clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Ohio tight end Mitchell Evans commits to the Irish

The 2021 class dips back into the Buckeye State

By Joshua Vowles

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish continue to ride on their recruiting hot streak with the commitment of 3-Star tight end Mitchell Evans for the 2021 class. Evans is a 6’7” 240 pound prospect from Wadsworth, Ohio and chose the Irish over offers from the Michigan State Spartans, Pittsburgh Panthers, Florida State Seminoles, and many others.

With such a naturally large frame, there is a common tendency for people to start thinking about a transition to the offensive line. While that could be in his future down the road, he was recruited to play tight end at Notre Dame and will pair up with Cane Berrong as the TE duo of this class.

Irish Illustrated’s Tim Prister offered this review of Evans — specifically in comparison to another Irish 2021 TE target, Erik Olsen:

The fact that seven of his 19 receptions as a junior went for touchdowns (while averaging 16.1 yards per reception) indicates a desire to use him in red-zone situations. Evans uses his long frame well to box out players in the end zone while utilizing a reach commensurate to his 6-foot-7 length.

In that sense, he is somewhat comparable to former Stanford tight end Colby Parkinson, who made a collegiate living (particularly in 2018) as a go-to man when the Cardinal found themselves within striking distance.

Evans shows himself to be a willing blocker who brings his feet and has pretty good thrust, although he could use a bit more bend in his approach. In terms of twitchiness and overall physical prowess, I’d put Olsen ahead of Evans, although Evans has more long-term upside.

Evans is the 15th commitment for the Irish in the 2021 class and the 2nd tight end. Notre Dame has been on a quiet tear in July with 6 commitments (4 for 2021 & 2 for 2022). They stand firm at #13 in the 247 Composite Ream Rankings, and will be looking for more movement over the next month.

Notre Dame Football’s 2021 Commit List (27)

POSITION PLAYER SIGNED STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE EARLY ENROLLEE
POSITION PLAYER SIGNED STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE EARLY ENROLLEE
QB Tyler Buchner ☘️ California 6'2" 200 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/08/19 YES
DT Gabriel Rubio ☘️ Missouri 6'6" 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/15/19 YES
OT Blake Fisher ☘️ Indiana 6'6" 300 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/15/19 YES
TE Cane Berrong ☘️ Georgia 6'5" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/21/19 YES
WR Lorenzo Styles ☘️ Ohio 6'1" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/13/19 YES
S Justin Walters ☘️ Illinois 6'2" 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/02/20 YES
OL Pat Coogan ☘️ Illinois 6'5" 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/15/20 -
DE Jason Onye ☘️ Rhode Island 6'5" 245 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/07/20 -
CB Ryan Barnes ☘️ Maryland 6'2" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/06/20 YES
OT Joe Alt ☘️ Minnesota 6'7" 257 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/06/20 -
CB Chance Tucker ☘️ California 6'1" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/22/20 -
RB Logan Diggs ☘️ Louisiana 6’0" 195 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/29/20 -
TE Mitchell Evans ☘️ Ohio 6'7" 240 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/31/20 YES
LB Prince Kollie ☘️ Tennessee 6'2" 205 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/07/20 -
OG Rocco Spindler ☘️ Michigan 6'5" 315 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/08/20 YES
DE Will Schweitzer ☘️ California 6'4" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/16/20 YES
WR Deion Colzie ☘️ Georgia 6'4" 195 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 09/28/20 -
WR Jayden Thomas ☘️ Georgia 6'1" 205 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/02/20 -
CB Philip Riley ☘️ Florida 6'0" 195 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/16/20 YES
K Josh Bryan ☘️ Colorado 6'1" 185 SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ 11/17/20 -
LB Kahanu Kia ☘️ Hawaii 6'2" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/19/20 -
OT Caleb Johnson ☘️ Florida 6'7" 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/19/20 YES
CB JoJo Johnson ☘️ Indiana 5'11" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/24/20 -
DE Devin Aupiu ☘️ California 6’6” 225 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/09/20 YES
QB Ron Powlus III ☘️ Indiana 6'3" 225 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/16/20 YES
S Khari Gee ☘️ Georgia 6'3" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/18/20 -
RB Audric Estime ☘️ New Jersey 6'2" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/18/20 -

As I have been saying, it’s still too early to give a solid number on how big Notre Dame’s 2021 class will be, but the common thinking is that it won’t go higher than 20 commitments. We still have to see how the attrition for the 2020 season pans out to view what spots may be open next year. Still, that leaves about 5 spots in this class, and I’m unsure if that is likely.

2021 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Quarterback Tyler Buchner, Ron Powlus Drew Pyne Brendon Clark* - Jack Coan
Running Back Logan Diggs, Audric Estime Chris Tyree Kyren Williams* C'Bo Flemister* -
Tight End Cane Berrong, Mitchell Evans Michael Mayer, Kevin Bauman - George Takacs* -
Wide Receiver Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas Xavier Watts - Kevin Austin*, Braden Lenzy*, Joe Wilkins*, Lawrence Keys III* Avery Davis
Center - - Zeke Correll* Jarrett Patterson* -
Guard Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler - Hunter Spears* John Dirksen* Cain Madden
Tackle Blake Fisher, Joe Alt, Caleb Johnson Tosh Baker, Michael Carmody Andrew Kristofic*, Quinn Carroll* - Josh Lugg**
Defensive Tackle Gabriel Rubio Aidan Keanaaina, Rylie Mills Howard Cross*, Jacob Lacey Jayson Ademilola Kurt Hinish**, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa**
Defensive End Jason Onye, Will Schweitzer Alexander Ehrensberger, Jordan Botelho NaNa Osafo-Mensah*, Isaiah Foskey* Justin Ademilola* -
Linebacker Prince Kollie, Kahanu Kia - Jack Kiser*, Osita Ekwonu*, Marist Liufau*, JD Bertrand* Bo Bauer, Shayne Simon, Paul Moala Drew White, Isaiah Pryor
Safety Justin Walters, Khari Gee - Litchfield Ajavon*, Kyle Hamilton, KJ Wallace* Houston Griffith, D.J. Brown* -
Cornerback Ryan Barnes, Chance Tucker, Philip Riley, JoJo Johnson Clarence Lewis, Caleb Offord, Ramon Henderson Cam Hart* TaRiq Bracy -
Specialists Josh Bryan (K) Alex Peitsch (LS) Jay Bramblett - Jonathan Doerer**
Totals 26/85 (26) 41/85 (15) 60/85 (19) 76/85 (16) 85/85 (9)
* Eligible for 5th Year ** Eligible for 6th Year

The Irish are loaded up for the future at tight end — especially if you add 2022 commit Jack Nickel. The Irish have took 2 tight ends in 3 of the last 4 classes (which includes 2021). While Tommy Tremble and Michael Mayer are certainly the ones to watch over the next coupe of years, that “other tight end” can become extremely valuable on the field in the right offense.

There are 4 that Notre Dame is very much in the mix for:

  • 4-Star OL Rocco Spindler
  • 4-Star WR Jayden Thomas
  • 4-Star WR Titus Mokiamo-Atimalala
  • 4-Star LB Prince Kollie

Currently, if Notre Dame added all 4 of those guys after Diggs, they would rank #8 in the 247 Team Composite Rankings — but a lot of that can wait for another day.

Next Up In Notre Dame Football Recruiting