Former Auburn wide receiver J.J. Evans, a four-star prospect coming out of high school, has transferred to North Alabama.

Evans spent two-plus seasons at Auburn after signing with the Tigers as part of their 2020 recruiting class, which was ranked seventh in the nation, but he left the program one week into the 2022 season and opted to enter the transfer portal. North Alabama announced the addition of Evans on Friday afternoon.

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In signing Evans, UNA adds a former blue chip recruit to the Lions’ offense as they head into the first year under head coach Brent Dearmon, who was previously on staff at Auburn as an analyst during the 2013-14 seasons. The 6-foot-2, 224-pound Evans was a four-star recruiting coming out of Montevallo, where he was rated as the No. 169 overall player in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

At Montevallo, Evans had 112 receptions for 2,323 yards and 25 touchdowns during his final two seasons despite having his senior campaign derailed by injury. He was one of four four-star receivers Auburn signed in the 2020 class, along with Kobe Hudson (now at UCF), Ze’Vian Capers (now at Western Kentucky) and Malcolm Johnson Jr.

Though highly rated coming out of high school, Evans never saw the field during his two-plus seasons on the Plains. He announced he would be entering the transfer portal after failing to appear in Auburn’s season-opening win against Mercer.

Evans was the first of nine players to leave Auburn since the start of last season and the latest to find a new home. Among Auburn’s other departures during that time were Capers (WKU), reserve quarterback Zach Calzada (Incarnate Word), offensive lineman Keiondre Jones (Florida State), cornerback A.D. Diamond (UAB), as well as wide receiver Dazalin Worsham, linebacker Joko Willis, running back Jordon Ingram and defensive lineman Marquis Robinson, each of whom have yet to commit to another program.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.