Rashaan Evans Bio
Rashaan Evans is an American professional football linebacker born on November 8, 1995, in Auburn, Alabama. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he won two College Football Playoff national championships and earned First-team All-American honors. Selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Evans has built a journeyman career across multiple franchises, including stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.
Early Life and Background
Alan Rashaan Evans grew up in Auburn, Alabama, the second oldest of five children. His father, Alan, played running back at Auburn, and his mother, Chenavis, earned four degrees from the university, including a doctorate. An older sister cheered at Auburn, and several cousins also attended the school, yet Evans made his own path by choosing to play for the rival Alabama Crimson Tide.
Evans attended Auburn High School, where he was teammates with future Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster. As a senior, he recorded 77 tackles, including 43 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles, a blocked punt, and a fumble recovery. He was a first-team ASWA 6A All-State selection as a junior in 2012 and played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. Rated as a five-star outside linebacker and the eleventh-best player in the country by 247Sports, Evans was recognized as an Under Armour All-American in 2014.
Growing up in rural Alabama, Evans developed his speed and athleticism by chasing wild horses, a routine that became one of the formative habits of his youth.
Path to American Football
Evans arrived at the University of Alabama in 2014 as one of the most decorated high school linebacker prospects in the nation. As a true freshman, he worked primarily on special teams, appearing in 13 games and posting 15 tackles with two for loss and a sack. His role grew steadily as he learned the defensive system under the Crimson Tide coaching staff.
As a sophomore in 2015, Evans again served mostly as a special teamer and reserve outside linebacker, but his two sacks against Clemson in the national championship victory announced his potential to NFL scouts. Over his final two seasons, he became a full-time starter, anchoring the linebacker group and appearing in three College Football Playoff National Championship contests with two victories. He graduated from Alabama in December 2017 with a degree in psychology.
Rashaan Evans Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
The Tennessee Titans selected Evans in the first round, 22nd overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft, making him the fifth linebacker taken that year. On May 15, 2018, he signed a four-year, $11.7 million contract that included a $6.59 million signing bonus. Evans competed throughout training camp for a starting inside linebacker role, but head coach Mike Vrabel opened the season with him as a backup behind Wesley Woodyard and Will Compton.
Evans missed the season opener with a hamstring injury, then made his first career start on September 23, 2018, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, recording his first career tackle in a 9-6 Week 3 win. He finished his rookie year with 53 combined tackles and a pass deflection in 15 games and seven starts. In 2019, Evans recorded his first NFL sack in Week 4 at the Atlanta Falcons and later returned a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tennessee Titans Tenure (2018-2021)
Across four seasons in Tennessee, Evans developed into a rotational defender and situational playmaker on the inside. He appeared regularly on special teams and in sub-packages, gradually earning more defensive snaps as his role expanded. In 2020, however, his season opened with an ejection for throwing a punch at tight end Jake Butt during a Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos.
On May 3, 2021, the Titans declined to exercise the fifth-year option on Evans’ rookie contract, setting him up for free agency after that season. He finished his Tennessee tenure with a growing body of NFL experience and a reputation for physicality in the run game.
Atlanta Falcons First Stint (2022)
On April 4, 2022, Evans signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. The move gave him an opportunity to compete for an expanded role in a new defensive scheme. In Atlanta, he set career highs in total tackles, solo tackles, and assists, showing the consistency that had marked his development since his rookie season.
Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys (2023)
On September 12, 2023, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Evans to their practice squad, then released him three days later. On October 11, 2023, the Dallas Cowboys added him to their practice squad before promoting him to the active roster on November 18. His time in Dallas ended on December 27, 2023, when the team waived him following an arrest in Frisco, Texas for possession of marijuana.
Atlanta Falcons Return (2024-Present)
On October 1, 2024, Evans signed with the Atlanta Falcons practice squad for a second stint with the franchise. He was promoted to the active roster on November 1, then released on December 21 and re-signed to the practice squad. Through Week 13 of the 2024 season, his career NFL totals included 485 combined tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 12 pass deflections, and 1 defensive touchdown.
Driving Style and Strengths
Evans is known for his physical, downhill approach as an inside linebacker, with the strength to take on blocks and the lateral range to pursue plays sideline to sideline. His background chasing wild horses in rural Alabama is often cited as the origin of his unusual speed and conditioning for the position. He has produced his most disruptive work in run support and on special teams, where his tackling reliability has been a steady asset.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Evans’ two sacks against Clemson in the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship announced him as a rising defensive talent. His 53-yard fumble return for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 stands as one of the most explosive plays of his NFL career. He also earned two CFP national championships (2015, 2017), First-team All-American honors in 2017, and All-SEC recognition that same season.
Rashaan Evans Career Wins
Rashaan Evans’ career is best measured in team victories, awards, and statistical milestones rather than individual game counts. His most significant team success came at the college level, where he helped Alabama capture CFP national championships in 2015 and 2017. In the NFL, he has contributed as a rotational defender and special teamer across the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.
College Highlights
Evans was a key contributor on two Alabama national championship teams, appearing in three CFP National Championship contests overall. In 2017, he started 12 games, tied for the team lead with 74 tackles, and led the Crimson Tide with 13 tackles for loss while adding six sacks and three pass breakups. His production against Clemson in the 2015 title game and his all-around play in 2017 established him as one of the top linebacker prospects in the 2018 draft class.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his two national championships, Evans was recognized as a First-team All-American and an All-SEC selection in 2017, capping his college career with a degree in psychology. In the NFL, his most notable individual performance came in a 2019 Week 4 win at Atlanta, when he recorded his first career sack, and in a 2019 win over Kansas City, when he scored on a 53-yard fumble return.
Rashaan Evans Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Football runs deep in the Evans family. His father, Alan, was a running back at Auburn, and his mother, Chenavis, earned four degrees from Auburn, including a doctorate. An older sister cheered at Auburn, and several cousins also attended the school, creating a strong Auburn footprint in the family. Despite those ties, Evans chose to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide, charting his own football identity.
Personal Life
Evans is the second oldest of five children, with one younger brother and three sisters. He grew up in rural Alabama, where his early training included chasing wild horses to sharpen his speed and athleticism. Evans graduated from the University of Alabama in December 2017 with a degree in psychology.
2025 Season Outlook
Heading into the 2025 season, Rashaan Evans remains a free agent after finishing the 2024 campaign on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad. His career totals through Week 13 of 2024, including 485 combined tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 12 pass deflections, and 1 defensive touchdown, underline his value as a veteran presence on the inside. Whether he returns to Atlanta or signs elsewhere, his special teams reliability and run-defense experience make him a candidate for a depth role on a contending roster.
For Evans, the 2025 offseason represents an opportunity to extend a career that has already spanned more than half a decade across multiple organizations. His physical style of play, football IQ, and leadership developed at Alabama and Tennessee continue to align with the demands of modern inside linebacker play. A return to a regular defensive role would mark a fitting next chapter for a player whose journey began chasing wild horses in rural Alabama.
