Justin Evans
Nebraska#161 overallDraft Movement
Down 4 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Balance is Justin Evans' brand. A New Jersey product out of Irvington, listed on some sites as Evans-Jenkins, he was a havoc-creating defensive lineman in high school with 14.5 sacks as a senior, leading his school to its first sectional title in 102 years before flipping to the offensive line at Nebraska. He started all 13 games at left guard in 2024, then moved to center and started all 13 there in 2025, taking more than 440 pass-blocking snaps and 355 in the run game while allowing just 10 pressures and no sacks, with three penalties. His pass and run tape sit within two points of each other, the most balanced file in this center group, and the interior he anchored paved the way for the Big Ten's running back of the year. He moves well by the stopwatch and it shows on reach blocks and climbs. His coordinator spent the season publicly calling him the best center in college football, and three years of academic all-conference honors back up the processing claims. The case against is measured in inches. He is the shortest lineman in the group, and NFL length will test his catch radius. Michigan's heavy interior, the one true mass test on his schedule, bent his run blocking for an afternoon, and NFL nose tackles will copy that template. The conversion background leaves only two seasons of center film, and his anchor wins with leverage rather than bulk, a margin that narrows at every level up.
Strengths
- No sacks surrendered across 13 starts and 443 protection snaps
- pass and run tape sit within two points, the most balanced file in this center group
- paved the interior for the Big Ten's running back of the year
- moves well by the stopwatch, and it shows on reach blocks and climbs
- his own coordinator publicly called him the best center in college football
- three-time academic all-conference, the processing resume the position demands
- two full seasons of starts at two different interior spots, guard and center
- only 10 pressures allowed across 440-plus pass-blocking snaps
Weaknesses
- Shortest lineman in the group, and NFL length will test the catch radius
- Michigan's heavy interior bent his run blocking in the toughest matchup on the schedule
- converted-position background leaves only two seasons of center film
- anchor relies on leverage wins, and pure mass can stalemate him
- three penalties is minor but the technique still gets exposed against power
- has not faced many NFL-caliber nose tackles
- the ceiling is a solid starter rather than an impact blocker
NFL Comparison
Creed Humphrey leverage-and-processing center; Drew Dalman undersized mover with elite technique; Olu Oluwatimi conversion-arc interior starter
College Stats
2024 (Nebraska): 13 G/13 starts at left guard; 2025: 13 G/13 starts at center, 443 pass-blocking snaps and 355 run-blocking snaps, 0 sacks and 10 pressures allowed, 3 penalties; blocked for the Big Ten's running back of the year
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $716K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Nebraska's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
Three-time academic all-conference; two full seasons as a Nebraska interior starter at both guard and center; 14.5 sacks and a first sectional title in 102 years as a high school senior