Dallas Cowboys 2025 UDFA scouting report: TE Rivaldo Fairweather

Here’s our scouting report on tight end Rivaldo Fairweather

We continue looking into this year’s undrafted free agent signings made by the Dallas Cowboys and give you our scouting report on each player. Today we are looking at tight end Rivaldo Fairweather from Auburn.

Rivaldo Fairweather

TE
Auburn Tigers
Senior
3-star recruit
6’3”
242 lbs

Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images

History

Rivaldo Fairweather was born on July 19, 2002, in Lauderhill, Florida, and attended Boyd Anderson High School where he initially focused on basketball, aspiring to play in the NBA. It wasn’t until his junior year, at age 16, that he began playing football, encouraged by coaches who noticed his physicality on the basketball court. In his senior year, he excelled as a two-way player, recording 40 receptions for 812 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 23 tackles on defense. Beyond football and basketball, Fairweather also participated in soccer and track and field, showcasing his diverse athletic talents.

He began his collegiate football career at Florida International University (FIU), where in three seasons, he amassed 54 receptions for 838 yards and five touchdowns. He would transfer to Auburn in 2023 and quickly became a key player.

In 2023, he led the team with 38 receptions for 394 yards and six touchdowns, setting a new single-season record for receptions by an Auburn tight end. Notably, he caught the game-winning touchdown against California and had standout performances against teams like Arkansas and Vanderbilt. His efforts earned him Second-Team All-SEC honors.

Returning for his senior year, Fairweather continued to be a reliable target, contributing significantly in games against Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Alabama. He would register 31 receptions for 372 yards and two touchdowns.

2024 Statistics

530 Offensive Snaps
50 Targets
31 Receptions
372 Receiving Yards
2 TDs
134 YAC
4 Missed Tackles Forced
81.4 Passer RTG When Targeted
16 First Downs
5 Pressures Allowed
1 Sack Allowed
3 Penalties

NFL Combine/Pro Day

40-Yard Dash- 4.72s (65%) PD
Vert- 30” (18%) PD
Broad- 110” (21%) PD
Bench- 17 (23%) PD

Awards

Second-team All-SEC (2023)

Scorecard

Speed- 70
Acceleration- 72
Agility- 69
Strength- 68
Catching- 72
Route Running- 59
Run Blocking- 58
Pass Blocking- 57
Discipline- 87

THE GOOD

• Naturally extends and plucks the ball out of the air with strong hands.
• Has a huge catch radius with a 83 1/8” wingspan.
• Rarely lets the ball get into his body; consistent on contested catches.
• Excellent at adjusting to throws, high-pointing, and boxing out defenders.
• Can line up in-line, in the slot, or split wide; used effectively across formations.
• Reliable target near the goal line; wins with positioning and catch timing.
• Makes his money on seam, curl, and fade routes.

THE BAD

• Needs better hand placement to sustain blocks against stronger defenders.
• Lacks elite burst; more smooth than sudden, which limits separation in man coverage.
• Too easily out-leveraged or knocked off balance by edge defenders.
• Doesn’t consistently break tackles or show dynamic acceleration after the catch.
• Speed is below average.
• Still refining football IQ and technical polish due to relatively short time playing the sport.

THE FIT

Rivaldo Fairweather’s biggest strengths lie in his ball skills, catch radius, and red-zone reliability. His background in basketball makes him an elite high-pointer, and he has proven to be a reliable third-down and goal-line target. He’s scheme-versatile, able to line up in-line, in the slot, or out wide, and he adjusts smoothly to different roles. His body control and ability to shield defenders give quarterbacks a safe target in tight windows. He also shows a willingness to block, particularly on the move, and has flashed enough strength and effort to grow in that area.

While Fairweather has the frame and attitude for blocking, his technique still needs refinement—particularly his hand placement and leverage at the point of attack. Against SEC-level edge defenders, he was overpowered or caught off balance. As a route runner, he can improve his suddenness and overall tempo to create more consistent separation, especially against man coverage. He’s more smooth than sudden and may need to prove he can consistently create space at the next level. Continued development as an inline blocker and expanded route tree polish will be key to his pro transition.

Fairweather’s size and red-zone ability could be a boost for Dallas in scoring situations, an area where the Cowboys have sometimes struggled for consistency in the redzone. As a rookie, he’d likely begin on the practice squad with upside to grow into a more complete tight end over time. He’d give Dak Prescott a big, reliable target with soft hands and a massive catch radius, traits that are especially useful on third downs and on shortened fields. Fairweather has the chance to flash at Oxnard and carve out a meaningful role early in his career, but that hinges a lot if he improves as a blocker.

COMPARISON:

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

BTB GRADE:

417th

CONSENSUS RANKING:

384th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)