Mitchell Evans TE Notre Dame | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Mitchell Evans TE Notre Dame
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Inline Multi-Role TE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/04/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.74 seconds (60%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Inline Multi-Role TE | |
| Last Updated: 03/04/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.74 seconds (60%*) | |
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| Overall Rating: | 83.0 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 99.3 | |
| Hands: |
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73% |
| Short Receiving: |
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76% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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85% |
| Deep Threat: |
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83% |
| Blocking: |
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63% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#136
Position rank:
#8
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| College Games: 40 College Snaps: 1294 | ||
ESPN RATING: 78/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Luke Schoonmaker - Michigan |
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91% |
| Brenton Strange - Penn State |
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85% |
| Cade Otton - Washington |
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83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
The football roots run deep in Wadsworth, Ohio, where Mitchell Evans first made his mark as a multi-sport athlete before bringing his 6'5", 258-pound frame to Notre Dame in 2021. Before donning the gold helmet, Evans showcased serious versatility at Wadsworth High School, playing tight end his junior year with 19 receptions for 306 yards and 7 touchdowns, then transitioning to quarterback as a senior where he amassed 2,132 passing yards with 23 touchdowns. His standout performances earned him Second Team All-State honors and recognition from the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association, all while maintaining his basketball career.Evans' Fighting Irish career began in the shadows of future NFL tight end Michael Mayer, playing all 13 games as a freshman but recording just two receptions for 21 yards. His sophomore campaign was hampered by a preseason foot injury that limited him to eight games, though he made his presence felt with a game-winning touchdown reception against South Carolina in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Evans' junior season showed glimpses of his potential with 29 catches for 422 yards before an ACL tear ended his campaign after eight games. Fully recovered for his senior year, Evans became a cornerstone of Notre Dame's offense during their championship run, hauling in 43 receptions for 421 yards and three touchdowns while starting 15 games.
Evans transformed from specialized blocker to versatile offensive weapon, adapting to numerous roles within the Irish offense. Originally deployed primarily as an in-line "Y" tight end, his positional flexibility expanded dramatically over four seasons as coaches utilized him in the slot, as an H-back, and even split wide. This evolution reached its apex during Notre Dame's playoff push, where Evans delivered clutch performances with five catches for 58 yards against Penn State and four receptions for 52 yards in the championship game against Ohio State. His ability to convert critical downs became a hallmark of his game, with 70% of his career receptions resulting in first downs or touchdowns.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Flourishes in medium and deep receiving situations where his size and natural hands create matchup problems, particularly on seam routes where he tracks the ball with instinctual precision.
- Shows impressive body control when adjusting to passes outside his frame, contorting his 258-pound frame with surprising flexibility while maintaining concentration through contact.
- Consistently wins in contested catch situations, using his basketball background to box out defenders and attack the ball at its highest point with vise-grip hands.
- Demonstrates reliable feel for zone coverage, settling into soft spots between defenders with timing that suggests advanced route awareness beyond his college experience.
- Brings a physical edge to his blocking assignments, firing out with proper leverage and churning legs through contact to create movement at the point of attack.
- Shows natural receiving instincts with route adjustments against zone coverage, finding openings and presenting clear targets to his quarterback in scramble drills.
- Versatile alignment options include traditional in-line work, H-back positioning, and slot alignments, offering valuable formation flexibility without telegraphing play design.
- Displays evident toughness fighting through contact, both as a blocker sustaining through the whistle and as a receiver maintaining focus despite incoming defenders.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Footwork lacks the precision needed for sharp breaking routes, limiting his separation ability against man coverage and athletic linebackers at the next level.
- Significant injury history including a broken foot (2022) and ACL tear (2023) raises durability concerns about his ability to withstand the NFL's physical demands.
- Initial blocking punch occasionally lands outside defender's frame, creating leverage disadvantages that more technically sound edge defenders will exploit.
- Shows limited creativity after the catch, relying more on forward momentum than lateral agility to create yards beyond what's blocked for him.
- Blocking effectiveness diminishes significantly in space against smaller, quicker defenders, struggling to mirror and maintain connection in the open field.
Scouting Report: Summary
TE2 with starter upside in heavy personnel packages, particularly for teams that prioritize multiple tight end sets and a power running game. Think of Evans as a souped-up version of what Durham Smythe has been for the Dolphins – not the focal point of an offense but the type of player coaches trust implicitly on money downs.The medical flags will likely drop Evans into the middle rounds, but his combination of blocking prowess and reliable hands offers significant value. Teams like the Ravens, Steelers, or Titans – franchises that emphasize physical play and utilize tight ends as extensions of their offensive line – would maximize Evans' strengths immediately. He may never be a 70-catch tight end at the NFL level, but Evans has the tools to carve out a long career as a trusted complementary piece.
Evans brings an old-school tight end mentality to a position that has increasingly prioritized receiving ability over blocking. While he won't threaten defenses vertically like elite athletes at the position, his three-down versatility, red zone potential, and nasty demeanor in the run game will endear him to coaching staffs. Zone-heavy offenses should particularly value Evans' ability to find soft spots and convert critical downs. With proper coaching and scheme fit, Evans could develop into one of those unheralded draft picks who quietly outperforms his draft position for years while doing the dirty work that enables flashier teammates to thrive.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (IND-FBS)
Mitchell Evans percentiles vs other Tight Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Mitchell Evans (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
134.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
10.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.