Seahawks rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo sees himself as a wide receiver

In the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected tight end Elijah Arroyo out of the University of Miami. The former Hurricanes standout is already making a good impression on his teammates.

Rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe liked what he saw out of Arroyo during Day 2 of Seahawks rookie minicamp, praising his teammate's playmaking ability.

"I threw him some nice balls today, and he went to go get that ball," Milroe said of Arroyo after Monday's workout. "He’s a dude."

It's hard to miss Arroyo, whose 6-foot-5 frame makes him a tough cover for opposing defenders. Even at his size, though, Arroyo is far from your prototypical NFL tight end. He's more of a pass-catcher than a run-blocker.

"I’m a big target,” Arroyo said. "I’m a tight end, but when it comes to the pass game, I like to count myself as a receiver."

He definitely played more like a wide receiver than a tight end while at Miami. In 2024, Arroyo turned 35 receptions into 590 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per catch.

After trading away Pro Bowl receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Seahawks had a need for a big-bodied wideout. The team signed Cooper Kupp in free agency, but he's nowhere close to Metcalf physically.