The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

Skinny: Royster is a between the tackles workhorse type back that understands how to be patient and hit the hole at just the right time.  He is a very tiff hipped mover that doesn’t show great side to side ability.  Royster isn’t gifted out of the backfield and doesn’t show a lot of creativity after the catch or in open space.  While Royster doesn’t have elite speed he does have good acceleration and has great instincts reacting to a defense.  He isn’t the best back out there but Royster has a lot of traits that scouts will respect and will most likely find a place on somebody’s 53 man roster.

SCOUT'S TAKE

2010: Penn State running back Evan Royster said he would consider leaving early even if he isn't evaluated as a first-round draft pick. "At the end of the year, I'll weigh my options, see who else is coming out and stuff like that," Royster said. "I mean, it's gonna take a pretty good year for me. It's hard to say exactly what kind of year, but I'll talk to some people at the end of the year, definitely my parents, and weigh my options." Royster is one of those backs that doesn’t look as big as he is at 6’1, 210-pounds, but he’s a slippery runner with the speed and vision to take make big plays. He runs low to the ground and will run through tackles as well. He will need to prove that he can carry the worload, which means more games of 20+ carries to prove his durability, something he did just once during his sophomore campaign.

NEWS

2010: Any team looking for a between-the-tackles workhorse should look no further than Royster, who has exceeded the 100-yard barrier in 11 games over the past two seasons and needs just 481 rushing yards to break Curt Warner’s all-time PSU rushing record. Royster reacts quickly and has good wiggle in the open field.

08/29/10 - Royster, who redshirted as a freshman, announced he would return for his senior season less than one week after the Nittany Lions ended their 2009 campaign with a Capital One Bowl win over LSU. NFL draft observers had projected Royster as a mid-round pick. Royster does not possess one great quality as a back but combines a number of attributes to be among the best. He possesses patience and vision, is able to pick out the smallest crease and shoot through it or use his quick feet to avoid a direct hit from a would-be tackler. The one aspect he tried to improve during the off-season was power. Royster underwent a weight-training program in the summer that helped him check into preseason camp at 228 pounds, 15 pounds over his playing weight from last season. Royster explained he wanted to increase his durability and have a more consistent workload. He carried the ball 20 or more times only twice last season, with a high of 23 against Minnesota. Mike Mayock, an analyst for NFL Network, said he personally has not seen tape of Royster but that the word he hears is that scouts like him. "He's a decent-sized back," Mayock said. "He has to stay healthy, be productive and show that he's a three-down back. He needs to show skills in pass protection and catching the football." – Philadelphia Enquirer

08/04/10 - The durable, dependable 6-1, 224-pound senior from Fairfax, Va., is set to enter the 2010 season well within range of one of the school's longest-standing records - the 3,398 career rushing yards set by two-time All-America and 2009 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Curt Warner from 1979-82. With back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons (1,236 in 2008, 1,169 in '09), Royster has 2,918 career rushing yards, and needs just 481 more to erase Warner from the top spot on the Nits' all-time chart. Barring injury, he has a date with history, likely before midseason. "If I do get it, it'll be something I'll cherish for the rest of my life, no matter how long I do or don't hold it," said Royster, who had considered making himself available for this year's NFL draft. "But honestly, I don't play for personal statistics. My main goals are team goals. If there is one thing I'd want for myself, it would be to contribute to our overall success more than I have in the past. If all goes well, maybe I can do that and get the record, too. We'll see how it goes." – Philly.com

01/06/10 - Penn State tailback Evan Royster will stay in school for his senior season, bypassing a chance to enter the NFL draft. The two-year starter said Wednesday in a statement through the athletic department that he wanted to finish his degree in management information systems. Royster is 481 yards shy of breaking Curt Warner's school record of 3,398 career rushing yards. Royster started all 13 games in 2009 for No. 11 Penn State (11-2) and finished second in the Big Ten with 1,169 rushing yards along with six touchdowns on 205 carries. A shifty runner known for his vision and footwork, Royster also played a bigger role in the passing game with 16 catches for 187 yards and two scores.

12/12/09 - Phil Grosz of Blue White Illustrated said today that Penn State running back Evan Royster is seriously considering whether or not to turn pro following the Capital One Bowl game.