2017 NFL Draft Profile: Former Texas A&M Safety Justin Evans

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Sep 5, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Devin Lucien (15) makes a reception during the third quarter as Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Justin Evans (14) defends at NRG Stadium. The Aggies defeated the Sun Devils 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Weaknesses

Justin Evans plays the game of football with passion, sometimes to a fault. Evans tends to commit to a plan of action before a play and stick to it. This oftentimes results in him getting burned on play-action passes or complex wide receiver routes. Even with his athleticism, many times Justin Evans would take himself out of the play by sticking to a receiver to closely or keeping his eyes in the backfield too long. If he doesn’t correct this habit, NFL quarterbacks will burn Evans in pass coverage every game.

Despite his athleticism, Justin Evans lacks an NFL-ready frame to go with it. Many safeties in today’s NFL have body-types comparable to linebackers. Justin Evans, on the other hand, is 6 feet and under 200 pounds.

When he squares his shoulders and is initiating a tackle, Justin Evans is strong enough to get a running back to the ground. But in some cases, His lack of a large body allows especially physical running backs to shake off his tackle attempts. No matter where Justin Evans is drafted or what his expectations are, he is going to have to hit the gym to remain effective on the field.

Justin Evans was known for hard hits last season. He was also known for whiffing on tackles going after that crushing blow. In the NFL, Justin Evans won’t be able to flatten out most players. He will have to get better at solid, fundamental tackling technique. If you are a faster or more veteran player, all you have to do against Evans is make a quick cut to get past him. And unless Justin Evans can become a more consistent tackler, this will remain the case.