Athletic Profile
Height: 5110
Weight: 202
Arm Length: 31 5/8”
40 Time: 4.51*
10 Yard Split: 1.57*
Vertical: 33 1/2”*
Broad Jump: 1001*
Relative Athletic Score: 8.74
* Indicates Recorded At Pro Day
Statistics
2022: 930 YARDS / 9 TDs / 6.5 YPC / 3.56 YCO / 119 RECY
2021: 648 YARDS / 5 TDs / 7.0 YPC / 4.30 YCO / 130 RECY
Pros
Burst
Elusiveness
Footwork
Lateral Mobility
Cons
Lacks Power
Vision/Instincts
Poor Awareness in Pass Pro
Whiffs too often in Pass Pro
Inconsistent Hands
Frequently Over Runs Blocks
Summary
Zach Evans originally started his collegiate career as at after being the No 2 overall RB in his class. He then transferred to the SEC and stepped into the lead back role for Ole Miss in 2022 after sharing work during the previous two years. An athletic player with excellent burst and agility he is a nightmare in the open field. With his footwork and acceleration he is very elusive in the open field. His fluid lower half allows him to change lanes with ease and access cutbacks other backs would not. Evans' problem is finding those cutbacks. His vision and feel for the game is a major work in progress, too often does he run into closing holes. His over eager running style leads him to not letting his blocks fully develop, he needs to add more patience to his game. He also has a bad habit of bailing to the outside where he thinks he can win with speed. Evans is more of a slasher as a runner, his lack of size or lower body strength leads to struggles in between the tackles. This leg of leg drive hurts his ability to break tackles even with his plus balance. For a player of his athleticism you would like to see better hands and ball tracking out of the backfield. This will improve with more reps but unfortunately he won’t get as many of those due to his protection issues. Evan’s struggles to I.D. free rushers and when he does guess right he whiffs on too many blocks. Evans has the athletic profile of a starting caliber NLF back. His blend of speed and agility makes him a dynamic open field threat but his lack of power and feel for the game holds him back. His athletic tools should make him a good special teamer and rotational back but unless he can improve his pass game work or his vision he may find himself a more of a backup.
Grade: 5.72 - 4th Round Pick (Has a Chance to Contribute)
Games Watched: Arkansas (2022), Georgia Tech (2022), Vanderbilt (2022)