Indiana Offers Center Receiver Octavius Evans

The Indiana Hoosiers may not be synonymous with football, but they're beginning to make their presence felt on the East Texas recruiting scene.

Center junior receiver Octavius Evans was the latest area native in the 2017 class to officially pick up an offer from Indiana, the Roughriders' star announced via Twitter on Thursday.

Evans (6-2, 186) is the third player -- all receivers -- from East Texas to be offered by the Hoosiers, joining Henderson's Trestan Ebner and Gilmer's LaMarcus Morton.

In addition to Indiana, Evans has offers from Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, and Louisiana-Lafayette.

Indiana is coached by Kevin Wilson and competes in the BIg Ten Conference. The Hoosiers finished with a 6-7 record in 2015, ending the year with a 44-41 overtime loss to Duke in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. It was Indiana’s first bowl appearance since 2007.

Evans played a big role in Center’s run toward a Class 4A Division II third-round playoff appearance and 10-3 overall record last season. He caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and nine touchdowns.

The receiver was one of nine players in the area to catch for at least 1,000 yards last season and one of just five underclassmen.

Center will move up to 4A D-I this upcoming season, and will share District 9-4A D-I with Bullard, Carthage, Chapel Hill, Henderson, Kilgore, and Palestine.

Evans, like all high school football players currently in their junior year, will become eligible to sign with any program that offers him on Feb. 1, 2017.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — offers from Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, SMU, ULL, ULM, UTSA, Wyoming (12)
• Noah Bush, Athens, LB, 6-2, 225 — offer from Army (1)
• Lagaryonn Carson, Liberty-Eylau, DE, 6-4, 261 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M (9)
• Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — offers from Arkansas, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, North Texas, Ole Miss, SMU, Syracuse, UTSA, TCU, Tulsa (13)
• Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR/DB, 6-2, 180 — offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (12)
• Octavius Evans, Center, WR, 6-2, 186 — offers from Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, ULL (7)
• Ted Fuller, Harleton, RB, 5-11, 195 — offer from ULM (1)
• Austin Hawley, Gladewater, DB, 6-1, 200 — offer from ULM (1)
• Kollin Hurt, Gilmer, DB, 6-3, 175 — offer from ULM (1)
• Jordan Johnson, Hooks, ATH, 6-0, 195 — committed to Air Force (1)
• Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-9, 186 — offers from Army, Colorado, Navy, SMU, Tulane, ULL (6)
• Damion Miller, John Tyler, WR, 6-1, 189 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Missouri, North Texas, Oklahoma State; Ole Miss; SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (11)
• LaMarcus Morton, Gilmer, WR, 6-2, 175 — offer from Arkansas State, Indiana, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (7)
• Javontavius Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — offers from Arkansas State, Houston, North Texas, SMU, Texas State, ULL, ULM, UTSA (8)
• Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — offer from Texas State (1)
• Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — offers from Texas State, ULM (2)
• Bryson Smith, John Tyler, QB/ATH, 6-0, 170 — offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Houston, New Mexico, North Texas, Purdue, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, UTSA (12)
• Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas Tech (11)
• Josh Thompson, Nacogdoches, CB, 6-0, 180 — offered by Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Ohio, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULM, UTSA, Washington State, Wyoming (10)
• Traveion Webster, Longview, S, 6-0, 197 — offered by ULM (1)