SI All-American Candidate Elijah Arroyo Highlights and Evaluation

Elijah Arroyo is a tight end prospect from Independence High School in Frisco, Texas. Arroyo is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Elijah Arroyo
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 210 pounds
Position: Tight End 
School: Frisco (Texas) Independence
Committed to: Miami 
Projected Position: Tight End 

Frame: Tall, with natural size. Average width across shoulders and chest. Thick, taut waist. Slender, developing thighs and trunk. Ample space for additional mass and muscle at next level. 

Athleticism: Above-average long speed, though lacks degree of burst. Not sudden, but solid overall quickness. Good leaper, with exceptional aerial body control. Outstanding hand-eye coordination. Shows functional play strength. 

Instincts: Imminent jump-ball threat. Contorts body in air with ease, routinely bringing in throws outside body. Extremely quick off the ground. Tracks ball well downfield, even amid crowd. Willing blocker; can drive defensive backs into ground. 

Polish: Raw route-runner; overly reliant on length and leaping ability to get separation. Release off LOS is unplanned and relatively slow. Mostly lines up wide for Independence; must get stronger, hone technique to function as in-line blocker. 

Bottom Line: Arroyo boasts excellent ball skills for any receiver, with the frame needed to add weight and play tight end full-time. May serve mostly as H-back/move tight end, but shows clear potential as blocker. Projects surefire depth piece for Miami due to rare red-zone ability, with impact starter potential.