Wingate Punter Ethan Evans Goes To Rams, First DII Player Selected in 2023 NFL Draft

It took 223 picks, but a player from outside of Division I was selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Punter Ethan Evans of Wingate University (North Carolina) was selected by the Rams with the sixth pick of the seventh round on Saturday.

Ethans, a DII All-American was the punter and placekicker for Wingate during his time with the Bulldogs. He’ll likely just be a punter in the NFL, but he’s got more than enough leg. He averaged more than 45 yards per punt last season.

Evans’ punts pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 39 times and went 50 or more yards 30 times.

He is the second player in Wingate history to be selected in the NFL Draft and the first since 2007. He was the third punter off the board in the draft. The Rams currently do not have another punter on the roster and lost many of their special teams contributors in the offseason. Evans has a shot to be a central contributor in that regard as a rookie.