The Mitchell Evans era with the Notre Dame football team is over, as he has officially declared for the NFL draft and now it’s time for the next man up.
As it turns out, Kevin Bauman is that man. The tight end is officially returning for his sixth season in South Bend and he knows that he’s getting more chance to show that he can be “the man” instead of just the guy behind the man.
It was confirmed late last week that he’s officially coming back for one more season with Notre Dame football and it’s more than just the tight end giving himself another chance for real success. It also means the Fighting Irish don’t have to worry about who will step into the starting tight end spot for a team looking to make a return to the National Title Game in 2025.
Notre Dame football has returning tight end Kevin Bauman ready to step up
There was originally some doubt as to weather Bauman would be back. He wasn’t on the original release of the roster last week. Blue and Gold reports it contacted the university and had it confirmed the tight end is back for a sixth year.
Bauman definitely counts as a veteran presence in a tight end room that will need to start finding the next generation of player for “Tight End U.” He arrived in the same recruiting class (2020) as Michael Mayer. Bauman has used a medical redshirt, and he is apparently using the COVID waiver for the 2020 season. The two extra years equate to him being a sixth-year senior.
While Mayer became the gold standard for tight end in South Bend, Bauman’s career has been marked by injuries. He’s torn the ACL in both knees. He missed the entire 2023 season with one of those.
However, he did return to the field and played the full slate of games in 2024. However, an underwhelming passing game and a tight end room with lots of veteran players means Bauman had just one catch for 8 yards. It was a touchdown in the blowout against Purdue. For his career, he has 6 catches for 67 yards and that score.
In 2025, Kevin Bauman will have the opportunity to battle Cooper Flanagan and Eli Raridon for the starting tight end spot for the Notre Dame football team. He’s got the talent to win it and be the next man up.