When the New England Patriots selected tight end Eli Raridon in the third round of the NFL Draft, they didn't just add another player—they brought in a walking piece of Notre Dame history with a dash of Rob Gronkowski-like potential. Raridon comes from three generations of Fighting Irish football royalty, but what truly set his recruitment in motion wasn't a highlight reel of touchdown catches. It was his basketball tape.
As the story goes, former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was scouting prospects when he stumbled upon footage of Raridon dominating on the hardwood. The clip showed the Iowa native driving the lane, throwing down dunks, and snatching rebounds like a man possessed. It was enough to make Rees pick up the phone and call Valley High School coach Gary Swenson.
"They knew about Eli as a football player, but they hadn't done all the due diligence," Swenson recalled. "I think they saw the basketball film and were like, 'Wow.' They just didn't know he was that type of athlete."
It's a familiar story in today's NFL, where tight ends are increasingly expected to be hybrid athletes—part receiver, part blocker, and all-around mismatch nightmares. Raridon's basketball background gives him that explosive first step and body control that makes defenders look foolish in the open field. Think of it as the modern tight end blueprint: if you can box out for a rebound, you can probably box out a safety for a jump ball in the end zone.
Current Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who also serves as the tight ends coach, couldn't agree more. "At the high school level, he was a menace on the basketball court," Denbrock said. "He was driving down the lane and dunking on people and snatching rebounds. He's doing everything I'm sure the Boston Celtics could have used down the stretch."
For Patriots fans, the comparison to Rob Gronkowski isn't just about size or athleticism—it's about that rare combination of power and finesse that made No. 87 a legend in New England. While it's early to crown Raridon as the next Gronk, the traits are there: the basketball-honed body control, the multi-sport pedigree, and a football IQ passed down through generations of Notre Dame excellence.
In a league where tight ends are becoming matchup nightmares, Raridon's journey from the basketball court to the NFL might just be the story Patriots fans want to hear. Whether he's hauling in passes over the middle or throwing a key block on the edge, one thing is clear: this isn't just a football player. He's an athlete, through and through.