CANE BERRONG
Hart County High School; Hartwell, Ga.
Measurements: 6’4”, 225 lbs.Accolades: An Under Armour All-American, the consensus three-star early enrollee ranks as the No. 33 tight end in the country, per rivals.com, and the No. 44 prospect in Georgia.
Other Notable Offers: Of the eight SEC schools to chase Berrong, he most considered Auburn, Florida and Georgia, instead departing the southeast for Notre Dame.
Projected Position: Tommy Rees’ first year as Irish offensive coordinator has revealed a tendency in his usage of tight ends. If freshman Michael Mayer is on the field, it is likely to be a pass play. If only junior Tommy Tremble is in the huddle among tight ends, then Notre Dame may run or pass. By those vague definitions, Berrong may be more a Tremble than a Mayer.
Quick Take: Continuing the Tremble theme, this piece described him as “with a tight end’s size but a receiver’s speed” when he signed in December of 2017. The same applies to Berrong.
Short-Term Roster Outlook: Tremble will be around through at least 2021, with Mayer more and more and more the leading tight end. Simply put, Notre Dame will hardly need a third tight end next season, aside from the jumbo packages Rees trots out near the goal line to bring joy to niche corners of college football fandom.
Long-View Depth Chart Impact: Mayer will remain the starring tight end through 2022, but Tremble very well may jump to the NFL following next season, opening up the exact role it seems Berrong is being brought onto the roster for.
MITCHELL EVANS
Wadsworth Senior High School; Wadsworth, Ohio.
Measurements: 6’7”, 240 lbs.Accolades: A consensus three-star recruit, rivals.com ranks Evans as the No. 24 tight end in the class and the No. 18 prospect in Ohio.
Other Notable Offers: Evans turned down Iowa State, Michigan State and Pittsburgh, among others, to sign with Notre Dame.
Projected Position: First-year Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has shown a penchant for jumbo packages near the goal line. Those function best with large, able-bodied tight ends. Enter Evans.
For TP. pic.twitter.com/qqV17Tb7dY
— Tommy Rees (@T_Rees11) November 28, 2020
Quick Take: It almost feels too quick to once again mention Evans’ size, but it will be the driving theme for his next few seasons.
Short-Term Roster Outlook: In the above photo, taken from Notre Dame’s 31-17 win at North Carolina in late November, Brock Wright (No. 89, second from right) will be gone following this season, opening a hole for Evans’ size during Rees’ most gluttonous moments.
Long-View Depth Chart Impact: Current junior George Takacs has yet to find himself more than a niche role on this roster, but his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame is the most comparable to Evans’. Takacs’ lack of consistent playing time is certainly a testament to the other tight ends on the roster, but it makes it difficult to project how and when Evans will find himself chances to impact.
SIGNING DAY COVERAGE
— On Signing Day, remember Notre Dame’s surge has hinged on three-stars
— A Signing Day surprise: Four-star safety Khari Gee, flipped from LSU
— A Signing Day surprise: Consensus four-star RB Audric Estime, flipped from Michigan State
— Consensus four-star QB Tyler Buchner
— Trio of four-star WRs in Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas
— Five-star offensive tackle Blake Fisher and four-star guard Rocco Spindler
— Consensus four-star LB Prince Kollie, the day’s greatest worry
— Hawaiian LB Kahanu Kia
— Cornerbacks Philip Riley and Ryan Barnes
— Three-star cornerbacks JoJo Johnson and Chance Tucker
— Consensus three-star safety Justin Walters
— Tight ends Cane Berrong and Mitchell Evans— Consensus four-star defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio— Pair of California defensive ends, Will Schweitzer and Devin Aupiu
— Three more offensive linemen in Caleb Johnson, Pat Coogan & Joe Alt
— Inexperienced defensive end Jason Onye
— Kicker Joshua Bryan