Mike Evans Opens Eyes And Bores
May 16th, 2014
The Joes just happened to be sitting at a table on the backyard patio at One Buc Palace that faces the practices fields today. One Joe just happened to have his binoculars focused on first round draft pick wide receiver Mike Evans, fortunately.
The other Joe was watching with the naked eye.
So Evans runs a seam route from the right to the left and rookie quarterback Brett Smith of Wyoming and his linguini arm tossed a terribly overthrown pass to Evans.
It didn’t matter. Evans looked like Grant Hill skying for a tomahawk dunk, not even trying to catch the pass with two hands, reaching out with his right arm, plucking the ball in midair as if he was picking apples, effortlessly pulling the ball back to his body as he continued his route smoothly for a touchdown catch and run.
And what a catch it was. The way everybody watching the play audibly oohed and aahhed, it was as if Rachel Watson just appeared on the patio in a scantily-clad bikini fresh from a day of bronzing at the beach.
If Joe has witnessed a better catch in Bucs practice, he cannot recall it. In the very first practice reporters got a chance to watch Evans, he made a lasting impression.
Bucs coach Lovie Smith tried to deadpan the catch, claiming he was making equally acrobatic catches all week this week. Another man who seemed to shrug at Evans’ catch was Nate Askew. The undrafted free agent, Askew was Evans’ teammate at Texas A&M, and was also a wide receiver who later was converted to linebacker.
Askew didn’t really raise much of an eyebrow about the catch because, well, he’s seen Evans do that so many times before.
“Definitely, definitely, [Evans] was drafted in the first round for a reason,” Askew said of Evans’ catch. “That guy continues to make plays like that all the time. And it translates out on the field.
“Those 50/50 balls were always his. We got spoiled a little bit because he always made the play. Mike is an athlete. He grew up as a basketball player and started football late. It shows up on the field. It helps him out.”
Joe can type the following without second-guessing: If Evans makes those types of plays in games this year, ticketholders will be getting every dime of entertainment they paid for.
May 16th, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Watching that probably softened the blow of not taking Johnny, huh?
Looking forward to see what our receivers can do next year
May 16th, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Say what you want about McCown and Glennon but as long as they can lob it high our offense should be a lot better.
May 16th, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Michael Clayton says…..”Yeah, but can he block?”
May 16th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
This is why it makes all the sense in the world to take this guy. Some would argue he is a better receiver than watkins because of his size and ability. All I can say is they better have some room to pay the man when the time comes. Hopefully they can extend Jackson until Evans becomes a free agent and then draft another star wideout down the road. It just makes sense. It’s all about first downs and touchdowns. Who better to have than two monsters on each size with great playmaking ability. Whoever the QB is for our team I’m drafting in fantasy this year. Plenty of 50 yard bomb bonus points coming my way!!!
May 16th, 2014 at 4:30 pm
I know it’s just a rookie minicamp in May but it’s hard not to get excited about stuff like this.
May 16th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
“Some would argue he is a better receiver than watkins because of his size and ability.”
I’ll argue that all day long. Since I said pre-draft I liked Evans over Watkins.
May 16th, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Glad He’s our guy. Sounds like L&L made the right 1st round pick, Right Joe?
May 16th, 2014 at 4:44 pm
@ Kevin
I’m sure the Front Office isn’t losing any sleep over what they’ll have to pay someone, 5 years from now, that they just drafted last week.
He hasn’t even signed his first deal yet, much less played a game. Let’s see how he does when the games count before expecting the team will need to break the bank with his second contract.
May 16th, 2014 at 4:51 pm
ForgotAboutDre Says
“Watching that probably softened the blow of not taking Johnny, huh?
Looking forward to see what our receivers can do next year.”
Unless you mean 2015 its this year. I wouldn’t have pointed that out, but what’s good for the goose and all that gander stuff.
May 16th, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Smith’s linguini arm… Was that cooked or uncooked?
May 16th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Bucfan
Al dente
May 16th, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Joe – you need to have some variation of the “like” button for comments like this:
OAR says: Michael Clayton says…..”Yeah, but can he block?”
May 16th, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Show me the tape Joe!
May 16th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
I know it’s early joe but from day 1 I was lobbying for Evans as our first rd pick. He made ur boy crush JohnnyDBag. Every time I saw this kid play he took over games especially big games like bama and auburn.
May 16th, 2014 at 6:32 pm
It couldn’t have been terribly over thrown if Evans caugh it. Part of throwing to a wr is knowing his limits and allowing him I make a play. Sounds like smith laid out a dime for Evans to go and get.
Terribly over thrown would be a glennon bomb that usually hits the dirt. Not within 10 yards of any body.