Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans and wide receiver Kris Mitchell made the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, it was announced this week. The Biletnikoff Award recognizes college Football’s outstanding FBD receiver (tight ends are included).
Evans, a 6’-5”, 260-pound tight end, enjoyed a breakout season in 2023. He played in just eight games for the Irish as a junior last season, starting in seven of them. He missed the last four games due to injury. Evans suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the Irish’s 58-7 victory over Pittsburgh. The sure-handed tight end made the most of his time on the field. Evans ended the season as the team’s top receiving target. He averaged 52.8 yards per game on 29 receptions for 422 yards. He scored one touchdown and averaged 14.6 yards per catch.
Leadership Role for Mitchell Evans
A former high school quarterback, Evans is hopeful of returning to the form he displayed a year ago. With transfer quarterback Riley Leonard under center, the Irish will need Mitchell to be a difference-maker again this season. If healthy, Evans will be among the nation’s top tight ends, especially in an offense run by Mike Denbrock. Following the opening of fall camp last week, Evans spoke to the media to provide an update on his status.
“I feel good. The knee is strong,” Evans said from the podium during his press conference on Aug. 1. “I’m in the “Return to Play” status we have here. I’m just doing what that entails. I feel pretty good.
“The biggest thing for me in this off-season was trying to be more of a leader,” Evans added. “Trying to help the guys as much as I possibly can. And to be more mentally involved, mentally focused. Especially now during camp. I’m getting back into things. I haven’t played football for a little bit. But I’m trying to be more mentally in tune to what I’m doing.”
Kris Mitchell A Dynamic Playmaker
The arrival of Kris Mitchell from the transfer portal promises to bolster the Irish’s perimeter. A standout at Florida International University (FIU) last season, Mitchell played in all 12 games for the Panthers. FIU’s leading receiver in 2023, Mitchell caught 64 passes for 1,118 yards. He scored seven touchdowns a year ago. And he averaged 93.2 yards per game and recorded at least one reception in all 12 games.
Mitchell enjoyed a career day in FIU’s win against Maine in the second game of the season. He finished that contest with career bests in receptions (9), and receiving yards (201), and tied his single-game best of two receiving touchdowns. Mitchell provides the Irish’s wide receiver room with much-needed explosiveness. He is a deep threat who can stretch the field. Denbrock’s offensive schemes utilize dynamic playmakers.
Size, Speed, and Experience
With Mitchell Evans and Kris Mitchell leading the charge, Notre Dame’s offense is poised for a breakout season. The players on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List bring a blend of size, speed, and experience that could prove tough to cover for opposing defenses. If Evans and Mitchell stay healthy and develop the much-needed chemistry with Leonard, the weapons have the potential to help lead Notre Dame to the expanded 12-team playoff.
