Evans Just Thought He Wanted to Take Visits
Advertisement
When word got out that Oklahoma had offered Norman (Okla.) North three-star linebacker Jordan Evans many expected the Sooners legacy to immediately take up Bob Stoops on his personal offer. However, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound prospect passed up that opportunity and instead said he'd be taking several visits before he made his final choice.
It seems that just a day later Evans was already rethinking that policy.
"I think yesterday was when I really decided, I realized, coach (Tim Kish) talked to me, talked to my family, no one convinced me otherwise. I just realized I do want to play for Oklahoma," Evans said. "I told my family I would like to commit and then I did."
Evans, the son of former Sooner defensive lineman Scott Evans, was thought to be a player that had grown up dreaming of playing for Oklahoma but the state's No. 5 prospect says that not only was that not the case but his dad had gone out of his way to make sure there was no pressure to follow in his footsteps.
" That was always kind of the assumption, of course playing for Oklahoma would always be cool, but I had built up a relationship with other guys recruiting me, and was thinking 'oh cool I could go play here and here'," he admitted. "My dad, he told me multiple times, do not go to Oklahoma because of me, because of your friends, your coaches, or anyone else. That's how he was through the whole process."
That's certainly not to say that his parents aren't ecstatic about his choice though.
" Of course my mom, my mom was here about to cry," he chuckled. "She was calling and telling her friends, my dad is happy for me and he would have been wherever I went. They would have supported my decision but they are really happy for me," he said.
Evans is something of an annual event in Oklahoma, late-blooming senior sees world of talent come together and goes from relatively unknown to major college commitment. However, it's no fault of college coaches familiar with the state that they didn't see Evans coming. In fact, it wasn't until the arrival of Timberwolves second year head coach Wade Standley that anyone saw Evans' potential a bit closer to the line of scrimmage than he had been lining up.
"Since eight grade to my sophomore year, I was still a defensive back," he said. "In eight grade I was 5-foot-4 and I played corner. Ninth grade I was 5-foot-11 I hit a big growth spurt but people were starting to notice me and say I was a really good corner. As a sophomore, I was 6-foot-1 and then after that year coach Standley got here and told me I was a linebacker."
And the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same for Evans.
"Where I'll play is a good question because Bob Stoops talked to my dad and he was telling my dad that they see me linebacker, of course, but they could see me playing defensive end and safety too, I kind of want to see athlete I guess," he said.
"I don't really prefer any spot. I've played a lot of different positions over the last few years. As long as I'm making plays I'm perfectly fine playing wherever."
Now Evans can turn his attention back to his own season as he leads North on their historic run - on Friday they'll face Jenks in his school's first ever state championship game.
"I'm not going to lie, it feels good, it got stressful at times, I'm trying to focus on nothing but Norman North but now that I've got that off my chest, I'm more focused, I'm happier and what not," he said. "I realize though that I'm blessed to even get to go through all of it though."
SCOOP HD is best viewed in full screen mode, a feature found at the bottom right of the video window.