Cornerback returns a ton of experience for Pete Kwiatkowski and Terry Joseph. D’Shawn Jamison and Josh Thompson are expected to be lockdown cornerbacks, while Chris Adimora will be entering his second season at nickel.
However, if Steve Sarkisian has taught us anything during his first sixth months, acquiring more talent is never a bad thing. Despite having two potential preseason All-Big 12 cornerbacks, another elite-level player could be entering the program.
When Tulsa cornerback Akayleb Evans entered the transfer portal, he quickly received 16 offers. On Sunday, the McKinney, Texas native trimmed his list down to five schools. Jackson State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Texas, and Texas Tech remain in the hunt.
Top 5‼️🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/mRK0B1vZX3
— Akayleb Evans (@AkaylebEvans) May 30, 2021
Evans played in nine games last season, totaling 29 tackles and a sack. In pass coverage, the cornerback had three passes defended. No interceptions are on Evans’ resume quite yet.
After suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in 2019, Evans earned a medical hardship. Add on COVID-19 and the graduate still has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Playing time may not be imminent in Austin going into the 2021 season but a mass exodus is expected at defensive back after the year. Evans would have the opportunity to be a starter in Sarkisian’s second season.