After breakout season with Hurricanes, Elijah Arroyo continues to elevate his draft stock
Last week was a big one for Elijah Arroyo.
The former Miami Hurricanes tight end made a big impression during the Senior Bowl in Mobile.
He was a consensus standout by most outlets that covered the event, and while there’s still a lot of time between now and the three-day 2025 NFL Draft that takes place April 24-26, Arroyo certainly has his stock rising.
“Perhaps the hottest name of anyone in Mobile, based on my conversations with scouts and coaches, was Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote following the event.
Arroyo, whose college career was marred by injury, had a breakout 2024 season with the Hurricanes. The 6-4, 245-pound tight end caught 35 passes for 590 yards and seven touchdowns as an integral part of a Miami offense that was the best in the country. Among 35 tight ends who caught at least 35 passes this season, Arroyo’s 16.9 yards per catch led the group. His six catches that went for at least 30 yards tied for second nationally among tight end.
His blend of size, speed and soft hands are a dream for an NFL tight end.
“It’s hard not to fall in love with Arroyo getting off the bus, and he backs it up with his play,” wrote CBS’ Ryan Wilson, who also noted that Arroyo is a “long strider who is comfortable inline or in the slot, and can stress defenses between the numbers because of his athleticism. He has an enormous catch radius, soft hands and explodes out of his breaks.”
As for his draft stock, both Fowler and fellow ESPN writer Matt Miller have Arroyo pegged as a an early pick on Day 2 of the draft, which includes the second and third rounds of the seven-round draft.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, however, said he believes Arroyo is “knocking on the door of the first round,” citing Arroyo being a “fluid mover with the speed to create spacing from coverage and cleanly secure throws outside his frame.” The Hurricanes haven’t had a tight end drafted in the first round since David Njoku went 29th overall to the Cleveland Browns in 2017.
As for other Hurricanes players who stood out at various showcases last week...
▪ The Athletic gave running back Damien Martinez praise for his pass protection efforts during Senior Bowl practices. Martinez, who ran for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns in his one season at Miami after two strong years at Oregon State before that, is known for his blend of size (6-0, 232 pounds) and speed. Being able to showcase his all-around game and ability to impact plays when the ball isn’t in his hands is a focal point for him to show scouts.
Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo and offensive lineman Jalen Rivers were also part of the Senior Bowl.
▪ NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter listed Hurricanes linebacker Francisco Mauigoa as an honorable mention standout from the East-West Shrine Bowl in Arlington, Texas. Five Hurricanes took part in that event overall, with recievers Jacolby George and Sam Brown, defensive lineman Tyler Baron and kicker Andres Borregales also present.
All nine Hurricanes who took part in either the Senior Bowl or the Shrine Bowl along with quarterback Cam Ward, who has a chance to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, which takes place Feb. 24-March 3 in Indianapolis.
This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 9:40 AM.
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