Elijah Arroyo | Miami 6’5 / 250 lbs. April 5, 2003 (Age 22)
Elijah Arroyo was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks, becoming the 5th tight end and 50th overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
| Year | Games | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Target Share | Catch Rate | Receiving Touchdowns | Age | School |
| 2022 | 4 (TE) | 5 (8 tgts) | 66 (13.2 ypr) | 1.9% | 62.5% | 0 | 19 | Miami |
| 2023 | 1 (TE) | 1 (2 tgts) | 11 (11.0 ypr) | 0.5% | 50.0% | 0 | 20 | Miami |
| 2024 | 12 (TE) | 35 (45 tgts) | 590 (16.9 ypr) | 9.2% | 77.8% | 7 | 21 | Miami |
Arroyo was a non-factor in his sophomore season following tearing his ACL as a freshman, but exploded onto the scene with the arrival of Cam Ward in Miami. Ward’s Heisman-level season was a rising tide that lifted all boats, Arroyo certainly being one of those, but still posting a sub-10% target share and failing to eclipse any major production thresholds. There’s enough here to be optimistic about some receiving potential, with a high catch rate, high touchdown rate, and explosive yards per reception. Arroyo profiles as a high-efficiency target, performing well as a vertical threat, and with above-average red zone upside, using his size to translate to consistent touchdowns.
FILM
Arroyo is a fluid, dynamic move-style TE who possesses grit and toughness after the catch and in the trenches. Arroyo is every bit of his frame and uses it to his advantage to seal open running lanes and bully smaller second-level defenders. His blocking is a big strength for his profile, but his biggest strength is his natural receiving ability and explosiveness as a vertical threat. Arroyo has a combination of speed and tenacity that turn him into both a fluid and explosive route runner while also providing him with a nasty run-after-catch style. This led to a number of explosive plays lined up as an in-line tight end and also out of the slot. Arroyo projects as a potential plus starter, with an NFL frame and athletic traits to build on. The transition from college to the NFL is always a difficult one, but Arroyo has the traits on tape to achieve a high-end outcome.
ATHLETIC TESTING
Arroyo did not participate in any athletic testing leading up to the draft. He benched press 22 reps at the Combine and participated in an on-field pro day workout.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Above average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Above average
This was close to the top end of Arroyo’s range of outcomes, as plenty of assurance is added to his future success just from the fact that he is a top 50 selection. Arroyo being the 5th tight-end off the board isn’t exactly a ceiling outcome for him, but the overall trend of Mason Taylor and Terrance Ferguson going early and Arroyo going with them suggests that he has similar upside as a prospect and should ensure that he gets a decent shot to prove himself in the NFL.
Arroyo is a welcome sight for a Seattle team that has been trying to improve their presence on the ground since Mike MacDonald’s arrival. Seattle requires major personnel changes on offense to make this happen, and that certainly began this offseason with major departures in Geno Smith and DK Metcalf. While the arrival of Cooper Kupp certainly mitigates the pool of available targets, there is more than enough room for Arroyo to establish himself as a key cog in the receiving game.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Arroyo has entered the dynasty TE landscape as my TE14, positioning himself firmly in range of jumping into TE1 tier. Obviously, this is quite a projection, but a good reflection of the arid nature of the TE landscape as a whole. Arroyo makes sense in this range as a 22-year old with top-50 draft capital, giving him a great chance to establish himself this year as Seattle’s TE1 of the future. There’s little competition in front of him, so if Arroyo can manage to push Fant out and establish a 15%-20% target share as a rookie, he can make a serious jump in value from his current high-end TE2/late 2nd rookie pick price.
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