With the departure of Michael Mayer, the Irish will look for the next great tight end to step up in 2023. Notre Dame has been home to a tight end factory, and a plethora of young talent is ready to emerge for Tight Ends Coach Gerad Parker. Now that the Irish have added Sam Hartman at quarterback, the ACC’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns, the tight ends must be ready for a high-powered offense this season.
Mitchell Evans
- Recruiting: #23 Tight End & #493 Player overall in 2021 class (247 Sports)
- High School: Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio
- Height/ Weight: 6’ 5”, 255 pounds.
Mitchell Evans had 3 catches for 39 yards last fall. The Notre Dame Tight End only played in seven games last year after returning from a broken foot in the offseason.
Kevin Bauman
- Recruiting: # 6 Tight End & #236 Player overall in 2020 class (247 Sports)
- High School: Red Bank Catholic in Red Bank, New Jersey
- Height/ Weight: 6’ 4”, 252 pounds.
In 2022, Bauman had 3 catches for 44 yards. The Irish Tight End saw action in three contests before he suffered a torn ACL.
Eli Raridon
- Recruiting: #5 Tight End & #173 Player overall for 2022 Class (247 Sports)
- High School: from Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa
- Height/ Weight: 6’ 7”, 245 pounds
Eli Raridon did not have a reception in 2022.
Holden Staes
- Recruiting: #11 Tight End & #288 Player overall in 2022 class (247 Sports)
- High School: Westminster in Atlanta, Georgia
- Height/ Weight: 6’ 4”, 226 pounds
Holden Staes had 1 reception for 11 yards last fall.
Cooper Flanagan
- Recruiting: #15 Tight End & #272 Player overall in 2023 class (247 Sports)
- High School: De La Salle High school. Concord, California
- Height/ Weight: 6’ 5”, 228 pounds
Flanagan is the only incoming freshman tight end for the 2023 Notre Dame recruiting class.
2023 Projected Starters
It is too early to determine who will be the top tight end in 2023. Fans will see more in the spring football game, but health will play a significant role. Right now, Mitchell Evans and Kevin Bauman are the older tight ends and have been in the program longer.
But Eli Raridon and Holden Staes have a year in the Notre Dame strength and conditioning program under their belt, along with a lot of potential.
Final Thoughts
Although Michael Mayer never won the John Mackey Award, we all know he was the best tight end in the country for the past two years. Certainly, he is not replaceable, but Notre Dame Football has had a strong tradition at the tight end position. Coach Parker has a great group of young tight ends ready to step up.
The legacy of great Notre Dame Tight Ends seems to continue every year. Over the past decade, the Irish have had a list that includes Alize Mack, Ben Koyack, Brock Wright, Cole Kmet, Durham Smythe, Kyle Rudolph, Troy Niklas, Tyler Eifert, and Tommy Tremble in the NFL.
But this fall, the Fighting Irish will lose 67 receptions for 809 yards and 9 touchdowns from Michael Mayer. Last season, the combined receptions from the remaining tight ends on the roster were only seven.
Now that Sam Hartman has joined the Fighting Irish, Tommy Rees finally has a talented quarterback with a lot of experience and Heisman potential in South Bend. Notre Dame must have the next great tight end step up this fall to complement the talented group of running backs and young wide receivers. This group has the potential to be the best offense Irish fans have seen in a long time.
Lololol Mayer wasn’t the best TE the last 2 years haha. That kid Bowers from UGA makes him look like a JV player. Put Mayer and him om the same team and Mayer is riding the pine. Bowers dominated as a freshman and sophomore. Baller out in the NC game with a walk on throwing the ball. But hey live in a delusional world as most people do.
Pyne is gone, David, as is Kelly. So what do we care about either of them? Pyne will never be an ND alumnus, like you. Your never ending vendetta against Kelly is understandable, but against Pyne.. a student, a kid? Drop that Dave.
BGC 77 82
I post what I want, when I want. Get over it.
Anonymously, as if you are afraid to really stand by your comments…like your bold declarations that “you post what you want when you want”. But for all the bluster, you lack even the little bit of courage required to pull off you mask.
BGC 77 82
I can’t believe how dumb you are.
Hard to do when you are stuck in Mom’s basement, griping about everyone and everything.
Oblivity, meet Irony. Two school chums of Stupidity.
Looking forward to an update on injury recovery status and projected time for the return of Bauman & Raridon as those projections become available. Currently I believe only three TEs are healthy and one is an incoming FR, and am unsure if he’s an early enrollee.
Mayer was such a productive TE this season in no small part because he was the target of most of Drew Pyne’s passes,
It was a l limited, predictable offense —- acutely so on 3rd downs.