Armstead Making Push for Fellow Arkansas-Pine Bluff Product
INDIANAPOLIS — Offensive lineman Mark Evans II revealed at the combine Saturday that he had an informal conversation with the Miami Dolphins this week with assistant coach Lemuel Jeanpierre.
One of the main topics of conversation was Terron Armstead, which makes a lot of sense when you consider that Evans played at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the same school that produced the Dolphins Pro Bowl left tackle.
In fact, Evans is trying to become the first player from the HBCU program to get drafted since Armstead was picked in the fourth round in 2013 by the New Orleans Saints.
And Armstead is doing whatever he can to make sure that happens.
"He's both a big brother and a mentor," Evans said. "He tells me everything, what to expect. He's the blueprint for players like me coming from HBCU, the things he's done things, the things he's been through, what he's doing right now. It's all a great thing to see, him coming from the school like me. It's always a great thing to see. Terron has been a great person, a great player. He's an even better person, the things he does for people, his city, it's a great thing to do and I hope to do that for my city and my people as well."
Armstead, who follows Evans' Twitter account, gave Evans advice ahead of the combine, simply telling him to make each moment count because "you only get one combine."
While the two talk on a regular basis, Evans says the idea of playing together with the Dolphins has never come up.
"But he has told me that he's trying to put me on all the GMs," Evans said. "He told them about me and everything like that. So it's a start."
MARK EVANS II AS AN NFL PROSPECT
By all accounts, Evans projects as a Day 3 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, with the fifth or sixth round being the most likely scenario.
He was a tackle at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but at 6-2 is destined for a move inside in the NFL — indicated by the fact he played guard at the Shrine Bowl.
Evans compared his playing style to that of Armstead, with athleticism being the common thread — though even Evans himself will admit that Armstead is on another level in that department.
As proof, we've seen the clip of his combine 40-yard dash, which still stands as the fastest for offensive linemen.
Regardless, Evans is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Armstead, starting off by getting drafted.
"It'd be a great thing," Evan said. "I feel like more players (from Arkansas-Pine Bluff) should have been drafted in the past. For me to be able to follow in the footsteps, start it all over again, it'd just be a great thing. And I'd just been really happy and proud to do that and put on for my school."
Armstead is going to be there every step of the way trying to make it happen.
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