Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (4) stiff arms Oklahoma State Cowboys safety Tanner McCalister (2) in the first half during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Former Notre Dame WR Named ‘Dark-Horse’ Roster Candidate for New Orleans Saints

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Nick Shepkowski | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 2:30 PM ET

Former Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin, Jr. played just two full years for the Fighting Irish between 2018 and 2021, but recorded seven touchdown receptions his final year. It came as a slight surprise to some when he declared for he 2022 NFL draft instead of using his final year of eligibility.

Ultimately Austin went undrafted before being signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad for two seasons before ending up on the UFL's Birmingham Stallions last summer. He parlayed that chance into a contract with the New Orleans Saints, one that resulted in him being bumped up to the active roster for eight games last season.

Austin currently has a one-year deal with the Saints for the upcoming 2025 season, but a roster spot is anything but a guarantee. Despite that, Nic Jennings recently listed Austin as a "dark-horse initial 53-man roster candidate" to make the Saints opening day roster.

Jennings cited Austin's size relative to the rest of the Saints wide receiver room as part of the reasoning.

The stat line might not jump off the page, but the 6-foot-2, 200-pound wideout brings much-needed size to a Saints receiver room otherwise lacking height...The size becomes even more significant considering the Saints and Minnesota Vikings are currently the only NFL teams without a receiver listed taller than 6-foot-2 in the building.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway:

I always thought Austin could have benefited from another year at Notre Dame, but let's not kid ourselves, the Fighting Irish weren't exactly turning wide receivers into stars at that time. Props to Austin for sticking with it now four years later and all the best in making the 53-man in New Orleans.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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