For many players, the first day of Senior Bowl practice is a feeling-out process full of adjustments. There are new teammates, tendencies they have to get used to, and different speeds to play at. The tight end group is very talented in Mobile and includes a player who had one of the most historic collegiate seasons at the tight end position ever in Harold Fannin Jr. Who else was going to stand out amongst the group and try and elevate their draft stock? It didn’t take long for Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo to throw his name into that bucket.
.@CanesFootball TE Elijah Arroyo with an early look at why he’s one of the best receiving tight ends in this draft class
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 28, 2025
It’s just a 1-on-1 rep, of course, but he moves like a true athlete at 6-4.5, 251 lbs. pic.twitter.com/SY563HCveM
Coming in at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, Arroyo was looking to showcase that he can be a feature tight end in an offense. With the size, speed, and physical tools—over 33-inch arms—Arroyo put an impressive first day on display with nuanced route-running in one-on-one drills. In the clip above, we see Arroyo using speed dilation in his release and stem to slow down the defender, using his shoulders and head intention at the top of his stem to move the defender out of the way, and slingshots around him for the big play.
He’s one of the best movers at tight end in this class with the size and speed to match as a receiving option for an offense. Continuing to develop his route tree will be a big help for him as he’s already a gifted space player and can create it if it’s not there, on top of being a legit vertical weapon.
Elijah Arroyo has looked really solid so far pic.twitter.com/dVdmZmS6jZ
— Jason Allwine (@JFootballwine) January 28, 2025
Arroyo is a size mismatch and works his body well in close quarters, angling his shoulders down to continue running vertically to stack the defender and give the quarterback a target to throw at. He’s got great ball skills and tracking downfield, making him a quarterback’s downfield friend in situations like the clip above. He makes it look easy to track over his shoulder and haul in this basket catch for the score. That type of big-play ability will be very enticing for NFL teams.
Even though it was just the first day for him, Arroyo started his Senior Bowl off in quick fashion and left an excellent impression for all eyes watching. He has two more days to continue this level of success and show he can adjust along with the defenders in practice. One thing is clear, Arroyo came to prove a point and he’s on a great trajectory to keep proving it over the course of this week.
