Can Ole Miss newcomer Zach Evans challenge Texas’ Bijan Robinson for the top spot among this year’s draft-eligible running backs? We’ll track the talented playmaker’s progress — and any missteps — right here, on his draft hub. Consider it a one-stop shop for keeping tabs on Evans during the draft process.
2022 season updates
Nov. 2
Evans landed at No. 43 on Dane Brugler’s midseason prospect rankings. He’s currently the fourth-ranked running back, behind Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Devon Achane.
From Brugler: “Despite battling a few injuries this season, Zach Evans has been productive when on the field, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He has already scored a career-high seven touchdowns and 23.1 percent of his carries this season have gone for 10-plus yards, which ranks top three in the FBS.”
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Sept. 24 (Ole Miss 35, Tulsa 27)
Evans rushed for 48 yards and a TD on 10 carries, but he exited the game early with an undisclosed injury. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said he hoped Evans would be available for a key Oct. 1 showdown against Kentucky.
Earlier, The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler gave Evans props for his performance in the Rebels’ previous game at Georgia Tech: “The No. 31 player on my early draft board, Evans made the move from TCU to Ole Miss this offseason and, as expected, has been the featured playmaker in Lane Kiffin’s offense. Against Georgia Tech on Saturday, he led the Rebels with 134 yards rushing (7.4 yards per carry) and a pair of touchdowns. …
“There will be tougher tests on the schedule once Ole Miss reaches SEC play, but the Georgia Tech defense had been allowing under three yards per carry entering last weekend. Bijan Robinson (who just had a dominant 183-yard performance against UTSA) is the draft’s top running back, but Evans and Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs aren’t far behind.”
Sept. 17 (Ole Miss 42, Georgia Tech 0)
The Rebels have an SEC showdown with Kentucky looming in two weeks, but they keep taking care of business in the meantime. Evans did almost all of his damage in the first half Saturday before sharing the wealth — Ole Miss rushed for six TDs and 316 combined yards in a blowout win.
Not a bad first half for @runzekerun01…
14 carries
115 yards
2 TDs pic.twitter.com/ntPSBnJEeX— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 17, 2022
Sept. 3 (Ole Miss 28, Troy 10)
It was a nice Ole Miss debut for Evans, whose 130 yards paced a 266-yard, three-touchdown showing by the Rebels’ ground game. The Athletic’s David Ubben tabbed Evans as having the “Best Transfer Debut” across the entire SEC: “He racked up 100 yards before halftime of the Rebels’ win over Troy and finished with 130 yards on 20 carries. He didn’t reach the end zone in his debut but showed why he was a five-star recruit and might finally be poised for a starring role that has eluded him throughout his career.”
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Key upcoming games
Oct. 29 at Texas A&M
Nov. 12 vs. Alabama
Nov. 19 at Arkansas
Dane Brugler’s preseason ranking: No. 31 overall
Positional ranking: No. 2
What you need to know
A five-star recruit, Evans was the No. 2-ranked running back in the country (behind only Robinson) and the top recruit in the state of Texas. He had no shortage of offers and set a final four of Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M, then originally signed a letter of intent with the Bulldogs. However, Georgia allowed him to be released from that commitment, and signing day came and went with no update from Evans. A few months later, he surprised most by enrolling at TCU, becoming the first five-star recruit to sign with the Horned Frogs. After two seasons in Fort Worth, Evans transferred this past offseason to Ole Miss, joining an offense that lost its top three rushers from a year ago. — Dane Brugler
Preseason scouting report
Lane Kiffin’s offensive philosophy is simple: Feed the football to your best player. As long as he is on the field, Evans is one of the best playmakers in the SEC and poised for a monster junior season with the Rebels. The TCU transfer is a joy to watch with the ball in his hands. His read-and-cut ability is why he averaged 7.3 yards per carry over his first two college seasons. — Brugler
(Top photo: Daniel Dunn / USA TODAY Sports)