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Texas A&M is now on the board for the 2024 recruiting class, after Sunday afternoon's addition of Longview Pine Tree defensive end Dealyn Evans.
The 6-foot-4, 258-pound Evans was one of a very talented crop of 2024 prospects to visit College Station Saturday for A&M's annual pool party and barbecue and came away hinting strongly that he was on the verge of committing. Sunday, he did more than hint, kickstarting the 2024 class.
Even though Evans has two full seasons of high school football left to play, he'd already racked up 14 total offers. The Aggies beat out the likes of Baylor, Arizona State and Washington to get him. It also marks A&M's first head-to-head victory over Texas in 2024 recruiting, as A&M's once and future rival had also offered Evans.
The 3-star recruit racked up 55 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 5 sacks in his sophomore season at Pine Tree.
Analysis of A&M's newest commit
Even though he's just a rising junior, Evans already has a Power 5 frame and is extremely strong. He absolutely stands out in the crowd, and he's all over the place. He's got a lot of versatility, playing a 3-4 end, a 4-3 end and even a 4-3 defensive tackle.
Evans has a lot of lower body strength, as he consistently pushes around opposing linemen. When he needs to disengage, he can shove opponents aside. He's just too big, and too strong, for individual offensive linemen to handle him.
What I like the most, though, is his instinctiveness. Evans has a knack for knowing where the ball is going to be and is relentless when it comes to chasing down running backs. If he can't get to the quarterback, he knows when to leap to knock a pass down. He diagnoses screens and short passes very well, showing a very good football IQ.
Evans could be a player like a Kingsley Keke, who ends up playing both playing end and tackle. He's got a frame that will allow him to grow, and he'll have time to continue his development as A&M's amazing crop of defensive linemen will be entering their third seasons when he arrives on campus. Evans could be the first in a wave of quality reinforcements.
