Evan Hull, RB Northwestern: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Hull was a three-star recruit from Maple Grove High School in Maple Grove, Minn. in the class of 2019

Northwestern running back Evan Hull finished fourth in the Big Ten Conference in yards from scrimmage this past season. Hull is a well-rounded back who brings a lot to the table as a pass catcher. He projects as a Day 3 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Evan Hull, RB Northwestern: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior running back from Maple Grove, Minn.

Background: Hull was a three-star recruit from Maple Grove High School in Maple Grove, Minn. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 1,258 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,096 for On3.com. Hull was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 78 grade out of 100. He committed to Northwestern over offers from Air Force, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Eastern Michigan, Kansas State, Princeton, and Yale. Hull was a team captain as a senior in high school. That year, he rushed for 1,915 yards and 19 touchdowns on his way to earning Star Tribune All-Metro Team, All-Conference, and AP All-State honors. Hull ran for 2,177 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior. He set Maple Grove’s career rushing record with 4,140 yards. Hull earned Minnesota Associated Press First-Team All-State honors twice. He participated in the Minnesota Vikings All-Star Game. Hull lettered four times in wrestling.

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten

Pros: Some experience returning kicks, good bulk for his size, thick frame, breaks arm tackles, plus contact balance, contact balance to play between the tackles, finishes falling forward, keeps legs churning in a pile, light, quick, and nimble feet, good vision, vision to find cutback lanes, enough burst to reach the second level, jump cut leaves defenders grasping at air (especially in the hole), cuts back across the grain and runs to space, some ability to bounce runs outside, heavily utilized in the passing game, some experience playing in the slot, big time weapon in the screen game, makes catches away from his body, YAC threat who knows how to set up his blockers, showed improved form in pass pro one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl

Cons: Limited special teams exposure, two fumbles in 2021 and 2022, three drops in 2022, not twitchy or sudden, some lower body stiffness, lacks breakaway speed, stop-start speed and agility are lacking, not a true punishing power back, not going far when caught in the backfield, runs high, pad level could improve when running between the tackles, doesn’t string together jukes, not elusive in the open field, mostly a linear runner, developmental in pass protection at best, lacks home run speed

Overview: Hull took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 5101 and weighs 209 lbs. He has 9 2/8-inch hands and 30 5/8-inch arms. Hull had a 74-inch wingspan at the Senior Bowl. He has some experience returning kicks but otherwise hasn’t played much on special teams. Hull’s frame is thick with good muscular bulk for his build. He breaks arm tackles and displays impressive contact balance. Hull has the size to play between the tackles at the next level. He finishes runs falling forward and keeps his legs churning in a pile. The former three-star recruit’s light, quick, and nimble feet help him execute jump cuts in small spaces and maximize his vision by quickly getting him into cutback lanes. He cuts back across the grain and runs to space. Hull’s burst gets him to the second level with ease. He has enough speed and juice to bounce some runs outside, although he won’t always outrun the defenders to the edge. Hull’s ability to contribute as a high-volume pass catcher separates him from many other running backs in the draft. He was heavily utilized in the passing game at Northwestern. The Wildcats frequently used Hull in the screen game or lined him up in the slot. The Minnesota native makes catches away from his body and is a YAC threat who knows how to set up his blockers. He showed improved form in pass protection during the one-on-ones against blitzing linebackers at the Senior Bowl, but Hull is a developmental pass protector at best. He fumbled twice in each of the past two seasons. The All-Big Ten honorable mention isn’t sudden or twitchy and suffers from some lower body stiffness. He lacks the breakaway speed to outrace defenders or eliminate angles, and his stop-start speed and agility are lacking. Hull finishes plays falling forward, but he’s not a true punishing power back. The redshirt junior doesn’t get very far when confronted by defenders in the backfield. He runs high and needs to improve his pad level when running between the tackles. Hull makes defenders miss one-on-one occasionally, but he’s not an elusive player at the second level. He is mostly a linear runner who doesn’t string together multiple jukes.

Overall, Hull offers impressive footwork, a well-rounded blend of traits, and high upside as a pass catcher, but he lacks the superior athletic traits NFL teams look for in top 100 selections. Considering the declining value of running backs and the logjam of players at the position in this year’s class, Hull will likely go in the fifth or sixth round. However, he’s a more talented player than that projection suggests.

Role & Scheme Fit: RB2 in an inside zone or gap scheme

Round Projection: Mid Fourth to Early Fifth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-10-23