'His voice has power': Why the impact of Nebraska center Justin Evans is growing louder
Nebraska's Justin Evans (51) and the Huskers arrive to take on Maryland on Oct. 11, 2025, in College Park, Md.
CHICAGO — Justin Evans entered the Hilton Chicago ballroom sometime after 9 a.m. and donned headset after headset for radio interviews. Then he swapped a red polo for his Nebraska uniform for national television hype videos. Then into a suit for talks with writers and on BTN.
One thought stayed with the Husker senior throughout: The teenaged version of him would have hated this.
Nebraska coaches used to semi-joke they never heard Evans say a word during his early time in Lincoln. He was a signing-day commit in December 2021 — the first recruit of former NU offensive line coach Donovan Raiola — who, even as a three-star prospect from New Jersey with decent offers, avoided outside attention whenever possible.
“Freshman-year me was quiet, shy — I just didn’t like the spotlight,” Evans said. “I think I’ve grown so much as a player that freshman-year me would have been proud.”
Raiola often repeated the phrase “water the bamboo,” a metaphor encouraging faithful, consistent work for eventually strong results. Evans is the bamboo, rocketing skyward from tweener defensive line recruit to one of college football’s most established centers in his fifth season.
And from wallflower to tone setter on what could be — what Nebraska has invested to be — the best Husker offensive line in years.
“His voice has power,” NU tight end Luke Lindenmeyer said.
Evans will be in the middle of everything for the NU offense, snapping the ball to quarterback Anthony Colandrea and scrapping with Big Ten defensive linemen week after week. Flanked by former transfer blockers from other power leagues — tackle Elijah Pritchett and guard Paul Mubenga on his left, tackle Tree Babalade and guard Brendan Black on his right — Evans is the career Husker who followed a more traditional path to prominence.
Evans may still not be chatty — his media days answers were mostly concise, though thoughtful. His default setting is to be softer spoken. Yet his 6-foot-2, 315-pound frame says plenty. For a second straight year, Nebraska will give him the freedom to change calls at the line of scrimmage based on what he sees from the defense.
“Football to me is a cognitive game, it’s a processing game,” Husker coach Matt Rhule said. “It’s a game of making calls and identifications, someone who can think fast. That’s what the center does. So it’s the quarterback, really, of the offensive line. Justin is one of the best at it, not just the physical part but the mental part and the leadership part.”
Cornerback Andrew Marshall grinned recalling the moment he knew Nebraska had an enforcer on the line. The screen last year where receiver Nyziah Hunter went for a long catch-and-run touchdown without a shoe? Evans set it up by quickly releasing downfield after the snap and decleating a Michigan State linebacker to open a path.
“You see Justin come and clean that dude up,” Marshall said. “That just shows that every play, he’s coming to get you.”
Credit former Nebraska linebacker Mikai Gbayor for getting Evans to Lincoln all those years ago — the former prep teammates and best friends at Irvington (N.J.) High School wanted to play together in college, helping Evans turn down finalist Penn State. Credit former NU coaches Scott Frost and Mike Dawson for identifying Evans immediately as a college center when some schools saw him on the D-line.
Evans eased into interior action in games in 2023 and started every contest at left guard in 2024 before succeeding Ben Scott a season ago. Pro Football Focus now lists him as the highest-graded returning center in college ball.
The No. 1 trait of a good center is staying level-headed, he said. It’s why he models his game after former Nebraska greats like Dominic Raiola and Cam Jurgens along with Miami Dolphins blocker Aaron Brewer.
“Every play there is room for you to lose your mind,” Evans said. “But I think I have to be the guy that keeps everybody together because I’m the center. I let my guards and tackles play free and let them have their fun. Then I’m just like, ‘Alright, let’s bring it back together now.’”
Pritchett is the loudest — and maybe the most talented player Evans has ever seen, he said. Evans draws energy from the boisterousness all around him.
Evans might be the “team dad” of the entire roster, Lindenmeyer said. The lineman certainly has “unc status” — the 22-year-old is one of six players still around from the 2022 Nebraska team.
The blocker said he never considered transferring even as the portal became a popular option during his career. When Rhule advised one more college season would improve his pro stock, that conversation was all he needed for a final campaign wearing red.
Breaking down film of defenses and himself is easier now. Insight from his uncle, Josh Evans, remains invaluable after his relative completed a four-year NFL career as a safety in 2016. New O-line coach Geep Wade understands the younger Evans on a “deeper level,” he said, and the lineman is open to more teaching as training camp begins.
“When it’s time for me to get loud, I can get loud,” Evans said. “But I’m pretty much level-headed. I’m not high, I’m not low. I’m just steady. And I keep the line steady.”
Centers can talk about other positions and Evans does, too. Colandrea is a “burst of energy” whose mobility will be “good for us up front.” Six-foot-8, 325-pound true freshman Claude Mpouma is “going to be something special coming up in the future” while reserve center Sam Sledge and Preston Taumua are other Huskers he recommends watching.
Evans said he wants his own legacy to be as someone who helped turn Nebraska around. There’s more to do this season, one snap at a time.
And as he trades media days for padded practices, the least enjoyable part is already over.
“Even though he doesn’t always love doing things like this,” Rhule said, “that was kind of funny to me to have him do it.”
evan.bland@owh.com, 402-444-1201, twitter.com/EvanBlandOWH
