Former Miami Hurricanes tight end Elijah Arroyo put up an elite performance at the Senior Bowl. He was fast and fluid, and his outstanding separation skills were also on display. It seems the performance was good enough for Arroyo to pass on working out at the NFL Combine. Better to leave the scouts with a good taste in their mouths, wanting more.
The 2025 NFL Draft has been accused of lacking a wealth of blue-chip talent. While there are some deep groups, such as running back and defensive line, most positions lack elite players jockeying for a spot in the top 20.
Instead, there are a ton of interesting players. They display flashes of brilliance and intrigue analysts. This has everyone wondering where exactly all of them will land and who will actually turn out to be one of those diamonds in the rough. Some think Arroyo is one.
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Tight End Elijah Arroyo Divulged the Unusual Advice His Trainer Gave Him
Arroyo recently spoke with Kay Adams on her podcast, the “Up and Adams Show.” She asked him about how Sports Illustrated recently said in their draft profile that he uses “deception and savvy” to get open. Adams pressed Arroyo to share the secret to his ability to separate. While he said he couldn’t tell her all his tricks, he shared his trainer’s unusual advice.
“You gotta get married, to get divorced,” said Arroyo on the tip from his trainer that helped him learn to create separation from the defense. “You can’t be afraid of getting close to a defender to create separation.”
Arroyo’s draft position is likely compromised by injuries he sustained while at Miami. He was a highly sought-after high school prospect. However, a serious knee injury limited him to 11 games between 2022 and 2023. This made him a bit of a late bloomer.
“You gotta get married to get divorced.”
Miami TE Elijah Arroyo advice from trainer on how to run routes!@heykayadams | @arroyo_elijah36 pic.twitter.com/uiPDA4R2BY
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 16, 2025
He did show improvement during the 2024 season, seeming to pick up speed as he went along. In the Pop Tarts Bowl, the ‘Canes lost to Iowa State, but Arroyo blew the doors off their defense when he clocked a lightning-fast 21.8 mph on one play. That gave him the fastest ball carrier time of any tight end, NCAA or NFL.
The NFL Draft Profile says he will likely be an average starter in the league with an overall score of 6.24. Arroyo is applauded for his improved speed, sure hands, and good awareness in space.
His biggest knock came as a result of his previous knee injury. While he didn’t seem bothered in 2024, there’s always a concern that it could be a problem later. He needs to work on his acceleration off the line and his choppy route running.
PFSN’s most recent mock draft has Arroyo selected by the New York Giants as the first pick in the third round, 65th overall.
Arroyo has a terrific story of perseverance and hard work. He didn’t get down when he was hurt. Instead, he continued to work on improving. Only time will tell where he will land in the draft, but he will be an interesting player to follow.
