‘Tight End U’ reputation a major factor behind Notre Dame commitment for Holden Staes, Eli Raridon
Few school-position pairings carry a better reputation in college football than Notre Dame tight end. The Irish have had such success at the position that Notre Dame is almost always thrown into the “Tight End U” conversation, especially over the last decade.
And tight end recruits take note of that.
On Thursday, 2022 Notre Dame four-star tight end commits Holden Staes and Eli Raridon joined a Blue & Gold Twitter Space to discuss their decisions to make South Bend their next home, citing the program’s distinction at the tight end position as a primary factor.
“That’s one of the biggest parts of it, honestly,” Staes said. “No other school can say the stuff Notre Dame can say about the tight end position. When you think about playing tight end in college football, Notre Dame is going to be the first name on that list.”
Staes added he really likes how Notre Dame and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees work the tight ends into the offense. Tight end Michael Mayer led the team last season with 71 catches, which was also a single-season program record at the position. Staes has almost identical measurements to Mayer when he arrived on campus in 2020. Staes is 6-4 and 230 pounds, and Mayer was 6-4 and 235 pounds. The rising junior tight end is now listed at 251 pounds.
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Of the teams that finished in the top 10 of the final 2021 AP Top 25 poll, just two had a tight end lead the team in catches: Georgia and Notre Dame. Georgia freshman Brock Bowers caught 56 balls for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns.
But that was atypical for the Bulldogs. Georgia suffered numerous injuries to starting wideouts last season, allowing Bowers to step up and fill the void. He did an incredible job, to his credit, but a tight end-centric offense is not a normal sight in Athens. Outside of Bowers, zero Georgia tight ends have had more than 30 receptions in a single season in the last decade.
To compare, Notre Dame’s leading tight end has eclipsed 30 receptions six times since 2012, including each of the last four years. Barring injury, Mayer will reach the mark again in 2022. He will then likely depart for the NFL, leaving a spot that Staes or Raridon will have a shot to grab.
Staes is beyond excited for the opportunity.
“(Notre Dame is) everything you want in terms of playing that position in college, hoping you can create a legacy for yourself, and then trying to get to the next level,” he said.
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Raridon, whose father played offensive line for the Irish and whose grandfather was the strength and conditioning coach under former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz, chimed in next. He has the added legacy element in his background, but he still echoed his future teammate’s sentiment concerning the tight end position.
“I’d say for me, it was pretty important,” the 6-6, 228-pound West Des Moines, Iowa native said of Notre Dame’s tight end reputation.
Notre Dame has had seven tight ends drafted in the last 10 years. Former Irish star Tyler Eifert kicked off that trend in 2013 when he was taken in the first round by the Cincinnati Bengals.
“No school can really compare to that,” Raridon added. “As a player, I think everyone’s goal is to be in the NFL, so that was obviously a huge factor for me.”
In addition to the decade of success the Irish have had recently, every starting Notre Dame tight end since 2004 has been drafted. It’s a legacy truly unlike any other school in the nation, and Staes and Raridon now have the opportunity to add their names to that list.
