HE WAS IN AWKWARD POSITION : Rams Change Their Minds, and Evans Changes His Shirt
Donald Evans, the Rams’ defensive end of the future only five months ago, switched positions and jerseys Wednesday and officially became a fullback.
You’ve heard of the Refrigerator. Are you ready for the Ice Tray?
Evans, originally assigned No. 64, will wear No. 34, Bo Jackson’s number with the Raiders.
In an Anaheim minute, Evans has been resurrected from the injured-reserve list and put on this week’s 50-man roster. And if Tim Tyrrell is injured again and can’t make it for the Atlanta game Sunday, guess who makes the 45-man list at backup fullback?
Donald Evans.
“We’re talking about a legitimate thing,” Coach John Robinson said. “This is not a lark, or trying to avoid the embarrassment of drafting a poor guy or something like that. This is a serious effort. And you know, he may not make it. But he’ll simply be one of our fullbacks now until he makes it or he’s cut.”
This, of course, wasn’t what the team had in mind for Evans, the Rams’ top pick and second-round choice from Winston-Salem State. Robinson projected Evans as the starting defensive end in passing situations on draft day last April. The Rams raved about his raw athletic ability.
But it was clear from the beginning that Evans would never find his way to a quarterback. So, in September, the Rams put him on injured reserve with an abdominal injury until they could figure out what to do with him.
Seven weeks ago, Robinson began running Evans through practice cones and soon introduced his latest pet project.
Evans, who has slimmed down from 283 to about 257 since April, was a running back in high school and initially in college before being moved to defensive end.
“I feel more comfortable at running back than at defensive end,” Evans said. “Earl Campbell was my idea of a runner. Ever since I was a little boy, I liked Jim Brown and Larry Brown, of the Redskins. But in the ‘80s it was Earl Campbell. As a boy when I played street ball, I always played running back.”
If only he had told the Ram scouting department.
“In college, I was big (6 feet and 270 pounds) at defensive end, I was better than a lot of those guys,” said Evans, who played in Division II. “By the time I got here, the offensive tackles and guards were so good, I was almost at a disadvantage.”
Robinson was first going to make the switch in the off-season, under the scrutiny of no one, but decided to get this bowling ball rolling a little earlier. Robinson wouldn’t say specifically when or if Evans would play this season.
“If he were active, he could finish a game,” Robinson said. “He’s good enough to do that.”
Robinson said he isn’t affording Evans special treatment because the Rams thought so highly of him.
“I understand the top draft choice that doesn’t make it has a tendency to irritate everybody and become isolated,” he said. “That’s the negative thing. I just think he’s a good athlete and he deserves a chance. I hope he takes advantage of it.”
Ram Notes
Playoff correction: The Rams would qualify for the last wild-card spot if they ended up in a three-way tie with Minnesota and St. Louis at 8-7, by virtue of a better winning percentage within the conference. The Rams in that case would finish at 7-5--a .583 mark--in the NFC, and that would be better than the .571 produced by the Cardinals’ 8-6. . . . Donald Evans wore No. 30 as a high school running back in Raleigh, N.C. but chose No. 34 instead on Wednesday. Why? He didn’t like the luck that came with his old number. “Barry Redden, he had 30, and Owen Gill had 30,” Evans said. “I said, ‘Give me 34.’ I just wanted to be on the safe side.” Redden was traded to the San Diego Chargers last spring. Gill was released last week.
