The first Division II player drafted in 2023 and only the second Wingate product ever selected, Ethan Evans has turned into one of the NFL's most productive young punters.
Ethan Evans made history simply by getting drafted, becoming the highest Division II player picked in 2023 out of tiny Wingate University. Since then he has quietly built one of the better statistical bodies of work at the position for the Rams, backing up his draft-day novelty with real production.
Path to the league
Evans spent four seasons at Wingate, averaging 43.2 yards per punt for his career with a long of 72 yards, and was a First-team All-American who also handled kickoff and field goal duties. The Rams took him in the seventh round (223rd overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft, making him the first Division II player drafted that year and just the second Wingate player ever selected.
Career highlights
Evans won the Rams' punting job as a rookie and has held it ever since, developing into one of the league's better directional punters. Through his first three-plus NFL seasons he has landed 70 punts inside the 20-yard line while maintaining a strong net average, and he has punted in six career playoff games.
2025 season recap
Evans had a strong 2025, punting 50 times for 2,315 yards at a 46.3-yard average and earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 11 after pinning four punts inside the 20, including one at the 1-yard line on a game-winning drive. His career numbers through 2025 stand at 168 punts for 7,946 yards with a 47.3-yard gross average.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Ethan Evans
- Pro Football Reference: Ethan Evans
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Punting
17 games played▶Punting · career
| Year | Team | GP | PUNTS | YDS | AVG | LNG | IN20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | rams | 17 | 50 | 2,315 | 46.3 | 68 | 20 |
| 2024 | rams | 16 | 55 | 2,530 | 46.0 | 68 | 30 |
| 2023 | rams | 17 | 63 | 3,101 | 49.2 | 72 | 20 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Punter
- Group
- specialTeam
- College
- Wingate
- Hometown
- Mount Airy, NC, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
