Benjamin Morrison, Xavier Watts, Jack Kiser, Rylie Mills and now, Mitchell Evans. Five Notre Dame football stars have now been taken in the 2025 NFL Draft and of that group, it’s possible that Evans offers the most interesting upside considering what he can do compared to what he’s been able to do in South Bend.
First and foremost, Evans’ getting selected by the Carolina Panthers allow him to help continue the Fighting Irish legacy of being Tight End U. The school is among the leaders in the sport when it comes to sending players at that position to the NFL.
Mitchell Evans adds to Notre Dame’s proud Tight End U legacy after NFL Draft selection
Interestingly enough, Evans going to Carolina means they join an exclusive club of teams that have multiple former Notre Dame football tight ends on their roster. The Chicago Bears have Cole Kmet and Durham Smythe. Now the Panthers add Evans to a tight end room that already had Tommy Tremble as a veteran presence.
Evans was officially the No. 163 pick in the draft, and the 27th pick in the 5th round. That also means he might be one of the biggest steals of the entire draft. There was never any doubt that if he hadn’t hurt, the tight end would have had a prolific career with Notre Dame.
Despite still shaking off the effects of a torn ACL, Evans did put together a solid 2024 season while playing in amounts to an NFL schedule’s worth of 16 games. This past season he caught 43 passes for 421 yards and 3 TDs. That performance followed two straight seasons where he appeared in a 8 games total.
As he moves ever further away from his injury, he looks like someone who could make a real impact for the Panthers. Ja'Tavion Sanders was the leading receiver among TE’s with 33 catches for 342 yards and 1 TD.
The question is whether Mitchell Evans arrival might push one of the existing tight ends off the Panthers’ roster to make way for the big bodied Notre Dame football star.