April 26, 2025
The Panthers selected Evans in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 163rd overall.
ANALYSISEvans struggled to stay on the field due to injuries during his four-year career at Notre Dame, but he managed to play in 16 games (11 starts) for the Fighting Irish in 2024 and finished with 43 catches for 421 yards and three touchdowns. He split his snaps between the slot and inline positions and would consistently win through contact to grab difficult throws, though his lack of production in the red zone is an area he'll need to work on to earn more snaps at the NFL level. Evans joins a Panthers tight end room headlined by
Ja'Tavion Sanders and
Tommy Tremble.