“There’s A Steve Smith Quality To Him”
July 14th, 2020
Behind a paywall at BSPN sits an intriguing review of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.
Jeremy Fowler surveyed 50 coaches, scouts, executive types and players to identity the top-10 players at various positions.
The wide receivers group was rolled out with their rankings and select comments from the panelists.
Somewhat alarming was Julio Jones (No. 1) and Michael Thomas (No. 2) grabbing the top spots. Mike Evans checked in at No. 6 overall (he did garner at least one first-place vote and Godwin was No. 9 (He did get at least a fourth-place vote.)
One coach dropped a comparison that made Joe stop and think. “There’s a Steve Smith quality to him,” the coach said. “I’m not saying he’s Smith, but he’s a tough motherf—er.”
Bucs fans know all about Smith; he was an absolute terror during most of his 13 seasons with Carolina. He and Rondé Barber had classic battles. And while Godwin is soft-spoken and Smith is brash, Joe can see similarities on the game film.
Godwin plays with a Smith-like attitude with the ball in his hands, especially last year. He is not conceding an inch. And Godwin was a punishing blocker in Bruce Arians’ system, often at the point of attack.
Joe can only imagine what kind of edge Godwin will play with this year, a contract year for him with Tom Brady in his ear.
As for Evans, Fowler shared that “multiple NFL players called Evans ‘totally underrated.'”
July 14th, 2020 at 9:33 am
2016, MNF vs the Dixie Chicks, 3rd and 10. Evans makes a behind his body 1-handed catch on a 16 yard out-route, and tips his toes in-bounds at the sideline immediately as he gets drilled (and I mean lit-the-f-up) by Keanu Neal. Bounces right back up, walks back to the huddle and blows a kiss to an incredulous Dan Quinn who can’t believe he was in bounds or held onto the ball.
That catch alone solidified Evans’ status, and exemplifies why damn-straight he’s totally underrated.
July 14th, 2020 at 10:51 am
@Leighroy, your post made me rewatch it and holy smokes that was impressive. That play won the NFL Play of the Year in 2016
July 14th, 2020 at 11:35 am
If that is the same play I am thinking of it was a Helmet to helmet by Neal.
July 14th, 2020 at 11:44 am
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane Leighroy. Hadn’t thought about that play in a long while, but remembered it frequently during that 2016 season (I’ll take your word that it was in 2016). Evans is a beast.
July 14th, 2020 at 12:26 pm
I think Godwin should have been up around three or four. He is the more complete receiver of the pair.
Evans uses his body like a basketball center and that can make him a first down machine, but Godwin is faster and has a much rougher attitude.
Maybe this year Godwin will get his due and the money to go with it. His loss would cost the Bucs more than the loss of Evans.
July 14th, 2020 at 12:29 pm
They’re Bucs.
July 14th, 2020 at 12:42 pm
By brash you mean little b!tch right, Joe?
July 14th, 2020 at 12:47 pm
No he means talks sh*t and backs it up!!
July 14th, 2020 at 1:15 pm
@Leighroy That play was phenomenal. And in true bucs fashion, the refs missed a blatant helmet to helmet on that play.
July 14th, 2020 at 9:19 pm
Id say the biggest similarity between the too is the way they pretty much turn into running backs with the ball in there hands. Never shying away from contact and possessing an arsenal of moves to make defenders miss.
Chris Godwin is a unicorn receiver. In the sense that he is rare in the way that he does everything you could ever want a receiver to do, and he does it tremendously well.
July 15th, 2020 at 4:23 am
Did Fowler poll only the coaches, scouts, players, and execs from Atlanta and New Orleans? Julio “where’s the touchdowns dude?” Jones is top ten all day long but not in the same zip code as Mike. Thomas is nowhere near as dynamic as Mike or Godwin, and while he’s also top ten, he has had one of the best quarterbacks of this era throwing him the ball his entire career.
We’ll see where Mike and Godwin stand this time next year on these silly lists. No damn respect.
July 15th, 2020 at 2:37 pm
He’s got that same type of rugged toughness that Smith had, no doubt.
He just does it without the trash talking and whiny attitude that Smith had.
July 15th, 2020 at 5:51 pm
‘ZACTLY UB!
Which is why I believe he will be better in the long run