COLLEGE CAREER – A three-year contributor on Wisconsin's defense, the Saints moved up in the draft to select Baun with the 74th overall pick. The Brown Deer Wisc. native enjoyed a breakout redshirt senior campaign in 2019, when he was the first consensus (FWAA, Walter Camp) first-team All-American linebacker in Badgers history, when he started all 14 games and ranked second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (19.5) and sacks (12.5). Overall in his college career, he played in 39 games with 27 starts, all which took place in his final two seasons, recording 154 tackles, 30.5 stops for loss, 15 sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles. He's the eleventh player selected by the Saints from Wisconsin.
2019 – Team captain started all 14 games at OLB for Badgers. Led team and ranked second in Big Ten with 19.5 stops for loss and 12.5 sacks (ranked second among Power Five linebackers in both categories). Butkus Award finalist, Bednarik Award semifinalist, FWAA and Walter Camp Foundation first-team All-America, AFCA, Associated Press, The Sporting News second-team All-America and consensus first-team All-Big Ten…Was the first consensus first-team All-America linebacker in Wisconsin's history (UW's sixth first-team All-American overall at linebacker)...Tallied 76 tackles...Broke up two passes and grabbed a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Michigan State...Had a career-high ten tackles, including one sack, at Ohio State, Oct. 26...Added nine stops and one sack vs. Buckeyes in Big Ten Championship, Dec. 7...Had nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks at Minnesota, Nov. 30 to help Badgers secure Big Ten West Division...Logged seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble vs. Michigan, Sept. 21...Recorded a career-high three sacks vs. Kent State on Oct. 5...Had two sacks at Nebraska, Nov. 16. 2018 – Opened all 13 games at OLB…Team's third-leading tackler with 63 stops, 7.5 stops for loss, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and three passes defensed…Had career-high nine tackles and three stops for loss, also adding 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery at Penn State, Nov. 10…Snagged first career interception at Northwestern, Oct. 27. 2017 – Did not play after suffering foot injury during training camp. 2016 – Played in 12 games and recorded 15 tackles (nine solo), 3.5 stops for loss and a forced fumble...Recorded one solo tackle vs. LSU, Sept. 3...Made one tackle for loss and a forced fumble vs. Georgia State, Sept. 17...Recorded two total tackles, including a half tackle for loss at Michigan, Oct. 1...Logged six total tackles, including three solo tackles and a tackle for loss vs. Ohio State, Oct. 15...Recorded one tackle in Big Ten Championship Game vs. Penn State, Dec. 3. 2015 – Redshirted.
PERSONAL – A 247 Sports, ESPN and Scout three-star recruit at Brown Deer (Wis.) HS…Rated as the No. 2 OLB in Wisconsin and No. 54 OLB in the country by Scout…Rated No. 4 overall recruit in state by ESPN…Passed for 3,061 yards and 27 touchdowns in career, adding 3,923 yards and 67 TDs rushing…Scored 94 career touchdowns in 22 games…State Offensive Player of the Year by Wisconsin Football Coaches Association as senior…First-team All-State QB by WFCA and Associated Press second-team all-state…2014 Dave Krieg Award winner as state's most outstanding senior QB…Woodland Conference East Division Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Conference selection…Dual-threat QB, averaged 167.0 rushing yards per game and 9.7 yards per carry as senior, finishing with 1,837 rushing yards and state-leading 39 TDs…Completed 54.9 percent of his passes for 1,936 yards and 20 TDs…As junior, honorable mention all-state and firstteam All-Woodland Conference at QB…Rushed for 2,086 yards and 28 TDs, averaging 189.6 yards per game…Threw for 1,125 yards and seven touchdowns…Two-time team Most Valuable Player and team captain…Lettered in basketball, leading his team to the Wisconsin Division 3 state title as a junior (2013-14)…Lettered in track, placing four times at Division 2 state meet…Finished fifth in 100 meters and eighth in 200 meters as a junior…Third in 100 meters (10.91 in prelims) and fourth in 4x100 relay as a senior…Graduated with degree in retailing and consumer behavior…Played at Wisconsin for defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who competing in training camp for the Saints in 2013 and outside linebackers coach Bobby April III, a Mandeville native who prepped at St. Paul's High School…Played the bass in orchestra.
