Inside The Panthers

Saints Meet With Star Pitt Tight End

One Pitt Panthers tight end is on the radar for the New Orleans Saints ahead of the NFL Draft.
Kevin Sinclair|
Oct 1, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) runs after a catch to score a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 1, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) runs after a catch to score a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

The New Orleans Saints are taking a close look at one of the top Pitt Panthers available in the 2025 NFL Draft. Tight end Gavin Bartholomew. 

On Thursday, Jerry DiPaola of Trib Total Media posted on social media the following:

"Pro Day leftover: Ran into Saints tight ends coach Chase Haslett, who was keeping an eye on Pitt's Gavin Bartholomew. He also took him to dinner the night before. Chase is the son of former Steelers defensive coordinator and Saints head coach Jim Haslett (an Avalon guy, btw)."

From Nittany Sports Now, Joe Smeltzer also posted on X regarding Bartholomew's Pro Day performance on Wednesday, noting the 6-foot-4.5, 246-pound, four-year contributor recorded a 36.5-inch vertical jump.

On the bench press, Jerry DiPaola also reported the future pro tight end put up 16 reps of 225 pounds on Wednesday.

In recent NFL mock drafts, The Draft Network had Bartholomew pegged to be selected by the Chicago Bears through the 240th pick in the seventh round in late April. Shortly before that projection, The Rams Wire of USA Today had the New Jersey native going to the Rams on Day Three of the draft, a sixth-round pick.

Over his four years in Pittsburgh, Bartholomew caught 105 balls for 1,257 yards and 11 touchdowns.

At the NFL Combine in February, Bartholomew clocked a solid 4.70 in the crucial 40-yard dash. And if he's selected among the seven rounds next month, that score will likely have played a big role.

Bartholomew joins receiver teammate Konata Mumpfield as the top two draft hopefuls out of Pittsburgh, although safety Donovan McMillon put forth an excellent effort at this week's Pro Day, potentially rising across NFL Draft boards.

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

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