Patriots' Hunter Henry Eager to Mentor Rookie TE
New England Patriots veteran tight end and team captain Hunter Henry is no stranger to taking on new challenges.
At every level of his gridiron career, the 31-year old has found on-field success beyond his expectations. On the verge of entering his 11th season in the NFL - as well as his sixth with the Pats - Henry is once again being called upon to put his skill set and experience to the ultimate test. This time, however, it will be as a mentor to impart his wisdom and counsel to the club's next potential star.
With an eye focused on the position's future, the Patriots selected Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon with the 95th overall selection. Though some may be reluctant to embrace the role to tutoring their possible replacement, Henry is pulling upon previous experience to help Raridon in any way possible.
"Obviously, I'm going to be there for him," Henry told reporters at Gillette Stadium this week. "We try to have a close-knit tight end room. What a blessing it is to get drafted and we're excited to add him to the room. He can bring a lot of value and excited to meet him and excited about having him here."
The tight end position has long held a prominent place in the heart of the Patriots organization. From Russ Francis, to Ben Coates to Rob Gronkowski, the Pats have arguably utilized the position as well as any other in NFL history. Henry has served as a distinguished steward of that legacy. The multi-year team captain is entering 2026 on the heels of his best campaign - a season in which he compiled 60 catches, 768 yards and seven touchdowns.
Still, Henry remains cognizant of both the efforts and the sacrifices made by the veterans who helped shape him into the player he is today. Drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round (35th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft, Henry was the first tight end chosen that year. In addition to facing those expectations, he also faced the daunting task of joining a positional depth chart which included Bolts legend Antonio Gates.
Yet, the Arkansas native was determined to make his mark on the team, as well as the franchise, by exhibiting solid leadership - thanks, in part to the willingness of players like Gates to lend a helping hand.
"I'm always trying to be a leader. I had some good vets when I was young, obviously, with [Antonio] Gates and Sean McGrath is another guy that comes to mind," Henry said on Tuesday. "Those guys really helped me come along. Sometimes it wasn't even what they said. It was just watching how they process things and how they went about their business, and handling everything. It really taught me what was to kind of be in this league.
"So really, hopefully (Raridon) can come alongside and just watch that process," he added.
From One Patriots Tight End to Another
As for Raridon, the Patriots have seemingly secured the services of a competent blocker, as well as a pass catcher. Last season, the Notre Dame product started all 12 games, while compiling 32 catches for 482 yards while averaging 15.1 yards per reception. Not only can the 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end gain significant yards after the catch, but he is also capable of stretching the field vertically, while maintaining body control to make contested catches. Lastly, Raridon remains one of the few pro-ready blocking tight ends selected in this draft class.
Though his skills may take him to the top of the depth chart in short order, Raridon is eager to hit the field in the coming weeks in hopes of learning from his new teammate and mentor.
"I know he's a great player, great person," Raridon said of Henry shortly after being selected last weekend. "I have heard great things about him and I'm really excited to learn under him."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots' Hunter Henry Eager to Mentor Rookie TE.
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM.