Notre Dame is coming off a season in which it won 14 games and advanced to the national title game before losing to the eventual national champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
It’s hard to imagine a world where Notre Dame gets much better, but that’s exactly what Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock thinks will happen. As the 2025 college football season creeps closer, the buzz around South Bend is palpable.
Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Expects Big Things Out of Tight End Eli Raridon
In a recent interview with On3, Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock actually predicted a massive season for 6’7″ senior tight end Eli Raridon. In the sit-down with On3’s Tyler Horka and Jack Soble, Denbrock was asked questions about Notre Dame’s offense heading into the 2025 season.
Notre Dame OC Mike Denbrock expects major improvements for the Fighting Irish offense in his second season. ☘️👀
“I don’t see an area where we shouldn’t be better. I think we’ve got an opportunity at all positions to play at a higher level than we did.”https://t.co/Knz6c1DBPO pic.twitter.com/nGoimtA16w
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) June 10, 2025
Denbrock was asked who he saw as a breakout candidate for next season. He said, “Oh, boy. I hate to start with tight ends, because I coach tight ends, but I think Eli Raridon‘s gonna have a huge season. He’s really come into his own, fully healthy. Really playing good football.”
Notre Dame’s tight end room last season was led by Mitchell Evans, who caught 43 passes for 421 yards. He ended up becoming a fifth-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Raridon, who was a junior in 2024, took a back seat to Evans and played a limited role in the offense. He only caught 11 passes all season long. It may seem like a bold pick for a breakout candidate by Denbrock, but no one knows the tight-end situation better than the Irish’s offensive coordinator.
The end will be entering his fourth season with Notre Dame. He committed to the Fighting Irish back in 2022 as a four-star prospect and was rated by 247Sports as the second-best tight end in the entire country.
The Iowa native was a two-sport superstar during his time at Valley High School, playing both football and basketball. He stands at a whopping 6’7″, making him one of the biggest targets in the entire sport.
His basketball background gives him good footwork, which should help him get open in Notre Dame’s offense next season.
The Fighting Irish are expected to start redshirt freshman CJ Carr at quarterback. Having a target as big as Raridon should provide a great safety blanket for the young signal-caller.
Time will tell if Denbrock’s breakout prediction is right for Raridon. It’s clear, though, that Raridon has all the tools necessary to be a beast at the college level.
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