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The Indianapolis Colts selected Hull with the 176th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He will serve as the backup for Jonathan Taylor and added solid depth to the Colts’ roster.
Northwestern Wildcats running back Evan Hull will look to make a name for himself at the NFL level after a productive college football career in the Big Ten. He received plenty of touches over the last two seasons especially as he begins his professional career.
Last year, Hull rushed for 913 yards and 212 attempts with 4.1 yards per carry to go along with five touchdowns. He had a huge role as a pass catcher with 55 receptions for 546 yards with two additional scores.
Evan Hull: Scouting Report
Hull is a decent size for the running back position at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds. He was part of a struggling offense over his final two seasons, which can partly explain averaging just 4.1 yards per carry in 2022. He does a good job in finishing runs with very few fumbles with Northwestern and you saw by the numbers, Hull is a threat in the passing game.
Among his list of cons, Hull doesn’t have the top-end speed of plenty of the other running backs in this draft class, which will certainly limit his upside. His toughness at first contact will need to become elite to make a difference in the NFL and pass blocking needs to be excellent.
Mock Draft landing spots
Hull heads to the Patriots in the sixth round in CBS’ mock draft, to the Packers in the fifth at The Athletic, and to the Buccaneers in the sixth at NFL.com.
Fantasy football implications
The Packers have AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones at their disposal for the run game, and the Pats have Rhamondre Stevenson and James Robinson. Since both teams have RBs who add to the passing game as short-yardage receivers, it may be difficult for Hull to carve out a niche that separates him and gets him playing time.
It would be quite surprising if Hull made a significant fantasy football impact in his first NFL season. He doesn’t have the skill set of many of the other running backs in this draft class and while it’s possible he finds himself in a situation that gives him some time in the backfield, I’d bet against him being relevant as a fantasy contributor as a rookie.