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New England Patriots tight ends coach Thomas Brown has been impressed with rookie tight end Eli Raridon's early work with the team in the offseason.
Raridon was selected in the third round with the 95th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The expectation is that he'll show up ready to compete for reps in training camp. His presence is desperately needed with the departure of Austin Hooper in free agency, along with the season-ending injury suffered by veteran Julian Hill.
That leaves the No. 2 role at tight end behind Hunter Henry currently wide open.
Raridon has a chance to take advantage of this opportunity, and Brown likes what he sees from the young tight end, as ESPN's Mike Reiss noted. In fact, he noted that the team might only be scratching the surface when it comes to Raridon's college tape.
"Long speed. Athletic. Has good acceleration. Pretty good ball skills," Brown said, via Reiss. "There's so much more to kind of be captured from his college tape."
Raridon made a name for himself as a great blocker and pass-catcher at the collegiate level. He is a legitimate every-down option with the ability to succeed in both roles. But how quickly can he get up to speed in the NFL and actually contribute meaningful snaps on the field?
Raridon's development could be one of the biggest storylines for the team in training camp this year.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots TE coach thinks rookie Eli Raridon has positive unknowns
Continue reading...
Raridon was selected in the third round with the 95th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The expectation is that he'll show up ready to compete for reps in training camp. His presence is desperately needed with the departure of Austin Hooper in free agency, along with the season-ending injury suffered by veteran Julian Hill.
That leaves the No. 2 role at tight end behind Hunter Henry currently wide open.
Raridon has a chance to take advantage of this opportunity, and Brown likes what he sees from the young tight end, as ESPN's Mike Reiss noted. In fact, he noted that the team might only be scratching the surface when it comes to Raridon's college tape.
"Long speed. Athletic. Has good acceleration. Pretty good ball skills," Brown said, via Reiss. "There's so much more to kind of be captured from his college tape."
Raridon made a name for himself as a great blocker and pass-catcher at the collegiate level. He is a legitimate every-down option with the ability to succeed in both roles. But how quickly can he get up to speed in the NFL and actually contribute meaningful snaps on the field?
Raridon's development could be one of the biggest storylines for the team in training camp this year.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots TE coach thinks rookie Eli Raridon has positive unknowns
Continue reading...
