The Tennessee Titans headed into the 2020 NFL Draft with a need for a running back to complement Derrick Henry.
The Team addressed that in the third round with the No. 93 overall pick, selecting former App State rusher Darrynton Evans.
Evans spoke about the prospect of backing up Derrick Henry in 2020 in a conference call on Friday night, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.
“(Derrick) is a big back, and he has some speed on him, too,” Evans said. “A lot of people, when they try and tackle him, they have to make a business decision on if they want to (hit) him high or hit him low. Add me to that, and I can change the pace of the game … if you need a quick play, any kind of explosive play, I feel like I can get the job done, and we can be a great combination. I feel like I can help take the load off (Derrick) a little bit and help add my twist to the game as well.
“He does a lot of great things, and I can’t wait to learn (from Derrick). I want to talk to him and pick his brain and just try and compete and be the best that we can be for the Titans.”
The Appalachian State product also explained what makes him a good back.
“The thing that helps me is my elusiveness and my speed,” Evans said. “I’m hard to tackle in the open field.”
Evans will be backing up and learning from one of the league’s best on the ground, but one player he’s always looked up to is former Minnesota Vikings running back Percy Harvin.
Like Harvin, Evans presents a versatile option that will help in both the passing and running game for the Titans.
Just because he’s watched a lot of Harvin doesn’t mean he hasn’t spent a lot of time looking at his new mentor’s film, though.
He’s also looked into the San Francisco 49ers’ Raheem Mostert and Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers.
Interestingly enough, Evans’ position coach in college was Garrett Riley, related to Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley.
Expect Evans to bring another dimension to the Titans offense in the upcoming 2020 season.
