9. Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State
Height: 5’10” Weight: 203
40-Yard Dash: 4.41 seconds
Bench Press: 20 reps
Vertical Jump: 37.0 inches
Broad Jump: 125.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Evans wound up with the Mountaineers as a two-star recruit, and set upon a path to prove wrong all those who doubted him. That path was set on a curve in 2017 when he missed the whole season with a knee injury, but he bounced back in 2018 with 1,187 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 189 carries, improving further in 2019. The Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year gained 1,480 yards and scored 18 rushing touchdowns on 255 carries. He also improved his stock as a receiver with 198 yards and five touchdowns on 21 catches.
Stat to Know: With smaller-school backs, you want to see what they do against tougher opponents. Evans’ history doesn’t definitively answer those questions. In his collegiate career, Evans averaged 8.2 yards per carry against Conference USA defenses, 7.3 against the MAC, and 5.8 against the Sun Belt. However, he managed just 3.0 against the Big Ten, 4.0 against the ACC, and 3.7 against the SEC.
Strengths: Does a really nice job of sinking into his cuts and using that quick leverage to generate speed to power through gaps. Has the short-area quickness to climb through traffic to linebacker and safety depth. Exciting one-cut runner who knows how to exploit open gaps and can make big plays on pitchouts. Not a monster against contact, but has enough strength on the move to break arm tackles. Eyes work with his feet to juke defenders out of their sets in open space. Willing and able receiver who takes his open-field assets as a running back to this part of his game. Versatile enough to motion from the backfield to the slot and run pre-snap motion concepts. Aggressive blocker for his size.
Weaknesses: Evans gets scattered in the backfield at times; he’ll miss blitz pickups and other blocking responsibilities because he’s so busy running from gap to gap. More elusive than powerful when breaking tackles — has a decent stiff-arm, but this is not an elevated part of his game. Strength of competition is a legitimate concern.
Conclusion: Though Evans does have a relatively reduced rate of efficiency against tougher competition, there are also games like the one he had against South Carolina in 2019, when he gained 85 yards on 23 carries and added two receptions for 32 yards. His tape doesn’t blow you away when projecting his NFL potential, but he absolutely has the toolkit to be a top-level backup or complementary piece in an NFL run game.
NFL Comparison: Tashard Choice. Like the Cowboys’ fourth-rounder in the 2008 draft, Evans combines gliding speed and underrated power to add value in an offense where quickness is needed.
Moss | Swift | Taylor | Edwards-Helaire | Dobbins | Akers |
Benjamin | Dillon | Evans | Perine | Gibson