Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 203 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.41 seconds
Vertical Jump: 37 inches
Broad Jump: 125.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: NA

Every year, there are players who seemingly arise out of nowhere at the RB position. We all become familiar with the top names from the big schools throughout the year, but once declarations for the NFL Draft happen, there’s always one player that comes out of a school that no one really had on their radar.

That player in 2020 is Darrynton Evans out of Appalachian State. Evans has intriguing tape, but is unlikely to rise up in this draft process to the point of being discussed alongside names like D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins, etc.

Does he have the talent to rise up once he’s in a NFL backfield and make a contribution for fantasy football? What does this relatively unknown player bring to the table?

Those questions are answered here in my detailed scouting report on Darrynton Evans (ratings out of five stars):

Vision/Awareness

Evans, just like any RB from a “smaller school”, is a difficult evaluation when it comes to their vision. Since they’re not operating with the most stout offensive lines, they may be making the correct decision on which gap to pursue, but it could very well be closed by the time they get there. With that being said, Evans shows good vision and good ability to get to the second level. It’s not his strongest trait, but it’s serviceable for the NFL.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

3⃣-TD day for Darrynton Evans.

What a response from @AppState_FB. pic.twitter.com/tcAjHR4kCv

— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) September 21, 2019

Elusiveness (twitch, juke, tackle-breaking)

Evans tends to run very upright to go along with his long strides, which limit his ability to shift momentum effectively. Because of this, he’s not going to be a tackle breaking machine, but he showed enough in college to not go down on first contact. He consistently falls forward to pick up yardage, but isn’t going to be a player that enters the NFL and is consistently at the top in terms of missed tackles.

RATING: ⭐⭐ 1/2

Can’t catch Darrynton Evans !! 🏃‍♂️💨 @ItzLiveee #ElementFamily #SunBeltChampionship pic.twitter.com/lujxrmDJLa

— Element Sports Group (@element_sports) March 20, 2020

Size/Speed

While he doesn’t have necessarily great size for the position, Evans makes up for it with tremendous long speed. He lacks elite agility or burst, but he can pull away from nearly anyone when he’s allowed to build up a head of steam. If he’s able to hit a gap in the line and find the open field, he’s a threat to take it to the house every time.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have covered a lot of players this week but no one has gotten the love from family/fans/school that Darrynton Evans @ItzLiveee has gotten. Y’all are special over there… pic.twitter.com/EFYj856J9O

— Garret Price (@DynastyPrice) February 28, 2020

Pass-catching/Pass Protection

While Evans shows proficiencies in the receiving game, and is certainly not a liability by any means, it’s his pass protection ability that brings up his rating in this category. He shows great awareness in blitz recognition and is willing to stand in and engage with his eyes up. For inexperienced RBs in pass protection, you’ll consistently see them duck their head or lower their eyes when bracing for contact. This allows the blitzing defender to shift momentum and go quickly right by them while they’re not looking. Evans keeps his eyes up consistently and is willing to put his smaller frame in the way to protect his QB.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Versatility

Evans isn’t going to have the pedigree to be a three-down back coming out of college, but he certainly has the potential to grow into one down the road. His pass-blocking proficiency will certainly help him get onto the field quickly in the NFL though, along with his experience returning kicks/punts.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Appalachian St. RB Darrynton Evans (5-foot-10, 203)

• 4.41 40; 37 vertical
• Outside zone scheme fit
• Easy mover w/ one-cut style
• Open field vision + big play speed
• Receiving traits @NFLMatchup pic.twitter.com/cRgbvUf0Yb

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) March 14, 2020

Projected Draft Spot

Evans is projected to be a late-round pick at this point in the NFL Draft. He’ll be brought into a committee at the next level, but could carve his way into playing time pretty quickly. He showed the flashes of his athleticism at the Combine and some team is going to like what they saw enough on tape to bring him in and give him a chance. A team like the Detroit Lions would make a lot of sense for insurance with Kerryon Johnson‘s health concerns. Evans is nothing more than a 3rd or 4th round Dynasty rookie pick at this point, but I loved what I saw on tape and think he has potential at the next level if he’s given an opportuntiy.

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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.