High School Injury Didn't Stop Jahri Evans

By Jeremy White, NFLHS.com

At 6-foot-4 and 316 pounds, one wouldn't expect Jahri Evans to be quick or agile. Yet he's both, which is why the Division II offensive lineman from Bloomsburg is now eyeing a professional football career.

He was selected in the 4th round of the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.

Evans, a tackle in high school and college who will likely move to guard in the NFL, admits "there's a learning process whenever you move to the next level."

He's confident he can learn what it takes to play in the NFL, just like he learned how to dominate the college game after leaving Frankfort High School in Philadelphia.

The lineman wasn't highly recruited out of high school, but that was due in part to the fact that an injury forced him to miss his senior season at Frankfort, where he also played defensive tackle as an underclassman.

Evans says the experience on both sides of the ball helps him bring "an element to the game" that makes him more effective as both a run blocker and pass protector.

In all, Evans' high school career was one that he recalls fondly, despite the injury that forced him to the sideline. Winning has a way of making football twice as fun, and Evans was fortunate enough to play on a solid ball club.

"Our high school team was very successful," he recalls. "We held the record for public league championships in Philadelphia. I had the opportunity to start my sophomore year and got a lot of playing time, then I started again as a junior.

"Playing both sides of the ball really helped me. Playing defense helped me learn to play with a defensive mentality on offense, and that's been big."

For high school blockers who want to play with that type of intensity, Evans says the keys are to work on getting off the ball quickly and then finding a way to open your hole quickly so that you can move on to another defensive target.

"Get down the field," he advises. "Be aggressive. Make the blocks up the field and play with that hard-nosed mentality."

Of course, for those who aspire to play football in college, Evans says it's important to work on becoming a well-rounded lineman. The degree of difficulty, after all, increases with each step up the ladder.

"Fine-tune your game," he recommends. "Work on your technique to get it better. You need some athletic ability, but you also need to have fundamental techniques to fall back on."

The real keys, stresses Evans, are to "have a competitive nature and work on your cuts. Those are important. Also, do lots of hand drills. You have to learn where to put your hands when you block, especially when you are going up against a bigger guy."

Finally, don't be afraid to dream big. Most high school athletes won't advance to the collegiate level, let alone the professional ranks. That's why education and a career plan outside of football are important. But don't let that keep you from working toward your goals, either, says Evans.

"Playing in the NFL was my dream in high school," he says. "I thought about that all throughout high school."

Now, he just might get his chance.

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc.