Trautman redshirted his true freshman season as he changed positions from quarterback to tight end.[3] As a redshirt freshman, he caught 24 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns.[4] He had 43 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns and was named second-team All-Pioneer Football League in his sophomore season.[5] As a junior, Trautman led the team with 41 receptions, 604 yards and nine touchdowns and was again named second-team All-PFL.[6] As a Senior, he was named the PFL Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-PFL after catching 70 passes for 916 yards and 14 touchdowns.[7][8][9] He finished his collegiate career with 171 receptions for 2,295 yards and 31 touchdowns.[10] Trautman played in the 2020 Senior Bowl, catching two passes.[11]
Trautman was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round with the 105th overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft.[14] He was the first Dayton football player to be drafted since Bill Westbeld in 1977.[15][16] Trautman made his NFL debut on September 13, 2020, in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the first Dayton player to appear in an NFL game in 45 years.[17] He caught a 17-yard pass from Drew Brees for his first career reception on September 21, 2020, on Monday Night Football in a 34–24 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.[18] In Week 9, against the Buccaneers, he had three receptions for 39 yards and his first professional touchdown reception in the 38–3 victory.[19] In a humorous incident, the Buccaneers were unable to find a picture of Trautman to use on their scoring display, and instead used a picture of then-Rams quarterback Jared Goff.[20] He finished his rookie season with 15 receptions on 16 targets for 171 yards and one touchdown and was rated the best rookie tight end by Pro Football Focus, who also rated him the best run-blocking tight end in the NFL.[21]
Trautman entered the 2021 season as the starting tight end for the Saints after the team released Jared Cook in the offseason.[22] He was placed on injured reserve on November 23, 2021.[23] He was activated on December 18.
Denver Broncos
On April 29, 2023, Trautman was traded from the Saints, along with the 257th pick of the 2023 NFL draft, to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the 195th pick of the draft.[24] He was the Broncos starting tight end throughout the season, playing all 17 games with 12 starts while recording 22 catches for 204 yards and three touchdowns.[25]
On March 13, 2024, Trautman signed a two-year contract extension with the Broncos.[26]