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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5 Things to Know About Justin Evans

A few interesting facts about the Buccaneers' second-round draft pick.

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A look at the newest member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, S Justin Evans.

  1. He was Texas A&M's co-defensive MVP.**
    Texas A&M had a few pretty good defensive players enter this year's draft, including the No. 1 overall pick, Myles Garrett. While Garrett drew the headlines leading up to this week, Evans was also a key contributor to the Aggies' defense. Both players were selected as A&M's most valuable defenders for the 2016 season.

2. He was one of the best defensive backs in the nation in 2016.
Evans was a finalist for several awards during his final collegiate season, including the Thorpe Award, which is given to the top defensive back in the nation. According to Pro Football Focus, Evans had the third-best coverage grade of any defensive FBS defensive back. He was also No. 2 in the country in passes defensed.

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  1. He broke out in 2016.**
    Evans had just one interception and three passes defensed during his first season at Texas A&M, but broke out during his senior year. In 2016, he picked off four passes and batted away eight more. He also recorded 87 tackles, up from 78 as a junior.

4. He arrived at Texas A&M via a junior college.
Evans wasn't heavily recruited as a high school player and attended Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida. In two seasons, he recorded 86 tackles and six interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He had offers from Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas before ultimately choosing Texas A&M.

5. He is versatile.
In high school, Evans was a talented pitcher on the baseball field and played an array of positions on the football field. He took reps at quarterback, safety, wide receiver and kick returner but signed on as a full-time defensive back for his college career.

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