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INDIANAPOLIS — At first, everything was surreal to Colts rookie running back Evan Hull.

Drafted in the fifth round (No. 176 overall), Hull couldn’t believe he was actually going to be a professional football player. He made his way to Indianapolis, met his new coaches, got a tour of the facility, and then, it hit him.

Above a locker in the Colts’ facility, there was a nameplate. Next to the Colts’ traditional blue horseshoe, it read: Evan Hull, 26.

“Coming into the building, I didn’t know what my number was going to be, I didn’t know what to expect to see in the locker room,” Hull said. “I saw the 26, the number that I’ve had all through high school and college. That was a special moment for me, just to see my locker, see that I belong here, there’s a space for me in this locker room.”


The Colts drafted Hull primarily as a third-down back with pass-catching abilities; he came to Indianapolis from Northwestern, where he was the Wildcats’ main offensive threat. He nearly broke the 1,000-yard mark in the 2022 season, rushing 221 times for 913 yards and five touchdowns. He also racked up 543 receiving yards for two touchdowns and had 181 yards on nine kick returns.

“I’d say catching the ball in the backfield is one of my biggest strengths,” Hull said. “It’s something I’ve shown a lot at Northwestern, and I think that’s part of the reason why they drafted me is to have that kind of third-down ability in the screen game, in the pass game, to get the ball in space or make a play.”

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 24: Anthony Richardson #5 and Evan Hull #26 of the Indianapolis Colts react following a touchdown by Hull during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on August 24, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Now, Hull doesn’t only belong in Indianapolis — he’s a crucial constant in the Colts’ ever-changing running back room.

He’s always ready. He constantly has his nose in the Colts’ playbook, looks at all of his film from practice or preseason games and takes copious notes from the running backs’ meetings.


“That’s what you want from any player, but especially a young player,” third-year tailback Deon Jackson said. “He picks up everything pretty fast. He didn’t really have a learning curve or a leaning period, he came in and he was ready to go. And that’s all you can ask for.”

Jackson, who has spent his entire three-year NFL career with the Colts on the practice squad and active roster, has served as a mentor for Hull through OTAs, training camp and the preseason.


“He’s the older guy, he’s been through it,” Hull said. “He knows what it’s like to have been a rookie at one point, so I’m just trying to get on the field, leaning on him, leaning on my teammates, and just taking it one day at a time.”

Coming into the season, Hull may have a larger role than he anticipated in his rookie year.


Hull was expected to work behind running backs Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss, competing with Jackson for the third-string running back spot. But Taylor and Moss have missed varying amounts of time throughout training camp and the preseason, leaving Jackson and Hull to take the majority of snaps.

“I kind of went through the same thing last year, when JT went down and Nyheim (Hines) went down and I had to step up and play and start a couple games last year,” Jackson said. “It’s not anything new to me, but Evan has kind of picked up everything faster … He’s a super smart player, super talented, I think he’s going to be really good in this league.”


Moss missed most of training camp and all three preseason games with a broken forearm. He returned to practice Monday but has been limited.

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Taylor has not practiced at all throughout training camp or preseason as he continues to recover from an offseason ankle injury. The star running back has also faced an ongoing contract dispute with the Colts’ front office and has requested a trade. The Colts did not trade him, and Taylor ended training camp on the physically unable to perform list, so he will miss the first four games. Indianapolis still has until Oct. 31 to trade Taylor.

With a limited room, head coach Shane Steichen said he would be using a “running back-by-committee” scheme between Moss, Jackson, and Hull, at least for the first four weeks of the season. Whoever has the “hot hand” at the time, Steichen said, will be the back they run with.


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“How I feel about the hot hand is you're in the zone, and you don’t feel like anybody can stop you on that field,” Hull said. “You can see it from a coach’s perspective, like, ‘Keep that guy in, he’s feeling it.’”

In the running back-by-committee scheme, Hull will likely make his NFL regular-season debut Sunday, And the Maple Grove, Minnesota, product is making sure his family will be in Lucas Oil Stadium by any means possible.

“My mom and dad are coming out, and I mean, I had to make sure they come out; it’s the first one,” Hull said. “I told them, ‘Flights, don’t worry about that, don’t worry about any of that, like you guys gotta come out here.’”