2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Derrick Evans Jr, QB, Carson-Newman University

• Name: Derrick Evans Jr.
• Height: 6’0
• Weight: 202
• Position: QB
• College: Carson-Newman University 
• Twitter: @leeboy1435

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?

•  I am from Macon, Ga. What I love about my hometown is the support that people have shown me throughout my career and having everyone push me to be the best I can be.

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?

•  I would rank them strength and conditioning, practice, and then film study. You have to get prepare your body first for practice and after practice is when you study your film to see how you can improve your game from the last practice. The film study is very important to me because I can watch and learn what I can improve on and to learn the coverages of defense and how my opponents play. 

What do you worry about, and why?

•  I really don’t worry about anything, I leave it in God’s hands and let him take care of the rest.

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?

•  My freshman year I was the backup quarterback and was only seeing a few minutes during certain games. We played our rival and our starting quarterback ended up hurting his hamstring and I had to play and I performed terribly and lost the game. That next week I made sure I was in film every day and staying after practice to make sure I was ready the next time my name was called and when I played them the next year I had a great game and tied a school record for most touchdowns in a game.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  My best quality is my energy towards everyone. I’m very energetic and always have a smile on my face. 

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?

•  Jay Smith from Lenoir-Rhyne

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 

•  My ideal career would be a quarterbacks coach in college and try to work my way to the NFL.

Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?

•  Room. That is where you lay your head every day and what you wake up and see. If my room is clean I feel like my day will go by smoother because it is my comfort zone and I hate to look at a dirty room.

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?

•  I would do whichever one comes to mind first just off my natural instincts and try to save everyone if I could.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?

•  I would say Ray Allen in the movie “He Got Game” I feel that I relate to that movie in a great way with my father being in prison.

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?

•  I would say not getting the offers I felt like I should have received in high school due to my height and I felt like I had to show people that I could be a college quarterback which I proved by becoming a starter since my sophomore year and back to back All-Conference awards.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  My most embarrassing moment was walking into the other team’s locker room when we arrived at our opponent’s stadium and the entire team just stared at me.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  The most memorable play would be the last game of my sophomore year and we ran out for the game and my head coach looked at me and asked was I ready and I told him “watch this” and the first play of the game I ran a 70-yard touchdown to set the tone.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  G Herbo – Focused 

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 

•  My athleticism, In high school I was considered an athlete and could play many positions and I think that will help me on the next level and being a quarterback helps me with the offense because I have to know what every person on the field has to do.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?

•  My grandad. We were very close and I would like for him to get a chance to see how good I am doing here.

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 

•  The Spot

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

•  Calvin Ridley

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  Respected. I would want people to respect me than like me because respect goes a long way. You can respect people but that doesn’t mean you like them.

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?

•  Josh Gordon. He is a great receiver and can be the best in the league but I feel likes

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•  I hate to lose. It doesn’t matter what I am doing I do not want to lose. 

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?

• My mom, she pushed me to be the man I am today. She never let me slack off and she made sure I had everything I need, she always made sure I put God first and made sure I prayed every day.