The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2022 COMMITMENT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M ichigan pulled a rabbit out of its hat when it picked up a commit- ment from Evan Link this summer. A rather large rabbit. The 6-5, 290-pound offensive tackle from Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga was considered a heavy Penn State lean for the majority of the recruiting cycle. In fact, all hope seemed to be lost when Link canceled his June official visit to U-M due to a personal matter. However, Michigan offensive line coach Sherrone Moore worked tirelessly to get Link in for the BBQ at The Big House. Once he arrived in Ann Arbor, Link fell in love with the combination of elite academics and athletics and com- mitted on the spot. "A lot of schools did a nice job re- cruiting him," Gonzaga head coach Randy Trivers said. "Michigan just happened to be the right fit for Evan in all aspects. From the academics to the football to the community, he felt like it was the right fit for him. Michigan did a good job showing him that. "Evan is not a big media guy. When people say we thought it was this or that, it's hard to gauge with a guy like Evan. He's more about what he has to do at Gonzaga. All the schools did a good job, but Michigan did a great job and showed that it was the right fit for him and his family." Link is one of the top offensive tackle prospects in the country, but he also happens to be a near-perfect student in the classroom. What Link brings on and off the field jives extremely well with Michigan's culture. "Evan is an exemplary Gonzaga Ea- gle, and hopefully, he'll be an exemplary Michigan Wolverine," Trivers said. "He has the qualities Michigan is looking and certainly has the qualities that we look for in a student-athlete. "He's a leader. He's a high-character young man with a good, strong family. He has the right set of core values. That sets everything in motion for him to be the student-athlete that he is. "He's an all-star in the classroom. His combination of intellect and work ethic make him an excellent student. He's also an excellent ballplayer. "Our school values not just the physi- cal ability but the mind and heart. That makes Michigan a unique and special place. There are a lot of places with good athletes, but they may not have good athletes that are also leaders in the class- room and the community. Evan Link will be an outstanding player there, but he's also going to be outstanding in all aspects — as a person, student and athlete." Ranked by On3 as the No. 11 offen- sive tackle and No. 125 overall prospect in the country, Link is a dominant left tackle who excels in pass protection and is willing to get nasty in the run game. Link also plays with excellent technique and has been well coached at Gonzaga, which is known as one of the premier programs in the DMV region. Link may start his collegiate career in the interior of the offensive line, but the hope is for him to eventually be U-M's cornerstone left tackle. "He moves really well for a big dude," Trivers said. "He's light on his feet but has an element of physicality. "He'll bite you. He's a good blend of athleticism and physicality. You want that in your offensive linemen, particu- larly guys that are playing on the edges. You need guys that can block those re- ally talented pass rushers. He's physical enough to mix it up and knock people off the ball when he's called to do that." ❏ Nation's No. 11 Offensive Tackle Evan Link Picks Michigan Link, who previously had been leaning toward Penn State, committed to Michigan during his visit to Ann Arbor for the BBQ at The Big House recruiting event July 31. PHOTO BY CHAD SIMMONS/ON3.COM PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Evan Link plays at Washington, D.C., powerhouse Gonzaga, where he has received high-level coaching and training throughout his high school ca- reer. Because of this, he is very technically sound both as a run and pass blocker. He looks extremely comfortable in pass sets from his left tackle spot but can also grind it out in the run game. He has developed well from a body standpoint and may not need as much time in the strength and conditioning program as most high school offensive linemen. Areas Of Improvement: Link has a very high floor, but his ceiling may be a bit capped. He is close to a finished product and doesn't have a ton of room to grow. He can continue to add strength and work on his foot speed. However, what you see is what you get when it comes to Link. Like fellow offensive line commit Amir Herring, Link is one of the safest offensive line takes nationally this cycle. Michigan Player Comparison: Link may be a superior version of Connor Jones, who signed with Michigan last cycle. Like Link, Jones was limited from an upside angle but was technically sound in the pass and run game. He also played with a high football IQ and was a high-character kid, which Link has been praised for. Link, however, is a better recruit than Jones was coming out of high school. — EJ Holland