Elijah Arroyo attended high school in Frisco, Texas, where he finished his senior season with 28 catches for 635 yards and 12 touchdowns. That led him to commit to the University of Miami, where he saw minimal play for the first three years.
Arroyo only caught five passes as a freshman and suffered a season-ending injury as a sophomore that also caused him to miss time the following year. His only full season as a starter was his senior year when he finally had the chance to show what he could do and led their tight ends with 35 catches for 590 yards and seven touchdowns.
Height: 6-5
Weight: 250 pounds
40 time: 4.69 seconds (estimated)
Arroyo declared for the NFL draft and benefits from being a reliable target for soon-to-be-drafted quarterback Cam Ward. His serious knee injury that impacted two seasons will be considered by interested teams. But he shows up with plenty for an NFL team to love as a versatile athlete who even threw a touchdown in college on a trick play.
Elijah Arroyo stats (2021-24)
Pros
- Worked as a slot receiver and H-back for the Hurricanes
- Athletic with prototypical measurables
- Effective finding soft spots in zone coverage
- Has the size and drive to consistently fight for extra yards
- Natural receiver with good hands
- Has the speed to turn a catch into a long gain
- Physical blocker that always plays through the whistle
Cons
- Total college output was only 46 catches over four seasons, still inexperienced as a receiver and blocker
- Potential medical concerns may impact durability
- Needs refinement as a blocker off the line
- Route running needs sharpening in the NFL
Fantasy Outlook
Arroyo is a clear prospect who will need some time to reach his potential, but he’s shown to be a capable, if not talented, receiver in his somewhat brief history at Miami. He is expected to be a Day 2 selection who should take at least a season or two to reach his potential. That’s all assuming that his knee holds up and nothing more comes from that injury as a sophomore.
He is an athletic, smart, capable receiver who could flourish in an offense that will use him creatively and help him progress as a blocker and route runner. Arroyo has more potential than proven history, and that makes his ceiling enticing and yet not yet certain.
Arroyo’s rookie value is not expected to be fantasy-relevant unless he lands in the perfect situation on a team that perhaps suffers enough other receiver injuries to elevate his rookie role. He is a definite dynasty buy-and-hold to see where he ends up in the NFL.
