Progress Name of the Game for Shaw Bear's Darnell Evans

Darnell Evans

From academic casualty to walk-on to pre-season All-America, former Dodger now fulfilling potential.

Raleigh, N.C. - Darnell Evans began practicing this week for his Shaw University encore. The former Madison High School standout is coming off a 2010 football season in which he led the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association with six interceptions and was the only freshman named to the all-conference First Team.

The cornerback helped the Bears to their third CIAA title in four years and earned the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Already named as a Consensus Draft Service Preseason All-American First Team selection—one of only four sophomores on the first team—it's easy to see that Evans was destined for an impressive collegiate career.

Except he almost never gave himself the chance for such accomplishments.

Had he not refocused his academic energies at County College of Morris, then spent a second year in the Shaw classroom, Evans would've been left imagining success instead of realizing it.

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