Elijah Arroyo NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report For Miami TE

Elijah Arroyo, a high-upside tight end prospect out of Miami, brings elite athleticism and natural receiving ability to the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite limited collegiate production, his blend of vertical speed, strong hands, and football IQ makes him a potential mismatch weapon in the passing game.

Arroyo’s ability to stretch the field and create separation gives him an intriguing upside. However, concerns over his durability and blocking ability could impact his draft stock. With further development, he has the tools to emerge as a versatile pass-catching tight end at the next level.

Elijah Arroyo 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Elijah Arroyo arrived at Miami as a highly touted four-star recruit from Independence High School in Frisco, Texas, where he showcased his receiving prowess with 28 catches for 635 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior. Committing to the Hurricanes over offers from elite programs like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, Arroyo flashed potential early, playing in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2021 (5 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD). However, his career trajectory took a detour due to a significant knee injury (ACL tear) in 2022, limiting him to just eight games over the next two seasons. In 2024, a healthy Arroyo broke out, starting all 13 games and posting 35 receptions for 590 yards and seven touchdowns, earning second-team All-ACC honors as a key piece of Miami’s dynamic passing attack led by quarterback Cam Ward.

HT: 6051
WT: 250
HAND: 1000
ARM: 3300
40: 4.68

Strengths

• Receiving Versatility: Arroyo’s ability to line up in-line, in the slot, or flexed out wide makes him a matchup nightmare. His 2024 tape shows a natural feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage and exploiting seams vertically.
• Athletic Fluidity: Arroyo moves with impressive smoothness at his size, displaying quick acceleration off the line and the burst to stretch defenses deep. His track background (high jump, sprints) shines through in his leaping ability and body control.
• Hands and Catch Radius: Arroyo secures the ball with soft, reliable hands, rarely letting passes into his frame. His long arms and wingspan allow him to pluck throws outside his frame and win in contested situations.
• Post-Catch Upside: With the ball in his hands, Arroyo’s speed (reportedly hitting 21 MPH in 2024) and stride length let him turn short gains into chunk plays, often powering through arm tackles.
• Football IQ: He adjusts routes effectively when plays break down, a testament to his chemistry with Ward, and shows awareness as a blocker by picking up late blitzes or chipping edge rushers.

Areas for Improvement

• Blocking Technique: While willing and functional as a blocker, Arroyo lacks the lower-body anchor and hand power to dominate consistently at the point of attack. His pad level can rise, and he struggles to sustain blocks against stronger defensive ends.
• Route Polish: Arroyo’s route breaks lack crispness at times, with occasional rounding that telegraphs his intent. He thrives against zone but can struggle to separate from physical man coverage.
• Injury History: The ACL injury and subsequent setbacks raise durability concerns. His limited sample size before 2024 (11 catches in three years) leaves questions about consistency against top-tier competition.
• Play Strength: Despite his size, Arroyo doesn’t always play to his frame’s potential, getting pushed back by aggressive linebackers or safeties in traffic. Adding functional mass could help.
• Limited Elite Production: One breakout year, while impressive, doesn’t fully erase the small body of work. Scouts will want to see how he tests athletically and holds up under NFL scrutiny.

Conclusion

Arroyo profiles as a modern “move” tight end with the potential to develop into a TE1 in a pass-heavy scheme. His athletic traits and receiving instincts draw comparisons to a less polished Kyle Pitts or a more explosive Tucker Kraft. Best suited for an offense that prioritizes his seam-stretching ability and uses him in 11 or 12 personnel sets, he’ll need coaching to refine his blocking and route nuance. The medical evaluation will be critical given his injury history, but a clean bill of health could solidify him as a Day 2 pick (Rounds 2–3). In the right system—think Kansas City or Miami (NFL)—he could emerge as a matchup weapon by Year 2 or 3.

Round Grade: 2nd Round

Stats: Per Sports Reference

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