Meet Elijah Arroyo, the Tight End of Mexican Descent to Watch During the NFL Draft
Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Elijah Arroyo, who is of Mexican descent, is one of the names to watch for the upcoming NFL Draft, which is set to take place April 24 to April 26 in Lambeau Field. The 22-year-old Tight End (TE) who played his entire, often injury-riddled, college career for the Miami Hurricanes had a pretty good showing at the NFL combine, which has given him a good chance coming into the 2025 NFL draft.
Big, heavy, and reliable, Martinez is a good option in a position that is often thought of as showy but that is really required to play double duty. A tight end has to protect the QB during passing plays and open holes for the running back during running plays while also being available to catch the ball. Think of the TE as a combination between a wide receiver and an offensive lineman.
Arroyo certainly possesses both the size and skills, and he would likely be projected as a much higher draft pick had he not missed two seasons due to a torn ACL. He was healthy enough to play his last season, during which he caught 35 passes for 590 yards and 7 touchdowns, making him a steal in the fourth or fifth round, especially if he can manage to stay healthy.
More importantly, he’s big enough, fast enough, and athletic enough that he’s not just a mismatch at a college level but at the NFL level as well. He’s great at creating separation and is likely to develop into a great receiver. His blocking isn’t as good, but those are skills that can likely be taught as he improves in strength and technique. TE isn’t really a position with a lot of great playmakers, and there are plenty of teams who will likely be willing to take a chance of finding one with the price point taking Arroyo in one of the lower rounds will entail.
That means we are very likely to see him in the NFL this upcoming season. And there’s been some hype from people studying him on the internet, at least those seeing his raw potential and not the injuries.
Because he’s fast.
He’s athletic.
And make no mistake about it, he’s on a lot of teams’ radar.