess is he'll do pretty well in a combine setting. If his knees are completely fine, he could be the 3rd or 4th tight end picked.


NDMatt91 said:
Isn't he out of eligibility?
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Yes, but nobody cares about NCAA rules anymore.
 
CanadalovesND

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Dizzyphil said:
I love Raridon, but he's not in the Top 25 TE's for 2026 draft...
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How familiar are you with the TE prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft?

He has the injury concerns which will likely factor into his evaluation from teams, but he's getting drafted.

He won't be the first one picked, nor will he be the last one.
 
Dizzyphil

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jprue24 said:
It's Sadiq and then team dependent. Rairdon is probably top 10 and currently Kiper's #5 at the position
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Kiper is not all that... and never has been... Like I said earlier, I love Raridon and what he has done as an all around player for the Irish, but three TD catches and around 500 total rec yds so far throughout his career, that is not going to catch many NFL teams. I like where Kiper has him ranked if it is 5th but, I don't see and neither does other analysts on their depth charts for the 2026 draft.
 
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jprue24

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Dizzyphil said:
Kiper is not all that... and never has been... Like I said earlier, I love Raridon and what he has done as an all around player for the Irish, but three TD catches and around 500 total rec yds so far throughout his career, that is not going to catch many NFL teams. I like where Kiper has him ranked if it is 5th but, I don't see and neither does other analysts on their depth charts for the 2026 draft.
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Outside of Sadiq being #1, I don't really have an opinion.

Edit - As of end of October, Walter Football has him at #4

2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Tight End – WalterFootball

walterfootball.com walterfootball.com
 
Wild Bill

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Measurables and potential alone should get him drafted. Hell, look at Brock Wright - he may have more years played in the NFL than he had catches at ND.
 
Dizzyphil

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Wild Bill said:
Measurables and potential alone should get him drafted. Hell, look at Brock Wright - he may have more years played in the NFL than he had catches at ND.
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LOL yep.. he did I think... also went undrafted.... What a great comeback for someone being passed up through the draft.
 
Dale

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Stowers, Trigg and Sadiq will go before him. Other than that wouldn’t argue any one name passionately versus Raridon. Feels like a 4th rounder hopefully
 
Dizzyphil

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Dale said:
Stowers, Trigg and Sadiq will go before him. Other than that wouldn’t argue any one name passionately versus Raridon. Feels like a 4th rounder hopefully
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Koziol is up there too IMO... he's a 'lineman' with great hands...
 
CanadalovesND

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Dizzyphil said:
Kiper is not all that... and never has been... Like I said earlier, I love Raridon and what he has done as an all around player for the Irish, but three TD catches and around 500 total rec yds so far throughout his career, that is not going to catch many NFL teams. I like where Kiper has him ranked if it is 5th but, I don't see and neither does other analysts on their depth charts for the 2026 draft.
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I think you’re undervaluing Raridon’s production. He’s nearing 500 receiving yards this season, which puts him 12th nationally among tight ends, and his film shows strong run-blocking. The only thing missing is a touchdown — and that won’t make him undraftable.

He’s also outperformed several recent Notre Dame tight ends: his 473 yards already exceed Mitchell Evans’ 2023 and 2024 totals, as well as Tommy Tremble’s career mark.

With the season winding down, plus a likely Senior Bowl invite and the combine ahead, scouting buzz will only grow. As Dale noted, Raridon looks like a fourth-round prospect, assuming his medicals check out.
 
Dizzyphil

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CanadalovesND said:
I think you’re undervaluing Raridon’s production. He’s nearing 500 receiving yards this season, which puts him 12th nationally among tight ends, and his film shows strong run-blocking. The only thing missing is a touchdown — and that won’t make him undraftable.

He’s also outperformed several recent Notre Dame tight ends: his 473 yards already exceed Mitchell Evans’ 2023 and 2024 totals, as well as Tommy Tremble’s career mark.

With the season winding down, plus a likely Senior Bowl invite and the combine ahead, scouting buzz will only grow. As Dale noted, Raridon looks like a fourth-round prospect, assuming his medicals check out.
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I'm not undermining the kid... read the entire post - just not the first sentence. I want everything that is coming to that kid. His numbers are not justified due to his injury that basically kept him out a season of football. Even if he doesn't get drafted, guaranteed he's walking on somewhere and will get his. I actually hope he puts in for a medical and comes back next year.
 
CanadalovesND

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Dizzyphil said:
I'm not undermining the kid... read the entire post - just not the first sentence. I want everything that is coming to that kid. His numbers are not justified due to his injury that basically kept him out a season of football. Even if he doesn't get drafted, guaranteed he's walking on somewhere and will get his. I actually hope he puts in for a medical and comes back next year.
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Having him back for another year would be fantastic, but as we've seen at ND in the last 20 years, the next guy up gets the job done (and gets drafted, too).

My point was that his stats are more than enough to "catch many NFL teams", even though teams won't be circling him on their draft boards, he's a great value pick in the middle rounds, just like Durham Smythe and Mitchell Evans were.
 
GowerND11

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You are absolutely undervaluing Eli. He’s a strong do everything inline TE who has the build and measurable to be a high TE drafted. Yes, injuries and career totals aren’t there. But teams LOVE Notre Dame tight ends.

If Tremble can be selected in the 3rd round, Eli can be selected there too. There aren’t 25 TEs being drafted before then.
 
zelezo vlk

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allenm5333 said:
Was hoping he may be swayed to come back if the five for five is agreed to
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I thought the 5 for 5 wouldn't be voted on until the offseason and leaving your fate in the balance for that long is a bad idea for Raridon
 
Wild Bill

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rtrn2glory said:
with his injury history he has to go now while he's healthy if he has any aspirations of playing professionally.
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They would have been screwed if he got hurt this year, and all year long I just assumed it would have happened based on his history.

Glad it didn't and wish him well.
 
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Bummer but is Premer an EE? A true freshman 5 star could replace his pass catching, IMO and I don't think Raridon was a lights out blocker,
 
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Raridon I thought was going to be the next all time great TE at ND. He became a better blocker this year, but he never full regained his elite athleticism and mobility with all his knee injuries.

Premer is NOT an EE but he has a chance to be a great one, so does Flanigan, and so does Jaxon Dollar in the 2027 class (hope we land him).

I'm not saying he's going to be him but Premers comp would be brock bowers IMO and Dollars comp would be a taller Evan Engram or kyle pitts.
 
NewEnglandGuy

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I recall John Brice bringing the info about 5 for 5 regarding who would be eligible. It would go into effect for the incoming class of freshman. NOT for current 4th year seniors. He speculated possible 2025 first years maybe grandfathered in, but I think ND was cautious and went out of their way to still redshirt as many as possible.
 
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