NC State Wolfpack SI All-American Candidate Spotlight: CB Nate Evans
Eleven of the 15 high school seniors that have committed to play their college football careers at NC State are among the 1,000 players nationwide identified by Sports Illustrated as candidates for the publication's 2020 High School All-American team.
Each day over a two-week stretch, SI's All Wolfpack will take a closer look at each of those players and how they project to help the program once they arrive on campus.
Today it's cornerback Nate Evans.
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NC State suffered a recruiting setback on June 4 when running back Caleb "JuJu" McDowell decommitted and eventually anounced his decision to play for South Carolina.
But thanks to Nate Evans, the disappointment only lasted a day.
Originally committed to Tennessee, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound cornerback from Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach changed his mind and flipped from the Vols to become a member of coach Dave Doeren's 2021 class with the Wolfpack.
It was a decision that came about because of difficult circumstances.
"My mom was diagnosed with cancer," he said. "So I ultimately felt like if anything happened to her I would be only two hours away."
Evans had visited State earlier in his recruitment and built a strong relationship with defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. He was also familiar with the atmosphere at Carter-Finley Stadium from having watched his brother Levonta Taylor play against the Wolfpack for Florida State.
He is the second corner and third defensive back committed to the State's 2021 class. Fellow SIAA Top 1000 selection Mario Love Jr. is the corner and his Hough High School teammate Sean Brown is the safety.
A versatile athlete capable of playing multiple positions, Evans missed all but two games of his junior season at Cox because of a knee injury last year. But he is healthy again and poised for a big senior season.
When he arrives in Raleigh, he'll provide coach Dave Doeren and his cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell with a quick, long addition to a depleted secondary in desperate need of help after a 2019 season marred by injuries and transfers.
Here is SI All-American's evaluation of Evans:
"Above-average speed. Adequate overall quickness; not the smoothest cutter. Flexible hips. Possesses functional power, but overall strength is a question mark. Good hand-eye coordination.
Evans solid physical tools for a cornerback, with a good combination of length and overall mobility. Needs to be coached up before seeing the field for NC State in more than sub-packages, but projects as an eventual starter on the outside.
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