New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Article Saints' Evans Has Climbed From D-2 to Top of NFL

When All-Pro Jahri Evans was an NFL rookie, he traveled to rural Pennsylvania to watch a Division II football game.

Bloomsburg at Mansfield.

Few appreciated that more than Bloomsburg coach Danny Hale, who took a chance on Evans out of high school without Evans having played a down during his senior year.

"I think it's something special for a guy down there in New Orleans who's willing to give up that weekend to fly up here to upstate Pennsylvania in the cold and wet," Hale said. "He really is a special guy — pretty humble, a hard worker and a great kid. When he was here it was five years of just doing what you tell him."

Since being drafted out of Bloomsburg in the fourth round in 2006, Evans has started every game at right guard for the New Orleans Saints. Had he not been playing so well lately, he might be suiting up for his first Pro Bowl this weekend. Instead, he'll take the field for the Super Bowl a week later.

"It's not a bad reason to miss the Pro Bowl," Evans said, chuckling.

During last weekend's NFC championship game, Evans helped clear a path on both of running back Pierre Thomas' touchdowns in the Saints' 31-28 triumph over Minnesota.

On Thomas' 38-yard score on a screen, the 6-foot-4, 318-pound Evans motored up field to cut off defensive back Benny Sapp's path to the ball. Sapp fell as he tried to avoid running into Evans, who has been known to put defenders on their backs. Evans then quickly pivoted right and delivered a glancing blow to linebacker Chad Greenway, who was trying to track down Thomas from behind.

Back in Bloomsburg, Hale was watching, delighted but not surprised.

"I'm seeing the same things he's doing at the NFL that he did at this level," Hale said by phone Tuesday. "He doesn't even have to make contact. He's there and (defenders) are going to vacate. He's hustling to get downfield and get another block."

Thomas scored on a 9-yard run in the second half by cutting back behind Evans' block on defensive tackle Pat Williams, whom Evans shoved several yards off the line of scrimmage before knocking him down.

Saints' Evans Has Climbed From D-2 to Top of NFL - ABC News