The New England Patriots didn’t need another cause to expect more from Eli Raridon during his rookie season.
They received one anyway.
CBS Sports ranked Raridon fifth among rookie tight ends projected to make the biggest impact in 2026, placing the third-round pick alongside four players selected ahead of him.
The ranking leaned heavily on opportunity, with New England’s depth chart opening a clearer path than several other rookies will have elsewhere.
That opportunity has grown since the draft.
Julian Hill, signed to bring more strength to the Patriots’ run game, suffered a season-ending injury during organized team activities. His absence left Raridon with a quicker route to meaningful snaps behind Hunter Henry.
CBS Sports projected Raridon for 22 receptions, 241 yards and two touchdowns.
Raridon Can Outgrow His Projection
GettyEli Raridon playing with Notre Dame
The Patriots selected Raridon with the No. 95 overall pick after his most productive college season.
He started all 12 games for Notre Dame in 2025 and caught 32 passes for 482 yards.
Raridon finished his college career with 48 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns across 40 games. A season-ending knee injury as a freshman and a gradual return to a larger role shaped his output.
His final season offered the coherent picture of the player New England believed it was drafting.
Raridon averaged 15.1 yards per catch and recorded eight receptions on throws traveling at least 20 yards downfield, the most among draft-eligible tight ends, per Patriots.com.
He also ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds.
That combination gives Drake Maye a target who can stretch the middle of the field, work across formations and create a larger throwing window.
New England’s draft analysis highlighted Raridon’s 10 3/4-inch hands and 80-inch wingspan as traits that should translate well between the numbers.
Raridon described himself after the draft as a versatile player capable of creating explosive plays and contributing as a blocker. He also pointed to George Kittle as the tight end whose approach he has tried to model.
The comparison sets a lofty standard.
But the skill set explains why the Patriots saw enough upside to spend a top-100 selection on a player with fewer than 50 career college catches.
Hunter Henry’s Success Gives Raridon Development Time
GettyNew England Patriots TE Hunter Henry
Hunter Henry remains the No.1 in the tight end room and one of Maye’s most reliable options.
Henry set a career high with 768 receiving yards in 2025 and ranked seventh among NFL tight ends. He also generated the second-most total expected points added at the position.
His presence gives Raridon room to develop without carrying the passing game.
The Patriots used two or more tight ends on 29.6% of their offensive snaps last season, a below-average rate.
Their second tight end still played close to half the snaps, and the team entered the offseason looking to improve its ability to run from heavier personnel groupings.
Hill’s injury changed that plan.
Raridon now has a chance to claim snaps that once appeared headed toward a veteran blocker, even if New England uses other options in short-yardage situations.
CBS Sports called Raridon the heir apparent to Henry, speaking more to the long-term plan than the Week 1 depth chart. But the timeline has already started to move.
A strong summer would give the Patriots another receiving threat for Maye and ease one of the roster’s quieter concerns.
And CBS projection feel would look conservative before Raridon plays his first NFL game.
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