Though he’s never been to campus, Houston North Shore five-star running back Zachary Evans included Ohio State in his Top 5 on Tuesday night alongside Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Oklahoma.
— T H R E E (@Runzekerun01) May 28, 2019
The 5-11, 200-pound Evans is considered the top-rated running back and No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2020, as he rushed for 1,785 yards and 29 touchdowns to lead the Mustangs to the state championship last fall.
Evans — who notably squats 605 pounds, runs a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and has a 34-inch vertical jump — shared the MaxPreps Junior Player of the Year award last season with USC four-star quarterback commit Bryce Young. He is a two-time The Opening Finals invitee.
Most projections had Evans favoring the in-state Texas Longhorns, so their omission comes as a bit of a surprise. Meanwhile, Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford has made quite an impression from afar, while other staff members — including offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson and defensive graduate assistant Kenny Anunike — made their presence felt during satellite camps in Houston during the last two summers.
Though the Buckeyes are set to host California five-star running back Kendall Milton for an official visit this coming weekend and are expected to receive an official visit from Arizona five-star Bijan Robinson next month, Evans’ announcement surely gives the staff another elite option as it looks to bring on at least two running backs this cycle.
