RB, Ole Miss
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 215 lbs
Class: Junior
Evans was high-profile recruit coming out of high school. A five-star prospect, he was rated as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Texas and their highest ranked running back recruit in almost a decade. He predictably earned offers from the great and the good of college football and initially committed to Georgia. He was later released from his letter of intent and signed with TCU, becoming their first ever five-star recruit.
As a true freshman, Evans formed part of a backfield committee for the Horned Frogs. He saw an increased role in 2021, but his season was cut short as a result of a turf toe injury. He then made the decision to enter the transfer portal, committing to Ole Miss. Evans had a strong year with the Rebels, recording career highs in carries, yards, and touchdowns.
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Strengths
Explosiveness is king at the running back position and Evans has plenty of it. His short area quickness is great, with the ability to hit a hole as soon as he sees one. This makes him hugely dynamic as a zone runner, where he is able to plant and go with terrific quickness. Evans also has the breakaway speed to pull away from defenders once he reaches the second level, making him a true home run threat. This has seen him log an incredible 21.4% explosive run rate throughout his career.
Evans is also an incredibly fluid runner, with some of the best change of direction ability you will find at the position. This helps him to navigate congested boxes and find the optimal running lane before getting his head down and charging downfield. It also showed up frequently at the second level, where he is able to change direction at pace without seemingly sacrificing anything in terms of speed.
This all helps to make Evans a really elusive ball carrier. His quick footwork and vision at the second level allow him to effortlessly navigate defenders and he always seems to be thinking several steps ahead of everyone else. Whilst he isn’t much of a bruiser as a ball carrier he is also pretty tough to bring down once he has some momentum behind him and will shed arm tackles with ease. This has allowed him to force 76 missed tackles on his 290 career carries.
Whilst Evans hasn’t had the highest workload in college, his production is difficult to overlook. He has averaged 6.9 yards per carry throughout his career, with 61% of that coming after contact. He has also consistently ranked amongst the best runners in the country in advanced metrics like explosive carry rate, first downs per attempt, and forced missed tackle rate. With just 290 career carries to his name he also enters the NFL with comparatively little tread on his tires.
Weaknesses
Whilst there is a lot to like about Evans’ game, there are some noticeable weaknesses. The most obvious is his vision at the first level. Evans struggles to consistently read his blocks and there were multiple occasions on tape where he flatly ignored or failed to see wide open rushing lanes. This was particularly apparent when asked to work within the tackles. Evans lacks the patience you want at the position and his desire to hit home runs will often see him needlessly bounce runs outside. Whilst this did sometimes result in big gains, it is not a sustainable way to make a career.
He also comes with some limitations as a receiver. Evans was rarely involved in the passing game at either TCU or Ole Miss, with just 30 catches across three seasons. His route running remains limited and his hands need some work too, with five drops on 35 career catchable targets. Evans also struggles as a pass protector, lacking the technique to consistently stonewall blitzers. In addition to his performance on the field, there are also some character concerns with Evans dating back to his time in high school.
Bottom Line
Evans is a dynamic ball carrier who showcases an impressive blend of size and elusiveness. His lacklustre vision and inexperience as a pass catcher present some limitations to scheme fits and usage, but his breakaway speed can make him a dynamic contributor at the next level.
Ideal role: Early down back in a wide zone offense
Round projection: 4th round
