Five years ago, Jahri Evans was a college graduate of Bloomsburg University projected to be a seventh round draft pick. Dubbed a “developmental project” by scouts, he was told he would most likely have to shift from his usual position of offensive tackle to guard. Selected 108th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round, Evans was the first player drafted out of Bloomsburg in 14 years.
A lot has happened since then, as Jahri Evans has now shocked the football world and established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the league. His seven-year, $56.7 million contract during 2009 free agency made him the highest paid interior offensive lineman ever, surpassing the previous record set when the Jets signed veteran Alan Faneca.
“When I first got started,” Evans said, “Jermane Mayberry [former Saints offensive lineman] told me, ‘Just keep working hard, don’t let anybody take your spot, keep pushing and take care of your body…and you’ll be alright.’ And that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Work ethic is an integral trait for an offensive lineman to have, because your team simply cannot afford to have you take a game off. Dating back to the first game of his rookie year, Evans has played in and started all 80 regular season games, something that he believes “is real important. We are one of those teams that has consistency on the offensive line with guys that are playing well and continue to play well.”
Through five seasons in the league, Evans has already been selected to two Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams, earning both honors in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Also, the Saints offensive line as a whole was selected to win the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award in 2010, awarded to the best line in the league each year, giving credit to the unsung heroes that deserve some credit for their quarterback’s performance.
With those honors and a Super Bowl victory to his name already, Evans has an extremely impressive résumé for a player just a few years into his career. “I just want to win another Super Bowl and keep playing hard. We are most definitely ready to compete for another. The coaches and scouts did a great job building the team that we have and they just keep adding different guys at different positions to make us better.”
Evans’ hard work has paid off as he has defied the odds more than once to get to where he is today. From a fractured leg that forced him to miss his entire senior football season, to having the disadvantage of going to a small school when being looked at for the NFL Draft, Evans has not always been in the best position, but look at him today. A world champion and a star at his position, Evans will certainly be a force in the NFL for a long time.
