By Mark Pszonak
Life comes at you fast. That has been the case with former Class of 2020 five-star running back Zach Evans, who announced his retirement from the NFL last night at the age of 24.
Evans’ recruiting process back in 2019 and 2020 was chaotic. He took official visits to LSU and Texas A&M in late 2019 before visiting Tennessee in early 2020. However, he was often seen as a Georgia-lean throughout. National Signing Day in February came and went, before Evans finally pulled a stunner by signing with TCU in May.
His two seasons with the Horned Frogs were rather disappointing, as he only totaled 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. This led to his transfer to Ole Miss prior to the 2022 season, where he rushed for 936 yards and nine touchdowns. However, that was his only season in Oxford as he declared for the NFL Draft.
After being selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, Evans played in 10 games during his rookie season. He saw limited time though, as he only rushed for 19 yards on nine carries, while also playing special teams. This would be his only season with the Rams, as he was waived in late August 2024, which led to his eventual signing with the New York Jets in early 2025.
It took a little more than 5 years and 2 months for Evans to go from being one of the most sought-after players in the Class of 2020 to retiring from football. Will he find a way to stay in the public spotlight or drift off to obscurity? With how the last five years has gone, it seems likely that Evans will find a way to stay relevant.
