Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans is among the most pro-ready and versatile players at his position. Evans is an outstanding blocker who was asked to play a legitimate “Y” role in-line for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish standout also recorded a team-high 43 receptions for 421 yards and three touchdowns in 2024.
Evans recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network. Evans discussed overcoming a season-ending torn ACL injury in 2023, playing a versatile role, developing chemistry with Riley Leonard, his pre-draft team meetings, and more.
JM: You did a phenomenal job coming back from an ACL injury in 2023 to enjoy a career-best year in 2024. You must have really committed to the process to overcome that adversity.
Mitchell Evans: My junior year was my first season as the starting tight end at Notre Dame. I was riding a high. I was finally the guy and I was playing good football at a prestigious program. It felt like everything was going right for me.
Boom, I tear my ACL in Week 8. It all came crashing down. It felt like it was all gone in an instant. I knew what was ahead of me, the journey to recovery I was about to go on.
We ended up hiring the best strength coach [Loren Landow] in the country that season. He’s the best rehabilitation guy in the country, and a really good strength coach. He got hired one month after I had surgery.
I understood the journey. I had teammates who had been through it before. I understood the process. I knew it was going to be long and grueling. I learned a lot about myself during that process.
I worked my butt off. My goal was to get back on the field against Texas A&M. That was College Station, Week 1, my senior season. That was the goal. I pushed myself throughout the process.
It was long days and long nights. A lot of sacrifice went into getting where I wanted to go. I came back and performed on Saturdays. I met my goal and played against Texas A&M. I played just nine snaps. It wasn’t the 40-50 I was used to, but the goal was to get back on the field and contribute.
That was a great moment for me.
JM: You came back in a major way. You recorded a team-high 43 receptions for 421 yards and three touchdowns. What do you think led to the increased production?
Mitchell Evans: I didn’t get a chance to practice during Spring ball. I had very limited reps and exposure in camp. Game prepping was my practice. I dove into that and built a connection with Riley Leonard.
We had a lot of chemistry and trust. We built that off the field. It helped me come back and perform on the field. That trust and connection was present by the time I came back. We established that rapport. That helped a ton.
I also played in more games this year. Going to the National Championship helped (laughs). We had the most opportunities to play and perform.
JM: There’s no doubt about that. You were also great at the NFL Combine, running a 4.74. Did you get great feedback from scouts on the performance?
Mitchell Evans: We ended our season in late January. The NFL Combine was in February. It was a quick turnaround for me. I was hearing from other people in similar situations who were thinking about skipping the NFL Combine.
I felt good personally. I knew I had enough to go and compete at the NFL Combine. I wanted to perform. I only had a few weeks of combine-specific training. I went up there to perform and compete. Considering the lack of time I had, I thought I did great. I got great feedback on my performance.
NFL coaches and scouts were pleased with my performance. They were excited to see me compete. That was exactly what they wanted to see from me. We competed and pushed each other to be great. That was a goal of mine. I was very pleased.
JM: You did that at a high level. Does Mitchell Evans have a favorite route to run? You were productive in the passing game.
Mitchell Evans: I would probably say the slot fade. I ran a ton of those this past season. I might go with a simple little five-yard choice route. I welcome that ability to go one-on-one with a defender. It’s definitely a slot fade or a little choice route.
JM: You also have great size at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds to play as an in-line blocker. You're very willing in the trenches. You have to do that at Notre Dame. What do you enjoy about that?
Mitchell Evans: I love blocking in the trenches. I really took it upon myself to improve that aspect of my game. I embraced that role and skill set in my early formative years at Notre Dame. That was my role, to take on that grunt work as that true “Y” tight end lined up in-line.
I had to take care and control that C-gap or the edge. That was my first responsibility, my first role, the first exposure I had to playing tight end. I really embraced it and fell in love with it.
Obviously as my time went on at Notre Dame, my role expanded and I got to do more things. I truly love taking control of that C-gap though and playing in-line. I like fighting with those defensive linemen. I got to work combo blocks with our offensive line.
I love getting dirty in the trenches with the boys. I don’t shy away from it. I think my film portrays that. It’s all about your willingness. That’s what I learned from playing that role. You need to be willing. I feel like I truly have the willingness to thrive at it.
JM: It shows on tape. Did you meet with any NFL teams throughout the pre-draft process? Visits, workouts, things of that nature?
Mitchell Evans: I went to Chicago for the Bears’ local pro day. I didn’t work out, but I met with tight ends coach Jim Dray and his staff. I also met with the Texans, Saints, and Bengals at Pro Day. I met with the Eagles and a bunch of others on Zoom. I met a few teams at the Shrine Bowl, Pro Day, and NFL Combine as well. Those were some of the more recent meetings.
JM: There’s a lot of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. We've appreciated your time today. What kind of impact is Mitchell Evans going to make at the next level?
Mitchell Evans: I’m expecting to be very versatile. I want to make an immediate impact on offense and special teams. I’m prepared to be a role or rotational guy if need be. I can be that true “Y” tight end who blocks on first, second, and third down. I can control that C-gap as an in-line blocker.
I can also catch passes and help move the chains on offense. I’m ready to play a role. I can truly say versatility is my strongest asset. I’m also willing to play special teams. I just want to make an immediate impact and help the team win games.
