Top Northwest OL recruits Jace Eveland, Peyton Eveland will stay at Redmond after all

The standout brothers at one point had decided to transfer to nearby Summit, but they’ll remain with the Panthers for the 2024 season

Jace Eveland, who started his high school career at Putnam, has offers from Portland State, Harvard and Princeton. / Photo by Dan Brood

It was a couple of weeks before camp kicked off, and first-year Redmond football coach Kyle Lavender received some disappointing news.

Two of his top players, senior offensive tackle Jace Eveland and his younger brother, sophomore offensive lineman Peyton Eveland, had notified the school that they would be transferring to Summit after their father, Jesse, left the athletic director’s position with the Panthers.

But as Jace explained Thursday, while they had intended to transfer, they decided in the end to stay at Redmond this season.

“There was some family stuff that occurred that made us think it would be best for us to go to Summit,” he said in a text message. “But then, we decided we want (to be) and belong at Redmond.”

Lavender had a one-word response when asked how happy he was when the Evelands reconsidered their transfer decision: “Very!”

Both Evelands are considered among the top offensive linemen in their classes in the Northwest.

Jace, a 6-foot-7, 315-pounder who was a first-team 5A all-state selection last year, is a 3-star recruit who is No. 17 in the most recent 247Sports class of 2025 state rankings.

He said Thursday that he is “pretty close” to making a decision about where he will play collegiately. He has offers from Portland State, Harvard and Princeton.

“I have a good idea of my top schools, including schools I don’t have offers from, but I am confident that I will get the offers after this season,” he said. “I have improved a lot this offseason. Thinking about good academics and a good degree.”

Peyton (6-8, 290) is a rising prospect in the class of 2027. A full-time starter as a freshman, he is the state’s No. 5 recruit among sophomores, according to Prep Redzone.

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