Zach Evans Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: Ole Miss (Junior)

Position: RB

HT: 5’11

WT: 200 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #75

Zach Evans was a 5-star running back out of North Shore High School in Houston, Texas. He was one of the most sought-after prospects in the country and could attend any school he chose. Out of high school, he committed to play football at TCU for the Horned Frogs. He saw playing time with TCU right away and put up some great numbers, despite not being a true bell cow back. His 2021 season was special, despite being cut short due to injury. In 6 games, Evans averaged 7.7 yards per carry, which led the Big 12. After his 2021 season ended, Evans announced he was transferring to Ole Miss to play for Lane Kiffin.

Evans is a dense and strongly built running back, but he has burst in the backfield and open space that makes him difficult to track. Once he gets a sliver of open field, he has the ability to slip through tacklers and make big splash plays. Evans displays more than adequate footwork with the ball that he combines with his size and athleticism to create a deceptive element to his game. While he can make defenders miss, he can also use size and physicality to beat them. He runs through opponents just as often as he runs around them and makes them miss. Zach Evans displays an effort to fight for every single yard when the ball is in his hands. It takes more than one man to be able to bring him down and when he is brought down, he does a good job of falling forward. Evans is able to run in both a zone and gap running scheme. His speed and agility are highlighted in zone rushing. His strength and power are highlighted when running through the gaps on the interior of the offensive line.

Zach Evans needs to add more dimensions to his game. It all starts with the passing game, where he can improve, both as a receiver and as a pass protector. When receiving the ball, Evans has to turn his head quicker in order to make a play up the field before defensive backs can get to him in the flats. He does not utilize his ability to create separation as frequently as a receiver as he does a runner. Additionally, Evans is not adequate as a pass protector. He has the size and strength to work as a functioning pass-protection running back, but he shows both an unwillingness to block and a lack of functional strength at the point of attack.

Zach Evans is a fun and intriguing prospect that can bring elements to an offense that are needed. However, his strengths are those that most successful running backs already have and his skill set is not necessarily hard to come by. If Evans can prove to make valuable contributions as part of a backfield tandem, he will later on prove to be a reliable three-down, bell-cow back. However, until then, his role may be limited in a “running back by committee” style of offense.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: RB Tandem

Best Team Fits: ARI, PHI, BAL

Player Comparison: Ezekiel Elliott

Player Grade: 75.5