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Texas A&M Football
Justin Evans selected by Tampa Bay in NFL draft's 2nd round
Justin Evans didn’t take long to make an impact at Texas A&M. And he didn’t wait long to be taken in the National Football League draft on Friday night.
A heavy-hitting safety with excellent coverage range, Evans was selected in the second round by the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, becoming the 50th overall pick in the draft. The Bucs last season ranked 22nd in passing defense and 23rd in total defense.
Evans was the second Aggie chosen. Defensive end Myles Garrett was the first overall selection on Thursday night. Without question, Evans was the second-best player on the A&M defense last season.
He’d arrived in College Station two years ago from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and immediately upgraded the Aggies secondary.
Evans started the 2015 season-opening 38-17 victory over Arizona State and posted seven tackles. He finished third on the team that season with 78 tackles, had an interception and was credited with four passes broken up.
Evans was significantly better as a senior in 2016. He was second in tackles with 87, had four interceptions, broke up eight passes and even blocked a kick. He also averaged 28.5 yards on 15 kickoff returns.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Justin Evans made a crucial pick of UCLA QB Josh Rosen in A&M's 2016 season opening win over the Bruins.
Additionally, Evans impressed scouts at A&M’s Pro Day when he ran a 4.53 40-yard dash, had a 41.5-inch vertical leap and a 10-foot-9 standing broad jump.
That vertical leap was apparent on a spectacular leaping interception off UCLA’s John Rosen in 2016, which was one of two signature plays for Evans’ career at A&M.
The other was a decleating tackle of Alabama Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry in 2015. Evans made such an impression on Henry, now with the Tennessee Titans, he asked A&M coach Kevin Sumlin about No. 14 after that game.
“The Heisman Trophy guy comes over and said, ‘Coach where’s 14? That dude is a player,'” Sumlin said last month. “He had had hit (Henry) in the face two or three times that day like he’s never been hit.”
The Bucs are hoping Evans will be a big hit in the NFL, too.
A heavy-hitting safety with excellent coverage range, Evans was selected in the second round by the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, becoming the 50th overall pick in the draft. The Bucs last season ranked 22nd in passing defense and 23rd in total defense.
Evans was the second Aggie chosen. Defensive end Myles Garrett was the first overall selection on Thursday night. Without question, Evans was the second-best player on the A&M defense last season.
He’d arrived in College Station two years ago from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and immediately upgraded the Aggies secondary.
Evans started the 2015 season-opening 38-17 victory over Arizona State and posted seven tackles. He finished third on the team that season with 78 tackles, had an interception and was credited with four passes broken up.
Evans was significantly better as a senior in 2016. He was second in tackles with 87, had four interceptions, broke up eight passes and even blocked a kick. He also averaged 28.5 yards on 15 kickoff returns.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Justin Evans made a crucial pick of UCLA QB Josh Rosen in A&M's 2016 season opening win over the Bruins.
That vertical leap was apparent on a spectacular leaping interception off UCLA’s John Rosen in 2016, which was one of two signature plays for Evans’ career at A&M.
The other was a decleating tackle of Alabama Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry in 2015. Evans made such an impression on Henry, now with the Tennessee Titans, he asked A&M coach Kevin Sumlin about No. 14 after that game.
“The Heisman Trophy guy comes over and said, ‘Coach where’s 14? That dude is a player,'” Sumlin said last month. “He had had hit (Henry) in the face two or three times that day like he’s never been hit.”
The Bucs are hoping Evans will be a big hit in the NFL, too.
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