Sean McVay and Les Snead have had a trend of taking running backs during the NFL draft, and this year was no different. After passing on taking a running back for the first five rounds, the Los Angeles Rams traded up to select Zach Evans out of Ole Miss with the 215th overall pick in the sixth round.
Considering the Rams traded up 37 spots to pick Evans, they clearly view him as a player that can make an impact in the NFL. Ahead of his rookie campaign, what are the Rams getting in Evans?
Evans spent the first two years of his collegiate career at TCU before transferring to Ole Miss for the 2022 season. Following a strong finish at Ole Miss, Evans decided to forego his senior season and enter the draft.
Over his three years at TCU and Ole Miss, Evans accumulated 2,002 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on 290 attempts. He also contributed 325 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on 30 receptions.
When watching Evans, his explosiveness is an attribute that immediately stands out with him averaging 6.9 yards per attempt and 10.8 yards per reception in college. Even though he caught only 30 passes in college, he flashed enough upside as a pass catcher to believe he can be effective in the Rams’ aerial attack.
You have to love seeing Zach Evans in the open field. Unless you're on defense.@runzekerun01 | #HottyToddy
🖥 https://t.co/Rym42sGbrF pic.twitter.com/zNgCSH2BtM— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 8, 2022
Besides his explosiveness and ability to hit another gear in the open field, Evans isn’t afraid to initiate contact with defenders to gain yardage. Plus, Evans doesn’t have a ton of tread on his tires despite experiencing multiple injuries in college, totaling 320 touches.
Cam Akers had a stellar finish to the 2022 season, earning himself a chance to be the starter for the Rams to begin the 2023 campaign. Even with Akers’ impressive conclusion to last season, he’s lacked the ability to create big plays on the ground or through the air (averages only 4.5 yards per touch in his career).
With the Rams needing a more explosive option to complement Akers, and McVay looking for more consistency out of the team’s running backs, Evans could have an immediate role in the offense as a rookie.
