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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Shaw's Evans Picked as Preseason Football All-America

Darnell Evans
Shaw University Bears

Raleigh, N.C. - Madison High School graduate Darnell Evans continues to shine on the football field. The cornerback for Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. has been named to the Consensus Draft Service Preseason All-American First Team. Evans is one of only four sophomores on the first team.

The 5-8, 181-pound Evans in 2010 led the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association with six interceptions and was the only freshman named to the all-conference First Team as he helped the Bears to their third CIAA football title in four years. He was also tabbed as the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year by the CIAA, an NCAA Division II conference of historically African-American schools.

Evans made 34 tackles in 2010, 22 of them solo. He led the CIAA in passes defended (17) and pass break-ups (10). He was also named the CIAA Defensive Back of the Week once during the season.

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