Former Ohio State receiver joins the XFL #GoBucks #XFL
The XFL season kicks off on Feb. 18, and more football means more opportunity for one former Ohio State football player who has joined the Houston Roughnecks and hopes to keep his professional football dream alive.
Although Chris Booker wasn’t selected during the XFL draft process, he was signed by Houston and will be given his second taste of professional football after a cup of coffee with the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted in the NFL this past year.
Most fans will remember Booker as the former walk-on who became a special teams menace and reserve wide receiver. He requested an additional year of eligibility, but this was declined. Now he has the opportunity to extend his football career.
Most fans don’t realize Booker started his collegiate football career at Dayton in the Pioneer Football League in 2016 where he received a redshirt. He transferred to Ohio State and was a star on the club team before earning a walk-on spot with the Buckeyes for the 2019 season.
Extremely blessed and excited to announce Iโve been elected by the @XFLRoughnecks in the #XFLDraft! READY TO GET TO WORK!!
The New Orleans Saints had high hopes for small-school tight end Adam Trautman when they traded all of their remaining draft picks to go get him early this summer, and the rookie has steadily worked to earn more responsibilities in the offense. On Sunday night, he passed one big career milestone by scoring his first career touchdown.
Trautman, a rookie third-round draft pick out of Dayton, was matched up against Devin White — the same Devin White who starred for the LSU Tigers and was selected with the fifth overall pick in 2019’s draft by Tampa Bay. And the former basketball player looked the part by outleaping White for the lob and winning at the catch point, carefully planting both feet in the end zone for six points.
It’s great to see the rookie contributing after so-so early returns on this year’s Saints draft class. Here’s hoping for many more highlight reel-worthy moments from him.
The New Orleans Saints will lean harder on rookie draft pick Adam Trautman in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions with TE Jared Cook injured.
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The injury bug has struck the New Orleans Saints in a hurry, with starting tight end Jared Cook its latest victim. Cook exited Week 3’s loss to the Green Bay Packers with a groin muscle issue, and it’s kept him out of the team’s first two practice sessions before they hit the road for Week 4.
That’s a problem. Cook ranks second in targets (15) through three games behind Alvin Kamara (31), having converted a first down on 6 of his 9 catches. He’s also been the team’s only reliable vertical weapon, averaging 9.9 yards per target when thrown to. If he can’t play against the Detroit Lions, the Saints would have to lean on rookie tight end Adam Trautman.
But his position coach wants it known that the team trusts Trautman should it come to that. Dan Campbell appeared on WWL Radio earlier this week and expressed strong faith in Trautman’s skills, saying: “When that injury happened with Cook, I didn’t hesitate to put him into that role. I think that says a lot about that kid.”
Trautman ended up playing 32 snaps on offense against Green Bay, compared to 21 snaps for Cook and 20 for co-starter Josh Hill. While Hill has mainly made contributions as a blocker, Trautman’s collegiate success as a pass-catcher (he caught 171 passes for 2,295 yards and 31 touchdowns at Dayton) positions him to fill in well for Cook.
Campbell continued, “I think we all like the kid and where he’s going.”
It’s a small sample size to be sure, but the early returns are encouraging for Trautman. He’s caught all three passes sent his way for 34 yards, converting a pair of first downs, and he has an easier matchup than most this week against a Lions defense that hasn’t guarded tight ends well. As a team, they have given up a combined 9 receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns to a group including former Saints tight ends Jimmy Graham (with the Chicago Bears) and Dan Arnold (for the Arizona Cardinals).
On paper, it’s a matchup the Saints can win. But just how many opportunities they’ll give a rookie from a small school in his first start remains to be seen. Campbell’s confidence in Trautman suggests strong expectations.
It didn’t take long for tight end Adam Trautman, a rookie NFL draft pick out of Dayton, to stand out at New Orleans Saints training camp.
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Just how much will New Orelans Saints fans see out of first-year tight end Adam Trautman in 2020? The team traded away four draft picks for the opportunity to add another impactful rookie, and while it’s early, Trautman is making the right moves in training camp to carve out some sort of role for himself in the offense right away.
Veteran tight end Jared Cook said just last week that Trautman has quickly adapted to life in the NFL, and is already running with the first-team offense: “He is getting a lot of reps. He has good strong hands, runs good routes. So I am excited. It has been pretty cool to have him as a young guy that can come in and contribute this early so far in camp it’s been easy. It’s been an easy transition to have him kind of step up and run a lot of plays with the ones.”
Now, to be clear, Trautman has gotten some of those opportunities because more reps were available in practice with co-starter Josh Hill sidelined due to an injury (last year, Hill averaged 40.5 snaps played per game, while Cook averaged 35.9).
But that shouldn’t take away from the fact that Trautman is earning more looks from his own merits, like this crisp completion from Jameis Winston in Friday’s practice session — with standout coverage linebacker Alex Anzalone almost in his hip pocket. If he can string together more moments like this, Trautman could make a splash under the bright lights in the Superdome:
The New Orleans Saints traded up in the 2020 NFL Draft to pick two highly-rated prospects: Wisconsin’s Zack Baun and Dayton’s Adam Trautman
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The New Orleans Saints spent all of their remaining picks in the 2020 NFL Draft to move up in the third round, targeting Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun and Dayton tight end Adam Trautman in a pair of trades.
But where did the draft experts project them to be picked? The Saints graded both prospects as top-40 selections internally, and scouting reports from various media outlets also rated them highly. Here’s a quick survey:
The Athletic
Dane Brugler was a fan of the pickups; Trautman was his top-rated tight end prospect, projected to be picked late in the second round or early in the third. While the rookie’s lack of experience at the higher levels of college football is worth noting, Brugler spoke highly of the attributes Trautman brings to the NFL:
Overall, Trautman doesn’t have the body of work vs. top-level competition, but his athleticism and pass-catching traits for a player his size make him a highly intriguing prospect, projecting as a future NFL starter and top-75 draft pick.
As for Baun: Brugler graded the Wisconsin product as his fourth-best linebacker and a fringe first-round talent, talking up Baun’s athleticism in the open field and positional versatility. Brugler’s scouting report summary:
Overall, Baun’s evaluation requires some projection because he won’t be a full-time rusher in the NFL, but he displays the fluid athleticism, smarts and motor to line up as a stack linebacker and nickel pass rusher, projecting as a top-40 prospect.
The Draft Network
Meanwhile, Kyle Crabbs spoke highly of Trautman’s versatile route tree and strength as a blocker, though he acknowledged it’ll take some time before the tight end is ready to contribute against NFL competition:
Trautman has length, burst, dominant reps as a blocker, violent hands and the production you would expect from an NFL talent playing on the smaller competitive fields. Trautman will need time and patience, but he can be a seam busting tight end and red zone threat who can align in traditional alignments or flexed wide.
However, Crabbs’ colleague Joe Marino expressed reservations about the time it will take to get Trautman up to speed. Between his background as a high school quarterback who didn’t catch a game until he arrived at Dayton and the low level of competition he faced there, Marino said, Trautman is very much a developmental pick — but a worthwhile one given his skills.
And while he also anticipates a learning curve for Baun, Marino expects the linebacker to fit in and play often for just about any defensive scheme in the league. Crabbs was in agreement with that take, saying that Baun will find the most success in a defense that allows him to move up all over the field. Marino’s summary:
He projects favorably to a 3-4 outside linebacker role at the next level where his versatility to rush the passer, drop in coverage and defend the run is optimized given his modest mass and length. With that said, I believe he can also play SAM linebacker in 4-3 base defenses and rush the passer off the edge on passing downs, making him a scheme-versatile prospect.
ESPN
While Trautman wasn’t included in every analyst’s top-50 lists, Baun was ranked the 31st-best prospect by Mel Kiper. Kiper credited Baun for his ability to play all over the defensive front and generate pressure off both the left and right sides.
NFL Network
Daniel Jeremiah was also a fan of Baun’s, though Trautman didn’t make his top tier, either. He hyped up Baun’s positional flexibility and all-around athleticism, and has a player comparison in mind:
He spends a lot of time playing over tight ends and gets the best of them in the run and pass games. As a rusher, he has a good initial burst and can really bend at the top of his rush. He has a nifty inside counter move and he can get skinny before closing on the quarterback. He mixes in a stutter/bull rush, but usually stalls out after generating some push. He is very athletic as a dropper in coverage. He is very good as a back-side run defender because of his burst and effort. Teams will differ on where to play him at the next level. He reminds me of former USC LBย Uchenna Nwosu, someone whose versatility theย Chargers have tapped into. I’d do the same with Baun.
Dayton tight end prospect Adam Trautman was picked by the New Orleans Saints in a trade in the 2020 NFL Draft, and his highlights explain it
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Here’s a stunner: the New Orleans Saints boldly traded back into the third round, exchanging all of their remaining picks in the 2020 draft for No. 105. And they made that move with a singular target in mind, picking small-school tight end Adam Trautman out of Dayton.
And Trautman’s highlight reel makes it easy to see why the Saints valued him so highly. He’s a natural hands-catcher who doesn’t need to shield the football with his body when it’s thrown to him. He can catch it at the high point of the arc while running in stride, sometimes with just one hand. See him in action for yourself:
The New Orleans Saints shocked us all with another trade in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft
The New Orleans Saints shocked us all with another trade in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, moving up to pick No. 105 (owned by the Minnesota Vikings) in exchange for all of their remaining selections in this year’s event. And they did it to targeting Adam Trautman, a tight end out of Dayton ranked near the top of many draft boards.
To recap: the Saints just swapped all four of their picks in the final four rounds for one player. As things stand now, they’re out of selections in the 2020 draft.
Trautman might be worth it. ESPN’s Louis Riddick said on the draft broadcast, “I like everything about this player. I’m shocked to see him still on the board.”
The big tight end — Trautman weighed in at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, with a 78-inch wingspan and a 4.8-flat time in the 40-yard dash — caught 178 passes in college, gaining 2,295 receiving yards and scoring 31 touchdowns. He’s a big-play threat who has a lot to learn as the understudy to Jared Cook, a veteran entering the final year of his Saints contract.
We’ll see if the Saints give up any of their future draft picks to sneak back into the draft on Saturday, but it doesn’t feel likely. Then again, who saw this coming?
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Dayton tight end Adam Trautman
The teams that routinely win the NFL draft are the ones that are able to find the best players, regardless of where they played their college ball. It’s about finding diamonds in the rough, and getting the best value across all seven rounds.
If your favorite NFL team is looking to check all those boxes with a tight end prospect in the 2020 NFL draft, they should look no further than Dayton’s Adam Trautman.
One of the biggest winners at this year’s Senior Bowl, Trautman recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience against top competition in Mobile, how he handles the “small-school” criticism, and what kind of impact he’ll make at the next level.
JM: What was your experience like at the Senior Bowl?
AT: It was a great experience. For a guy like me and with my situation being a small school guy, it was a huge opportunity for me to go out there and compete against the top seniors around the nation. It was important for me to go out there and prove that I belonged. I got to showcase myself against some of the best of the best. The week itself was a grind but it was a lot of fun. It’s football so naturally I had an awesome time out there.
JM: Was your main focus out there to quiet some of the small-school talk?
AT: Yeah, I wanted to specifically prove that I’m a complete tight end. I can put my hand in the dirt and attack people in the run game. I of course wanted to showcase my abilities in the passing game as well. I basically wanted everyone in attendance to realize that everything I put on film throughout my entire college career will translate exactly to that level of competition as well. I definitely feel like I did that and proved that to everybody.
JM: You just know that some scout or whoever is gonna ask you about the small-school competition. Will you point him in the direction of your Senior Bowl tape?
AT: Yeah, I would honestly tell them to pull up the tape from the week of practice I had out there. It clearly translated for me. They can’t just say that I was giving more effort out there or whatever because if you watch my tape, that’s how I played all season. I go hard all the time. That would be my response. People are gonna have their opinions and I understand that. I had a chance to prove myself throughout the three days of practice and in the game as well. I definitely feel good about it. I don’t think I should have an asterisk next to my name. I was thrilled with how the week went.
Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
JM: You put up 70 catches, 900+ yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Those are some impressive numbers. What is it about your game that allowed you to be so productive?
AT: It comes down to great game-planning. It starts there. Our offensive coordinator did a great job being creative and putting me in different situations that allowed me to thrive and be successful. Opposing defenses had a difficult time game-planning for me in any given situation because we threw so much at them. We did a great job hiding me, finding me mismatches and getting me into 1-v-1 opportunities. A huge amount of credit goes to our offensive coordinator. I also put in a lot of work throughout the summer. I really honed in on route running and blocking. I was fortunate to see that hard work translate over. I’m very happy with the season that I had.
JM: There was such a big jump in production for you from 2018 to 2019. Why do you think that happened?
AT: I was really focused throughout the off-season. Going in as a senior, I knew this was my last run at it. There’s a new level of focus that comes with that realization. I certainly spent a lot of time on the little techniques. Those things did a great job carrying over for me. They lead to a lot of big time opportunities on game-day. I was able to make some big plays for my team and dominate in the run game as well. That really was where my focus was at. I also think our offense did a great job evolving this past season. We were able to carry over the momentum from the year before and take that a little further. We went from scoring 36 points per game to 42.5 points per game which was the best mark in the country. That’s a credit to our offensive coordinator.
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing tight end?
AT: I enjoy being able to impact the game in multiple aspects. You can be that go-to guy in the passing game as the chain mover or play-maker if you will. You can also be the guy on 4th and 1 who demands for the team to run the ball behind you. We’re able to impact the game in so many ways as a tight end. The NFL has seen an increased usage of multiple tight end sets as of late. That’s really what I love about the position.
JM: You’re an excellent route runner. Do you have a favorite route to run?
AT: Yeah, I’d have to say a corner route. That’s definitely my favorite route to run. Being able to change the angle when you come off of a cut, just having that freedom makes it my favorite.
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
JM: I have a two-part question here for you. Is there one NFL defender that you’re looking forward to squaring off with? How about one NFL quarterback you’d love to catch a pass from?
AT: Wow, those are tough. I have to think about a safety or someone I could realistically square off with in coverage. Tyrann Mathieu definitely comes to mind. I’ve always loved watching him play the game. He’s a heck of a player. As for the quarterback question, I don’t really care (laughs). I’ll catch a pass from any NFL quarterback. That’s a tough one. I like Deshaun Watson. I grew up a Houston Texans fan. I grew up in Houston up until I was 11 years before we moved to Michigan. Catching a pass from Watson would be pretty cool but I honestly don’t have a preference at all.
JM: The NFL Scouting Combine is fast approaching. Are you looking forward to any drills in particular?
AT: I’m really just looking forward to having another opportunity to go out there and compete on another big stage against my peers. There’s so many talented guys throughout the country and I’m excited about competing alongside them. I’m looking forward to meeting the teams and interviewing with them. The position drills are big. It’s another chance to show that I can separate and move with the best of them. I can get in and out of breaks effortlessly and I can move guys off the ball in the run game. I’m excited for it all. I’ve been watching the combine on television for at least seven years in a row now. I’m looking forward to partaking in it.
JM: This is a long, taxing process, but it’s an incredibly rewarding one. What are you most looking forward to?
AT: I’m really excited to see where I could take this thing. I’m excited to ultimately find out where I’m gonna end up. Where I was before last season, I’ve seen quite the rise. The way teams view me has changed drastically. There’s a big difference in where I’m projected now to where I was a year ago. It’s gonna be exciting to see how high I can end up and how I can continue to elevate myself. Continued development is very important to me. I’ve been working with some great position coaches as I prepare for what’s next. I’ve obtained a lot of knowledge over the last little bit. I love developing as a player. I’m already excited to head out to rookie mini-camp wherever that might be (laughs). I can’t wait to do what I do best.
JM: What kind of impact is Adam Trautman gonna make at the next level?
AT: I plan on being a huge contributor. I’ll take up whatever role I need to. If they need me to be the third tight end and play special teams, I’ll be ready to embrace that. I’m absolutely all for that. If they need me to be the blocking tight end in a two tight end set or the leading pass catcher of the position group, I’m ready for whatever role’s coming my way. I’m looking forward to contributing to whatever organization believes in me.
