2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Zach Evans

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Zach Evans, 5-11/202 Running Back Ole Miss

Zach Evans Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Instinctive runner

Big-play speed

Threat to break any run for a long gain

Great feet

Explosive burst

Extremely elusive

Acceleration

Second gear in the open field

Capable of creating for himself

Routinely jukes defenders and makes them miss

Good knee bend

Runs behind his pads

Nose for the end zone

Good vision

Superb patience

Anticipation

Strength to run through tackles

Can function as a receiver

Soft hands

Runs good routes

Strong build

Durable

Enters the NFL having shared carries in college

Decisive runner

Three-down-starter ability

Weaknesses:

Prone to injury

Gets dinged up a lot

Slightly undersized

Will need development in blitz protection

Summary: Over three seasons of college football, Evans flashed big-time ability, but he never put it all together for a big year. As a freshman in 2020 for TCU, he averaged 7.7 yards per carry for 415 yards and four touchdowns. He also took eight catches for 76 yards. Evans averaged 7.0 yards per carry in 2021 for the Horned Frogs, collecting 648 yards and five touchdowns. He had 10 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown as well. Prior to his junior year, Evans transferred to Ole Miss to play for Lane Kiffin, and Evans put together his best season despite being banged up. Evans averaged 6.5 yards per carry for 936 yards and nine touchdowns. He also notched 12 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown. He put up those numbers despite being banged up and missing some time.

Evans is a natural runner with three-down starting potential for the NFL. The first trait that jumps out about Evans is his speed. He is a fast back with an explosive first-step and a burst to the second level. He can run past defenders, making him a threat to take any carry or reception down the field for a huge gain. In the NFL, Evans will be a threat to break off long runs thanks to possessing rare quickness for a starting back.



On top of being fast, Evans is an instinctive runner. He displays impressive vision, body lean, and patience, plus he runs behind his pads. Evans sets up blocks and uses his speed to dart through holes before they close. Defenders really struggle to get a hold of Evans, who has great feet that make him very elusive. He is sudden with his ability to cut and change direction. Assisted by that direction-changing talent, Evans can create for himself and help his line when blocking assignments are missed.

While Evans is not a big back, he does have some strength to his build and is able to break tackles while picking up yards after contact. He is not overpowering for the next level, but he will be able to shed tackles and get additional yards. Evans goes through defenders while falling forward to finish runs well also.

Evans is suited for the passing-driven NFL because he is a capable receiving back. Evans runs good routes out of the backfield and has soft hands. All college backs need to be coached up and groomed for blitz protection in the pros, and Evans will have that learning curve as well.

Evans has the physical talent to be a starter in the NFL, but his size and durability could restrict his availability. It would not be surprising if Evans is injury-prone and frustrates his team by going in and out of the lineup. In the 2023 NFL Draft, Evans has the potential to be a second-day pick.



Player Comparison: D’Andre Swift. Evans’ speed, receiving ability, and running style compare well with Swift’s. Both are big-play threats who are capable of being dangerous playmakers. They also have a tendency to get dinged up and miss time to the point of frustration.

2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern Jordan Addison, WR, USC Will Anderson, DE, Alabama Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Steve Avila, G, TCU Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Brian Branch, S, Alabama Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Chase Brown, RB, Illinois Sydney Brown, S, Illinois Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisvile Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina Max Duggan, QB, TCU Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Broderick Jones, G, Georgia Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Quan Martin, CB, Illinois Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Will McDonald, DE, Iowa State Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Mike Morris, DE, Michigan Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Zion Nelson, OT, Miami B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame Clark Phillips, CB, Utah Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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