The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MARCH 2023 THE WOLVERINE 29 P L AY E R BIOS the dirt at a young age. He did briefly play quarterback in the eighth grade but said he spent most of the time running for his life every time he dropped back, which must have been an entertaining sight to see. "I'm an offensive lineman playing quar- terback, so what can you expect?" Link quipped. He returned to his natural position as a freshman and earned his first FBS schol- arship offer from Penn State just a year later. Link had an intriguing frame with plenty of room to add weight. As he filled out and got stronger, more offers poured in over the next year, including one from Michigan. While Link was happy to notch a schol- arship from the Wolverines, he didn't en- vision himself suiting up for the Maize and Blue right away — quite the opposite. Link's father was born in Columbus and attended law school at Ohio State. Be- cause of that, Link grew up on the opposite side of the rivalry. Still, he continued to look into Michigan and eventually decided to visit the school during a swing through the Midwest last spring. "My dad was an Ohio State fan, and I grew up watching Ohio State my whole life," Link said. "I had it in my mind that maybe I didn't want to go there because of the rivalry. After a while, I realized I loved it. I told myself, 'This is a real opportunity that I should investigate.' It's hard to pinpoint an exact day, but it probably switched a few days after I visited for the first time." Going into that summer, Penn State and Stanford were largely considered the lead- ers in his recruitment, while Michigan was a bit of an afterthought. The Wolverines were set to receive an official visit in June, but Link canceled his plans, and all hope appeared to be lost in Ann Arbor. However, that was far from the truth. Link had a bit of bad luck, contracting the flu in the middle of summer. He was at the tail end of his illness when it came time for the visit but opted not to go for precautionary reasons. At the time of his scheduled trip, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore and his wife were about to have a child. Link eventually made his way to Ann Arbor in late July. He took in the campus and facilities, and he met with the staff a day before the annual BBQ at The Big House. Even then, most didn't expect Link to land at Michigan. But the pundits sim- ply had it wrong. "Michigan was always up there," Link said. "It was neck and neck all the way up until the day I made my decision. When I went back to Michigan, I just wanted to see everything I didn't see the last time. "After that, I felt happy. I remember sit- ting in the Detroit airport and thinking, 'This is where I want to go.' It was a com- bination of everything. "Coming from a place like Gonzaga, legacy and tradition mean a lot to me. Michigan being the winningest team in college football was on my mind. That's something to play for and inspires me. "I would also say Coach Moore and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh were important. Both are great guys. I know they are in- vested in me and want me to do well. I know Coach Moore is going to push me, and he's pretty damn good at his job. At the end of the day, I felt comfortable there." Link never wavered from his commit- ment, and he signed with the Wolverines during the early period. He will arrive at U-M this summer and is excited for his future experiences on and off the field. "I'm ready," Link said. "It's a little dif- ferent working out on your own. I can't wait to get back playing football with the team. "I also know I'm going to get a great di- ploma that is going to set me up for life. In terms of service opportunities, I've been given a lot in my life. Going to this school is a gift. My abilities are a gift. My size is a gift. Living overseas was a gift. Michigan empowers me and gives me the vehicle to give back to people." ❑ Link was a two-time first-team Washington Post All-Metro selection while playing for Gonzaga College (D.C.) High. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND 2023 Projection Link is ready to make an early impact upon his arrival in Ann Arbor. He is advanced tech- nically, has a great lower half and is a plus both as a pass and run blocker. He has been well-coached at DMV powerhouse Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga and should have no trouble picking up assignments at the next level. However, Link is not an early enrollee, so he may be a candidate to redshirt as a freshman. He still needs to add weight and strength to his upper half. He should be ready to compete for a starting job by his redshirt freshman or sophomore campaign. THEY SAID IT Gonzaga College High head coach Randy Trivers: "A lot of schools did a nice job recruiting him. 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." On3 Rankings Director Charles Power: "Evan Link is an offensive line- man that On3 has been higher than the Consensus for the majority of the cycle. He is a technically sound tackle who put together some strong junior video while playing top competition at Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga. Link is a functional mover with advanced hand placement. He also has more than adequate length to stick at offensive tackle long-term."