Eli Raridon's Final Chapter: From Setbacks to Senior Leader at Notre Dame
It’s a little crazy to think Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon is a senior, but the Iowa native enters his final season for the Irish in 2025.
After ACL injuries cut short each of his first two seasons, Raridon finally started to find his footing last fall. Now fully healthy, the 6-foot-7, 252-pounder is embracing the moment.
“I’m going into it with the mindset of nothing to lose,” stated Raridon. “I’m going to go out there and play my game. I’ve had football stripped from me and I’m aware it can be taken away at any moment. I’m going to play every snap like it could be my last.”
His career numbers,16 receptions for 141 yards and three touchdowns, might not jump off the page, but they don’t tell the full story. Raridon flashed his potential throughout last season, and those flashes are turning into consistency.
Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has also noticed that the ball started to find Raridon more and more at the end of last season. Raridon doesn’t believe they were called for him, but he got open and made plays.
”I wouldn't say I expected those,” explained Raridon. “Some of those aren't plays we practice, so just kind of learning the offense throughout camp and knowing what to expect. Anything that could pop up. So just preparation and just being ready in the moment when it gets called.”
In addition to his ability to get loose in the pass game, Raridon’s run blocking took a significant step forward in the last year. What was the key? Well, it starts with chemistry with the offensive line, but also the reps in practice led to fewer mistakes by Raridon and the offensive line.
”We're with the O-line a ton, and as we're together more often, more things click,” Raridon said. “We worked really hard on that throughout the college football playoffs, and obviously just being confident, more confident throughout the season and just seeing the field better obviously helped with the blocking as well.”
With a first-time starter at quarterback, tight ends often become a safety valve and Raridon is ready to be that dependable target.
While he didn’t tip his hand on the ongoing quarterback battle, his confidence in both CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey was clear.
”They've both been doing really good,” Raridon explained. “They're both extremely vocal, and they're leaders, and they're both extremely talented. Whoever the quarterback is, either one of them is going to do a great job.”
The quarterbacks aren’t the only ones feeling Raridon’s veteran presence during camp. Raridon has made sure to take on a much larger leadership role in the tight end room as he knows it’s his time.
”I would say it encourages me to be more consistent, be more vocal, try to just be a leader through my actions,” said Raridon. ‘It's crazy. Time has flown by, and now it's time to step up and be a leader.”
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Under Armour Gameday Armourfuse Polo
