NFL Draft: Where are the eligible Louisville Cardinals expected to be selected?
By Jake Hook
Tiyon Evans – Junior – RB – 5’11 – 210 Lbs. Draft Expectation: 6th Round – Undrafted
Tiyon Evans, unfortunately, only spent one year in Louisville, after transferring from Tennessee. It was an up and down lone season for Evans. The former #1 rated JUCO running back averaged 6.3 yards per carry and rushed for six touchdowns. But injuries limited him to just seven full games played last season.
Evans also didn’t do much out of the backfield either. He caught just six passes for 13 yards. But, despite the somewhat disappointing season, Evans still put up some impressive plays and even got himself invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.
Here we see him suck the defender into the hole on the front side by pressing the LOS. This opens a huge cutback lane that he identifies and then plants his foot and explodes for the touchdown showing the burst and top-end speed. pic.twitter.com/crtId6rkiw
— Jeremy (@PopesFFH) December 8, 2022
Evans ran a 4.52 40-yard dash, which was 8th among all running backs at the combine. That number may not seem super impressive for an RB, but for a guy listed at 225+ pounds, that’s pretty impressive.
Tiyon Evans Duce Staley Drill#NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/Chk5kgkVBX
— WalkTheMock (@WalkTheMock) March 5, 2023
Evans also looked smooth at the combine in drills like this one. I’m unsure if Evans will hear his name called in this year’s draft. Injuries, less than elite speed, and no real pass catching production doesn’t bode well for Evans in today’s modern NFL. Plus, the league is valuing the running back group less and less each year. I could see a team drafting him in the late 6th round, or early 7th round, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see him not hear his name called during the draft.
Regardless, I think Evans makes it on an NFL roster this fall. He’s an incredibly strong runner, and I think he has solid speed for his size. Look for a team to take a chance on him, especially for how cheap he will be.