Notre Dame football loses tight end Mitchell Evans to foot surgery

SOUTH BEND – Sophomore tight end Mitchell Evans suffered a broken foot during offseason workouts and underwent surgery on Thursday morning to repair the fifth metatarsal bone on the outside of his foot, Notre Dame announced.

Evans, who had two receptions last season while appearing in all 13 games, was projected along with Kevin Bauman as the primary backups to All-American tight end Michael Mayer. According to the release, the Irish consider Evans probable to return to play at some point in the fall.

According to MountSinai.org, surgery on a fifth metatarsal typically requires a cast to be worn for 6-8 weeks. The fifth metatarsal is the most commonly fractured of the five metatarsal bones in the foot, according to the site.

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A three-star recruit from Wadsworth (Ohio) High School, Evans is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds and impressed the coaching staff this spring with his downfield receiving ability.

“He’s got a chance to be a special route runner,” new tight ends coach Gerad Parker said in April. “Mitch has got really unlimited resources in the pass game.”

Evans joins running backs Jadarian Price (Achilles), Logan Diggs (shoulder) and wide receiver Joe Wilkins Jr. (foot) among skill-position players on the mend from surgeries in recent months. Bauman, a redshirt sophomore, is healthy again after missing the bulk of last season with a fractured fibula suffered in the season-opening win at Florida State.

Redshirt freshman Cane Berrong should be ready for the start of fall practice in early August after missing spring practice while recovering from a torn ACL last season.

Evans’ setback opens the door for June enrollees Eli Raridon (West Des Moines, Iowa) and Holden Staes (Atlanta) to display their four-star potential as well. Raridon is coming off a torn ACL suffered in December while playing basketball.

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for NDInsider.com and the South Bend Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @MikeBerardino.