CHAPEL HILL – Des Evans is on a clear mission.
His fifth and final football season at North Carolina is basically about two things: winning more games, and enhancing his NFL stock. That’s why he returned, instead of taking his chances in the Sunday league.
“I already know the player I am and the player I could be,” he said. “I just wanted to come back, develop myself, and give myself another chance to go to the league; a higher draft pick.”
Evans is coming off easily his best year as a Tar Heel.
The 6-foot-5.5, 270-pound native of Sanford, NC, recorded 33 tackles last season, 5.0 of which were TFLs, and 3.0 were sacks. He had 17 hurries, batted three passes, and was credited with 19 STOPs, which are plays that result in failures for opposing offenses. His PFF grade was a respectable 65.3.
Evans’ path to this point has been a bit jagged. A highly touted prospect coming out of his school, he was placed in former defensive coordinator Jay Bateman’s unit as a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end role. Only that he was usually upright when in the rush-end spot.
After Bateman moved on following the 2021 campaign, Evans moved to the more conventional end spot under Gene Chizik. He was happy to have a hand on the ground again, and minced no words in expressing that.
But now that Chizik is gone and former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins is running that side of the ball for Mack Brown’s program, Evans is dabbling some in the position that essentially threw him out of whack to start his career.
But the catch here is that Evans doesn’t actually mind. He’s glad to get reps at what is now called the “rush” position.
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and my first two years dropping in coverage, I really didn’t know nothing about it,” Evans said. “That helps me with what’s going on right now. And I’m grateful for what happened my first two years.”
Brown is grateful to have Evans back. He has long boasted about Evans’ potential, recognizing the pro prospects are certainly there. But also the value he gives the Tar Heels.
Don’t think for a minute Brown wasn’t thrilled when Evans told him he was going back to Carolina.
“One of the guys I think is emerging is Des Evans,” Brown said. “As a presence, as a leader, he’s playing really hard. He had a tremendous offseason, he’s liked and respected by all the guys.”
The things noted by the Hall of Fame coach are noteworthy. Evans’ wobbly track also included lengthy periods in which little improvement was shown, if any. Confidence in himself could have taken hits, confidence in the schemes and coaches directing his every move may have also lost faith from Evans.
Perhaps the other prong of a next-level Evans is the defense implemented by Collins. It’s more aggressive, relies on natural and refined gifts of the players, and is more fun, according to what the players have said. Including Evans.
“We can play free. And that’s what I wanted coming to this university. I’m stepping into myself right now.”
Evans have played 1,344 snaps in four seasons with varied success. But if he’s stepping into himself, as he said, the chance for a late-career breakout season is certainly there. And that would mean full recognition from the NFL.
“The mission is first round,” he said.
And who knows, maybe it happens.
