Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1368856
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2021 55 BY MIKE SINGER The Raridon family tradition at Notre Dame is hitting its third gen- eration. The name goes back more than 30 years, when Scott Raridon Jr. was a four-star Army All-American of- fensive tackle in the 2002 class and signed with the Fighting Irish. He played for Notre Dame until 2006. Scott Raridon Sr. was the strength and conditioning coach in South Bend under Lou Holtz when the Irish captured the 1988 national championship. West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley class of 2022 tight end Eli Raridon — the son of Scott Jr. — announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish May 2, choosing Notre Dame over Iowa, Iowa State, Tennessee and many others. He received his Notre Dame schol- arship offer on Feb. 9, and a week fol- lowing a self-guided tour of campus April 24, he called offensive coordi- nator Tommy Rees and tight ends coach John McNulty to inform them of his decision to commit. "After [my visit], I fell in love with the place," Raridon told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "It's been a lifelong dream of mine to play at Notre Dame. With the tight end success they have and the degree that comes with it, it was a no-brainer for me. "Coach Rees was really excited. He said that I was a great fit at Notre Dame. Coach McNulty couldn't be- lieve it at first. He was at a loss for words and was really excited, too." Raridon wasn't born in South Bend, but lived there for nearly two years as an infant while his father was a student-athlete at Notre Dame. "As a father, I'm extremely proud of him," Scott Jr. said. "When I played there and he was there with me as a young child, I thought it was too lofty of a dream that he'd be able to play there as well. I didn't get my hopes up, but it's been crazy this past year with all of this becoming a reality. "Notre Dame is a really hard place to get into academically and to get a football scholarship from. I'm just really proud." As of May 4, Raridon was Notre Dame's lone tight end commit in the 2022 class. The Fighting Irish lost a pledge from Milton (Ga.) High's Jack Nickel at the position in April. With Nickel out and Raridon in, there is likely one more tight end spot for Notre Dame in the cycle. Atlanta Westminster 's Holden Staes, who is a four-star prospect per Rivals, is considered a Notre Dame lean and could join the class. Rivals ranks Raridon as the No. 5 player in Iowa and the No. 18 tight end nationally. During his junior sea- son, the 6-6, 220-pounder caught 22 passes for 237 yards and two touch- downs. He also stars on the Valley basketball team. Following Raridon's pledge, the Fighting Irish had 12 commitments in the 2022 class — six from offensive players and six defensive prospects. "I just feel comfortable being here," Raridon said. "It's the place where I want to be for the next four years of my life. It's a beautiful place. I've been here growing up my whole life going to two games per year, being a diehard fan. It's really special." ✦ FILM ANALYSIS "[Eli Raridon] certainly has the length, long arms, strong hands and deceptive speed that you look for in a tight end. Already an estab- lished in-line blocker, he does a good job of staying with his blocks until the whistle. "Still growing, he should weigh over 250 once he gets to college. He doesn't get a whole lot of chances to catch the ball, but does a good job of securing the ball after the catch and can surprise people with his ability to gain yardage after contact." — Prep Football Report's Tom Lemming COMMITMENT PROFILE ELI RARIDON Picking Notre Dame Was A 'No-Brainer' For Legacy Tight End From Iowa Raridon, the No. 5 player in Iowa and the No. 18 tight end nationally per Rivals, caught 22 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns during his junior campaign at West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley. PHOTO BY MIKE SINGER "It's been a lifelong dream of mine to play at Notre Dame. With the tight end success they have and the degree that comes with it, it was a no-brainer for me." RARIDON