80 Prospects in 80 Days: Michigan RB Chris Evans

Each day leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, we will take a look at prospects that should be on the Carolina Panthers' radar. We will look at roughly eleven prospects per round to give a better idea of potential draftees beyond just the first round.

Here's our schedule for the next 80 days:

1st Round: Feb. 8th - Feb. 21st

2nd Round: Feb. 22nd - Mar. 6th

3rd Round: Mar. 7th - Mar. 18th

4th Round: Mar. 19th - Mar. 28th

5th Round: Mar. 29th - Apr. 7th

6th Round: Apr. 8th - Apr. 17th

7th Round: Apr. 18th - Apr. 27th

Prospect No. 65: RB Chris Evans

College: Michigan

Height: 5'9" Weight: 216 lbs

Draft range: 6th

Analysis: Despite having a Mike Davis type build, Chris Evans is more of an elusive back that can make defenders miss in the open field. Running the ball in between the tackles is not a strength of his and will be something that has to be developed. With that said, he's not an easy back to bring to the ground. Evans averaged 5.6 yards per carry during his time at Michigan and nearly ten yards per catch. If he goes to the right team and the right offense, he should have success in the NFL as RB2.

Analysis from NFL Draft Bible on Sports Illustrated:

The forgotten man in the Wolverines offense, Evans has an appealing all-around skill set that can affect the game in a variety of ways. While suspended for the entirety of the 2019 season dealing with academic issues, most forget how exciting an athlete Evans can be in space. He is a smooth athlete who can take advantage of manufactured opportunities in the run and pass game. With plus explosiveness and the ability to change direction quickly, Evans is a headache to deal with in the open field. There should be an easy projection for him as a third-down and change-of-pace option to an NFL team’s backfield. However, that’s about the peak of his upside. He has a thin frame that has virtually no power profile to speak of. Evans doesn’t deal well with contact, far too often getting neutralized one-on-one in the hole. For as talented as he is, Evans has failed to garner the majority of reps at the position in any one season. A team may gamble on his athletic upside, but it’s hard to buy into a space player with almost no three-down upside and limited production. The ideal fit will be paramount for Evans’ overall success.

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