2023 Football Roster
Jersey Number 57
Evan Kirts
- Position:
- DL
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-5
- Weight:
- 305
- Hometown:
- Evergreen Park, Ill.
- High School:
- Brother Rice
2023 Junior
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in 11 games, primarily on special teams
2022 Sophomore
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in five games, primarily on special teams
- Two tackles and 1.0 TFL on the season
- Career highs in tackles (2) and TLFs (1.0) at Northwestern 11/26/22
2021 Redshirt Freshman
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Did not play in a game
2020 Redshirt Freshman
- Did not play in a game
2019 Freshman
- Redshirted the 2019 season
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
- Ranked No. 116 offensive tackle in the nation by ESPN and No. 141 by 247Sports
- Ranked No. 24 recruit in Illinois by ESPN and No. 42 by 247Sports
- Two-year letterwinner in football
- Played for coaches Tim Lyons and Brian Badke at Brother Rice
- 2018 USA TODAY All-USA Illinois second team
- 2018 EdgyTim.com All-State 5A-8A
- 2018 Daily Southtown All-Area First Team
- Led Brother Rice to an IHSA 8A state runner-up finish as a senior at Memorial Stadium
- Helped Brother Rice score 405 points as a senior
- Also played rugby in high school and was a state champion and all-conference selection
- High Honor Roll & National Honor Society
- Verbally committed to Illinois in November 2018
- Offers included Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Virginia, and Western Michigan
Personal
- Born Sept. 19, 2000
- Son of Dawn and Evan Kirts
- One brother, Tyler, and one sister, April
- Nicknamed “Cheese”
- Picked Illinois because, “I loved my visit, coaches were awesome, liked the idea of playing for my home state.”
- Majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
