FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas picked up its first commit of the 2019 recruiting class Tuesday when Monument, Colo., Palmer Ridge quarterback Ty Evans pledged to be a Razorback.
Evans (6-2, 185), a consensus four-star prospect among the major recruiting services, and his family visited Fayetteville and other parts of Northwest Arkansas the past few days.
719➡️479 pic.twitter.com/30X65YBXsu
— Ty Evans™ (@EvansTy18) July 18, 2017
He chose the Razorbacks over offers from Colorado, Colorado State, Kansas State and Northwestern as well as interest from Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Washington and others.
“There were a couple of other schools that said if I came to their school and visited that they would offer me, but I felt great about Arkansas," Evans said. “But to be honest, as soon as I came to Arkansas the first time I knew this was where I wanted to go.
“I came down here and the atmosphere was just perfect for me and since I have been offered by Arkansas the fans have been great. You can tell they are a bunch of football-crazy people and I love that about them. That is one of the most attractive things about the university.”
The relationship with Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos was another major plus for the Razorbacks.
“Me and Coach Enos have had a great relationship and from the start he has been a great guy that has had a genuine interest in me - not only me as a quarterback, but me as a person as well,” Evans said. “My family and I really appreciate that and he gets along with me and my family and we all think he is a great guy.”
Evans, who earlier visited Arkansas on June 12-13, is coming off a huge sophomore season in which he threw for 3,150 yards and 31 touchdowns with just five interceptions.
“I think as a quarterback that I can make every throw on the field and that is very valuable,” Evans said. “I think I can really see the field and am a field general with my guys. I think I am a great leader and people follow me.
“I think this year I will be able to lead my team to the state championship.”
Evans, whose family plans to move to Fayetteville when he enters college, noted this trip was more about seeing the surrounding area.
“On my previous visit to Arkansas, we toured the campus and the facilities, which are great,” Evans said. “This trip was more about seeing Arkansas as a state as we went to Bentonville and to some lakes and stuff like that. It was really just getting a feel for the area where I will be living and playing my college football.”
Palmer Ridge Coach Tom Pulford is high on Evans’ potential.
“A lot of times when you talk about potential, somebody quickly infers they haven’t done anything yet and that’s simply not the case with Ty,” Pulford said recently. “He’s already produced at a high level.
“…He led our team to the first conference championship in school history. We’re a pretty young school just opening in 2008.”
Pulford is even higher on Evans as a person than he is a player.
“I can say this with confidence, Ty Evans is a better human being than he is a quarterback,” Pulford said. “Yeah, he has a great arm and has phenomenal footwork. He’s a true student of the game.
“He works like he’s the No. 2 quarterback. He works every day like he has to come out and prove himself and as if he hasn’t started a game yet.”