USAT: Saints Wire audio clip

USAT: Saints Wire

Feb 19, 2022

- - - - #Missouri S Akayleb Evans had a good week at the @seniorbowl while showcasing his physicality and versatility. - Evans met w/ all 32 teams in attendance, as most prospects did and especially had productive meetings/convos w/ #Falcons, #Packers, #Saints and #Seahawks among others. - — Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 10, 2022 - - - There’s another 2022 NFL draft prospect on the New Orleans Saints’ radar: Missouri Tigers defensive back Akayleb Evans, who took a few snaps at safety in 2021 while playing most of his snaps at cornerback (as he did at Tulsa earlier in his college career). He met with all 32 teams at this year’s Senior Bowl, but he told the Draft Network’s Justin Melo that his discussions with the Saints were one of a few “great interviews” during the week. - Listed at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, Evans has a long frame that should serve him well lining up against nimble receivers in the NFL. He’s been asked to handle a variety of coverage assignments at Missouri and Tulsa in lining up on both the field and boundary sides as well as over the slot. You just would like to see better ball skills from him — in 38 career games, he logged 17 passes defensed and only one interception. - But he’s a very physical player and doesn’t hesitant to throw his weight around in run defense, which is more than can be said for a lot of defensive backs coming out of school. He’s got the right foundations to build off of and develop into a nice player with good coaching. Some projections have him being drafted within the top-100 picks, though he may go on the draft’s third day instead. He has a great opportunity to improve his draft stock at the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis by timing well in athletic testing drills. - And the Saints could definitely be on the lookout for more defensive backs. Starting free safety Marcus Williams is a pending free agent (and a potential franchise tag candidate, having played on the tag last season). Backup corner Bradley Roby could be a salary cap cut. Other safeties Malcolm Jenkins, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and J.T. Gray are entering the final years of their contracts, too. While Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo have the top two cornerback jobs locked down, it wouldn’t hurt to add someone like Evans to the mix as a long-term project. - - List - - 5 teams that could pursue Marcus Williams in free agency - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Saints Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Saints Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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