Opinion Roundtable: Discussing Chris Evans' Impact In 2020

Heading into the 2019 season, Michigan's running back room took a big hit when Chris Evans was removed from school and the program due to some sort of academic issue. True freshman Zach Charbonnet and redshirt freshman Hassan Haskins ended up being very good and made for a very solid and dependable duo of backs as the season wore on.

As the season rolls around in about seven months, Charbonnet and Haskins will be trusted agents and Evans will also be back on the field. At times, Evans has looked like a star, and he might be a perfect fit in Josh Gattis' system. How big do we think Chris Evans’ role will be in 2020 and what kind of numbers might he put up? We discuss...

Brandon Brown

I've been a big fan of Chris Evans ever since I watched him high school. He can literally do everything on offense and is a nightmare in the open field for any defender because of his combination of strength, balance, quickness and speed. He's big enough to be a true running back but is versatile and fast enough to essentially play as a true wide receiver as well. Josh Gattis should be able to find a lot of creative ways to use a guy like Evans and he might be able to help in the return game as well. I can actually envision a world where Evans is the No. 1 running back next year. I truly believe he has that kind of talent. As a freshman he looked poised for stardom and as a sophomore he took on a bigger workload and put up slightly better numbers. As a junior, he hit a bit of a wall and seemed to have bad luck when it came to carrying the ball and then last year he redshirted as he sat out and got his affairs in order. I think he'll return to the lineup with a bang in his fifth and final season. I think it's possible he puts up 1,000 yards of total offense and a scores at least seven touchdowns, which is his season high (2017).

Steve Deace

I think the return of Chris Evans has been too ignored by Michigan fans. He is the ideal skill player for Josh Gattis' offense. He's versatile, fast, and quick twitch. A wide receiver in high school, imagine the more experienced and physically-developed Evans playing the hybrid role we saw some from Giles Jackson down the stretch, when he was lining up in the backfield, too. Not to mention, putting Evans on the field provides schematic advantage, because his versatility is a tendency-breaker. Substituting him doesn't immediately signal to the defense what might be coming. I think Evans is a real X-factor for 2020, and could be the final ingredient to crack the code of "speed in space." I'm going to predict he has close to 1,000 all-purpose yards when it's all said and done.

Michael Spath

He fits a need without a doubt. Michigan got more than 1,300 combined yards rushing from Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet in 2019, and they should improve upon those numbers next season but neither is an explosive, home-run threat, which creates an opening for Evans or true freshman Blake Corum (who should be noted, is an early enrollee). If Evans is the guy - and you'd have to think the coaches think highly of him and his potential to impact or they wouldn't have allowed him back after an academic issue forced his removal from school — I'd expect to see him rush for 400-600 yards, with 10-15 "big plays."

Same questions to you: How big will Chris Evans’ role will be in 2020 and what kind of numbers might he put up? Comment below!!!