Outgoing Alabama LB Rashaan Evans originally accepted his Senior Bowl invitation, but it has since come out that he won’t be participaring in the Mobile, Alabama event. Evans told Michael Casagrande of AL.com that it’s all about getting ready for next month’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

“The whole reason for that, man, was really just for be focused on the Combine,” Evans told Casagrande at Saturday’s national championship celebration. “The fact that I was able to complete a whole four years of just being at ‘Bama, man, I felt like that was good enough, and the fact that I’m able to have the opportunity to be in the Combine, man, I definitely want to put on a show, for sure.”

Evans also cleared the air on his health. He told Casagrande that the injury bug isn’t keeping him from playing in the Senior Bowl.

“Absolutely, I’m healthy, man,” Evans said. “Not being in the Senior Bowl had nothing to do with me not being healthy, man. To be honest with you, I’m healthy as I’ve ever been. And I’m just truly trying to get myself ready for this Combine and just shock some people.”

It might be hard for Evans to “shock” many people with an already positive NFL Draft outlook. CBS Sports currently projects Evans as the No. 59 overall player available in the draft and No. 3 inside linebacker. There’s always room to go up the rankings, but Evans has certainly established himself as one of the best available at his position. This season, Evans recorded 74 total tackles, including 13 for loss. He had six sacks and seven quarterback hurries.

The way Evans sees it, Atlanta deserves to be his final college football game.

“I actually was going to play in (the Senior Bowl),” he said, “but then I realized, man, I put four years of good football, man, and I just wanted to leave it at that and just kind of let the cards lay where they may. I just wanted to get ready for this Combine, and once I’ve been doing all my grinding and all that stuff that I have been, I just want to put it all together at the Combine.”