LA Rams Select Ole Miss RB Zach Evans With No. 215 Pick in NFL Draft
OXFORD, Miss. -- After spending one season with the Ole Miss Rebels, running back Zach Evans punched his ticket to the National Football League on Friday night. Evans was selected with the No. 215 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.
Last season with the Rebels, Evans ran for 936 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 144 touches, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. The Houston, Tex., native also proved to have steady hands, hauling in 12 receptions for 119 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Evans was one side of a dynamic running back tandem in Oxford with Quinshon Judkins, in what was arguably the best running game in the country last season.
Evans was projected much higher as a prospect than where he ultimately ended up falling, sliding all the way from a second-round grade down to the middle of the seventh round.
You can view NFL Draft Bible's scouting report of Evans below:
Taller back with limber frame. Plays above his size, issuing punishment on every carry. Pad level and power shine, allocating tough yardage. Burst and lower body strength rupture him through arm tackles on way to the second level. Displaces should-be tacklers with a forceful stiff arm and distinguished contact balance.
Uses quick feet and reaction acuity to hit the right gap at the right time. Vision is sharp, using acute angles to get upfield. Expert in ball security, with awareness of incoming punches. Multiple long gains, addressing any questions about a second gear. Unquestionable competitive toughness and stamina, bringing tempo and energy consistently. Fairly tight in the hips, leaving something to be desired in terms of make you miss ability. Slimmer frame for a lead back. Overall inept in pass protection.
Not a wide variety of snaps as receiving back, even fewer on mid-deep route concepts. Defensive style of the Big-12 conference garnered some of his big plays. Evans has a diverse skill set as a ball carrier, welcoming to any scheme and playstyle. As complete as he is as a runner, the same can not be said when he is on the field on passing downs. If Evans can show he is versatile in the passing game and continue his running attributes in the SEC, he could find himself amongst the top backs selected in the draft.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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