With the No. 202 pick in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected former Michigan running back Chris Evans, who is seen as a change-of-pace back who can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Evans is the seventh Wolverine to be picked in this year's draft, joining defensive end Kwity Paye (first round to the Indianapolis Colts), offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield (third round to the Atlanta Falcons), wideout Nico Collins (third round to the Houston Texans), cornerback Ambry Thomas (third round to the San Francisco 49ers), linebacker Cameron McGrone (fifth round to the New England Patriots) and fullback Ben Mason (fifth round to the Baltimore Ravens).
"This could be a sixth-round steal when it’s all said and done," ESPN's Todd McShay said on the broadcast. "For the first three seasons, he had 304 carries for over 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s 5-foot-11, 215 pounds. He runs a 4.50, which is a very respectable time in the 40-yard dash. He’s an instinctive inside runner.
"He has quick feet in and out of the whole, and what I love about him is that he can catch the football. He is so smooth and active catching the ball and turning up the field. They actually started him at slot receiver earlier in his career, so he brings that versatility.
"I don’t know what happened this past year — I don’t know how in the world he only got 16 carries, but Chris Evans is going to be a steal when it’s all said and done."
RELATED: The Baltimore Ravens Draft Ben Mason With The Final Pick Of The 5th Round
RELATED: Kwity Paye's 'Talent And Character' Made Drafting Him 'Easy' For The Colts
Evans came to Michigan in the class of 2016 as an unheralded three-star recruit out of Indianapolis, but he made an impact right way in a winged helmet, with his coming out party being the season-opener against Hawai'i in which he rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown on eight rushes. As a true freshman, he was the team's second-leading rusher with 614 yards on 88 carries with four touchdowns on a squad that won 10 games and made an Orange Bowl appearance.
He made two starts — the first two of his career at running back — in 2017, when he began splitting the bulk of the carries with Karan Higdon. All told, he generated a total of 842 all-purpose yards (685 rushing yards) and 7 touchdowns on the season. His numbers dipped a bit in 2018, again due to the fact that Higdon took on more of a prominent role — and rushed for over 1,000 yards that season. Evans posted 423 yards on 18 carries with four touchdowns and added 148 receiving yards on 18 catches with one score.
Evans was suspended for the entirety of the 2019 season due to an academic issue, but he didn't allow that to end his career at Michigan. He stayed in Ann Arbor and trained for a potential return — which was not guaranteed at the time — and worked three jobs to support himself.
Eventually, head coach Jim Harbaugh reinstated him to the team once he was cleared to re-enroll to the school, and Evans returned for his fifth-year senior season. He was used as just a role player in 2020 as part of a crowded running back room, carrying the ball 16 times for 73 yards with a touchdown and catching nine passes for 87 yards.
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook
