Of the 17 former Washington Huskies who showcased their skills at Pro Day, Omari Evans had, arguably, the best performance of them all. Twenty-nine of the 32 NFL teams were seen in attendance for the annual Pro Day event at Washington. Evans, who’s known for his speed at the wide receiver position, put together an all-around performance in front of those scouts. It started with his individual testing measurables.
Omari Evans’ Pro Day
Individual Testing Numbers
Pro Day began with individual testing around 8:30 am on Monday inside the Dempsey Indoor facility. Evans posted 15 reps on the bench press before stepping up to the vertical jump. The 6’-0” and 195-pound receiver elevated 41 inches into the air. When his hand swiped the colored vanes of the tester, there was a roar from onlookers that included former teammates, coaches, and family in attendance. The 41” jump was the best of the day among Huskies participating. It would have tied for 4th-best among wide receivers at this year’s NFL Combine.
Then it was time for the 40-yard dash, a strong suit for the speedster at wide receiver. Evans ran the 40-yard dash twice. After crossing the finish line, former teammates took to social media to share unofficial times. Quarterback Demond Williams and wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck each shared a 4.25 unofficial time for Evans. Of course, everyone’s timer varies slightly, but the consensus from his sprint was unanimous. Evans is fast.
Throwing Session
The throwing session was the final showcase event for the receivers, and Evans was efficient in his performance. On two occasions, Evans made outstretched hands-catches in a full sprint. One was along the far sideline on an out route. He elevated high in the air, made a quality two-handed catch at full extension, and brought both of his feet down near the sideline.
One of the other things that stood out about Evans’ performance was his ability to correct the minor mistakes of the quarterback. There were a couple of throws that appeared to be slightly overthrown upon release. But Evans used that speed to accelerate while tracking the football into his hands and still make the reception. The throwing session ended with a sideline route on the far side, one that Kai Horton threw nearly 50 yards in the air. Evans, at a full sprint, caught the football at about the 10-yard line and took it the rest of the way into the end zone to complete the workout. Evans was greeted by Denzel Boston in the end zone, who also had a quality day catching passes at Pro Day.
In his four-year career, Evans played three seasons at Penn State and one at Washington. He totaled 818 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns with an average of 17.4 yards per catch. Among Evans’ 17 catches as a Husky, he had a one-handed catch that went for 43 yards against Purdue, and a 59-yard touchdown against rival Washington State.
Main Image: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images