After addressing offensive tackle and edge rusher with their first two picks, the New England Patriots used their third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on another glaring weakness on Friday.
And with the No. 95 overall pick of the draft, the Patriots selected Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon.
A move at tight end was expected with Hunter Henry being 31 years old and playing in the final year of his contract. The Patriots also lost veteran Austin Hooper in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons. Not only did they need a player capable of stepping in and contributing right away, but they needed one talented enough to take the reins from Henry at some point.
Raridon has all of the makings of being the right man for that job. He's deceptively fast for his size at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds. In his final year at Notre Dame, he hauled in 32 receptions for 482 yards. He saw a massive improvement as a blocker as well, developing into a well-rounded tight end prospect.
Some felt like the pick was the perfect match for the Patriots, while others would have liked to see the team keep the focus on the defensive side of the ball. Here are some of the social media reactions to the Day 2 draft pick:
Thoughts on Eli Raridon to the Patriots (spoilers: I love it) pic.twitter.com/MFa84jHEWm
#Patriots fans, you landed one of the most complete tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft in Eli Raridon.Haling from one of the best TE-developing programs in Nore Dame, he’s both a high-end blocker and receiver as a Y-Tight end. As a 6’6 tight end and a 98% athlete, he finished… pic.twitter.com/QiIzrGJ3lH
.@tkyles39 likes Eli Raridon's fit with the Patriots:"I really think he can be a well-rounded weapon ... this is a perfect guy to learn from Hunter Henry." https://t.co/2QTSQtEAhb pic.twitter.com/Hik3WvrBIN
It shouldn't take Drake Maye long to realize what CJ Carr quickly figured out in his first season as a starter at Notre Dame — throwing the ball to Eli Raridon downfield is a good idea. He makes things happen.The New England Patriots drafted a good one.pic.twitter.com/xwIuA96cWS
Why are all the posts about Raridon not having production.. when all of NE wanted Delp and he had like 200 yards. If Raridon is healthy, he has all around TE1 potential
(Maye & Raridon in 3 years): pic.twitter.com/GTqShWqnq9
Another garbage ass pick. Dude has torn his ACL twice. SMFH
— Biased Notre Dame Fan (@CFBGuy999) April 25, 2026
Getting Dominique Easley vibes with the ACL issues - this will not work out well long term
more weapons for my qb love it pic.twitter.com/FuAktcA9JQ
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Twitter reacts to Patriots drafting TE Eli Raridon at No. 95 overall