Orlando Pirates

Darren Evans brings major college and NFL experience to the Pirates.

Evans, who has size at 6’3” and 183 lbs., started his professional career in 2022, signing as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants. After training camp, he joined the practice squad. Later that season, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders and was a member of their practice squad as well.

In 2023, the Baton Rouge, LA native helped the Arlington Renegades win an XFL Championship. He played in nine games, making seven starts. Evans had five tackles and one interception. Evans then went to mini-camp with the Seattle Seahawks and then headed back to the Giants where he played in three NFL preseason games, making ten tackles.

The 2024 season saw him rejoin Arlington, where he took the field in eight UFL games, making five starts. He finished there with 19 tackles and one more interception. 

Evans comes to the Pirates from the Canadian Football League, where in 2025, he was in camp with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Calgary Stampeders.

Evans began his collegiate career at Nicholls State, where he was a member of back-to-back Southland Conference Championship teams in 2018 and 2019. Over four seasons, he appeared in 38 games, making 31 starts. He made 100 tackles, had four interceptions, had three tackles for a loss, recovered two fumbles, and defended 31 passes. As a redshirt sophomore in 2018, he was an All-Southland Conference Second Team selection as he broke up eight passes and had two interceptions for the Colonels.

After earning a degree in interdisciplinary studies, he enrolled at LSU and played for the Tigers in 2020 and 2021. In 22 games, he started six times, making 33 tackles while defending four passes with four breakups and three quarterback hurries.