What You Need To Know:

• Evans’ tape showed an athlete with top-end speed. He confirmed it at the Combine with a 4.41-second 40 time.
• He’s expected to slide into Dion Lewis’ backup role, albeit one that produced only 79 touches last year.
• Derrick Henry will remain the backfield workhorse. He’s missed only 2 games over the past 2 seasons, but any injury figures to vault Evans into the fantasy-starter mix.

College background

As a freshman, Evans appeared in 12 games while ranking just 4th on the team in carries. That backfield was led by then-sophomore Jalin Moore, who has since landed with the Jets. Evans did take over kick returns, though, averaging 22.5 yards per try and scoring a TD.

Evans had to take a medical redshirt in 2017 for a right knee injury. He credited the time off, however, with allowing him to learn the “whole offensive playbook” and helping prepare him for the opportunity that arose in 2018.

Evans opened his redshirt sophomore season behind Moore, carrying just 19 times through 4 games. But Moore fractured and dislocated his left ankle in Game 5 and missed the rest of the season. Evans took over to average 117.8 rushing yards across the final 9 contests and earn 1st-team all-conference honors.

With Moore gone to the NFL in 2019, Evans opened atop the depth chart and finished as the Sun Belt Conference offensive player of the year. He also earned MVP honors for conference championship game -- where Evans scored the first 3 TDs (2 receiving, 1 rushing) -- and the New Orleans Bowl (19-157-1 rushing line). Evans ranked 9th in the nation in rushing yards (17th in yards per game) and 10th in rushing TDs.

He also continued to deliver as a return man, averaging 25.7 yards per kick return for his career and scoring a TD each season. (Evans never returned a single punt, though.)

One more positive with Evans: He’s fumbled just once on 482 career career carries.

Titans make the pick

Tennessee selected Evans in Round 3 — noteworthy draft capital for a RB. HC Mike Vrabel said the team will give Evans “as much as he can handle” over the offseason.

But what type of role should we expect? Derrick Henry led the league last year with 321 touches. He played at an MVP level and, as of this writing, is scheduled to play under the franchise tag. So the Titans could ride the 247-pounder until the wheels fall off before finding a replacement.

2019 backup Dion Lewis handled 54 carries and 25 catches last year. That looks like Evans’ 2020 floor, especially with so little backfield depth beyond the top 2. Currently, Tennessee heads into the summer with depth options like Dalyn Dawkins, Senorise Perry and fellow rookie Cameron Scarlett (a UDFA). Combined, the veterans have 22 career carries; 3 career catches.

Draft Sharks Bottom Line:

As a likely upgrade on pass-catching back Dion Lewis, we see a higher touch ceiling for Evans. But this is still an offense that ran the ball on nearly half of its plays in 2019. They reached the AFC Championship game with a run-heavy, ball control formula. And Derrick Henry fits what they want to do perfectly.

Unless Evans really forces the Titans’ hand, Henry will be among the league leaders in touches once again. So Evans is no more than a handcuff — albeit an enticing one.