Bauman recaps PSU visit

Penn State hosted one of the region’s top up-and-coming tight ends Friday in Red Bank, N.J., native Kevin Bauman.

Already checking in at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, the Class of 2020 prospect has earned four early scholarship offers from Boston College, Rutgers, Syracuse and Virginia. Most of the region’s top programs are showing early interest, however, including the Nittany Lions..

“Right off the bat, I met with Coach [Tyler] Bowen in the parking lot when we were pulling up,” Bauman said. “We walked into the facility then and basically the entire coaching staff, along with Coach Franklin, were waiting there to greet us. That was impressive.

“We then went on a tour and got to see the entire [Lasch Building]. From the nutrition bar to the weight room, the locker room, the meeting rooms. I got to see all of it. I also got to sit in on a team meeting with the tight ends. I enjoyed the energy around the entire building and I love the way they run things in their meetings.”

In addition to the tour, Bauman was also impressed with Penn State’s spring practice.

“Watching practice was awesome,” he said. “To see how Coach Bowen coaches his tight ends and how Coach Franklin interacts with his guys. Everyone was upbeat and working hard. They maximize everything they do. It was a lot of fun to be around them. They make a fun environment at practice.”

Before heading home, Bauman and his father had an extended talk with Bowen. He said that Penn State’s new tight end coach was someone he could relate with.

“I got to spend a lot of time with Coach Bowen,” Bauman said. “He’s definitely a guy that I can relate with and build a relationship with. We talked about my background, my family’s background, school, things like that. I love football, obviously, but I also think it’s important to be well-rounded. I like being involved in the classroom and in the community, which fits well at Penn State. So, we talked about that stuff a bit.

“Regarding a scholarship, he told me that I’m definitely high on their board and that he wants to keep building a relationship with me. He said that he wants to keep in contact with me, maybe visit again and we’ll see how everything progresses.”

So far, Bauman has taken multiple visits to Rutgers. In fact, he’s on campus today to watch the Scarlet Knights practice. He’s also planning to attend Boston College’s spring game, April 14.

For Bauman’s second varsity season - he started as a freshman - he recorded 19 catches for 390 yards, scoring five touchdowns. He also helped lead Red Bank Catholic to an 8-1 regular season. Off the field, he’s proven to be an excellent student and leader in the community, making him a good fit for James Franklin’s program.