Caution For Mike Evans?
July 17th, 2015
Recent Bucs history offers caution.
Joe can’t write enough about how impressive Bucs rookie wide receiver Mike Evans was last year. The Texas A&M standout blew up the NFL in only his fourth season of organized football since getting his driver’s license.
The way Evans, a rookie, turned chickens(p)it — better known as turnover-prone quarterback Josh McClown — into chicken salad and got over 1,000 yards was just amazing.
Well, the numbers crunchers over at Pro Football Focus also are shaking their heads. Per the calculator-clicking of Ben Stockwell, Evans had one of the best rookie seasons since his outfit began playing with spreadsheets.
Odell Beckham Jr. (+20.4) led the class but Mike Evans (+9.3) also produced one of the best rookie seasons we have seen in the last eight years. … In the shape of Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans and Jarvis Landry three of the 10 highest-graded rookie seasons from the last eight years came in 2014.
Pretty heady stuff, huh?
So was this a splash year for Evans or will he continue to get better? Joe is betting on the latter, though Stockwell did mention that in the history of Pro Football Focus, the highest-rated rookie wide receiver drafted in the fourth round or later was in 2010, with mattress-in-the-front-yard, stripper-pole-in-the-living-room Mike Williams.
July 17th, 2015 at 7:05 am
Totally different pedigree from Williams. Draft night he held his daughter and began weeping. That’s this young man’s motivation. Not the life style,but the daughter. This young man is destined for super stardom.
July 17th, 2015 at 7:12 am
The RB’s and TE’s contributed nothing to the passing game and that is why #13 got his 1000 yr’s (took the last game). 4-5 of his td’s came on jump balls or garbage time. I think he only had 3 100 yd games (and a 200). His yardage number toward the end of the year were avg. I’n not tryin to bust on him, I am very happy with #13 and he will be/is a stud. But I would caution anyone who thinks he will get 1300 yds and 14-15 tds this year. He is the #1 WR and will get double teams now. I look for VJax to have more yards, but maybe not as many td’s as Evans. God Bless our Marines!
July 17th, 2015 at 8:56 am
I have to admit that when the Bucs drafted Evans that I was not completely sold on it being the right pick. His play has erased that idea, now in his second season coming up he should shine that much brighter. I don’t have a prediction of his eventual numbers, yet with his first years experience and new more capable OC, he will be a vital part of the Bucs improved offensive showing. I can’t wait to see it play out.
July 17th, 2015 at 8:58 am
Don’t know what games you were watching Dewey. #1 receivers get double teamed all the time and still get 1000 yards+ if they’re good. What you fail to mention is that he did this with a QB that was the worst in the NFL and now he will have a QB that can deliver the ball to where only he can go up and get it. He’ll have a monster year if he stays healthy. If we get contributions from our TE’s and running game they won’t have the luxury of double teaming Evans and allowing VJax to go 1 on 1.
July 17th, 2015 at 9:08 am
Did I mention that mike Williams is available.
July 17th, 2015 at 9:09 am
With not much to choose from, he’s my wife’s favorite current player. She wants his jersey for her B-day. Good thing her B-day is in November. I’d hate to buy her a jersey without atleast seeing what he does in his 2nd season.
Already been burned asking for a Martin jersey in his rookie year and getting it.
Having said all that. I’m pretty confident Mike’s going to make me buy that jersey come November.
So atleast I can add another jersey to the walls of my Buc Cave.
July 17th, 2015 at 9:48 am
Btw…still no jersey in the mail yet from Erik the cleaning guy.
July 17th, 2015 at 9:58 am
87-
Imagine what he would have said if Jameis had welched on a bet like this 🙂
July 17th, 2015 at 10:28 am
No Sophomore slump for Evans. The main factor is he will actually have a QB with talent throwing him the rock this season. The main thing that would take away some stats is that I can see the ball being spread around better this season under Koetter’s guidance but even with the increased usage of ASJ and other weapons, Evans should still get plenty of receiving yards and I also love his hard nosed attitude and willingness to slam a DB when run blocking. So glad we picked him over Manziel and got Winston. Can’t wait till the off-season finally ends.
July 17th, 2015 at 10:35 am
With Randy Moss giving Savage Mike pointers, we shouldbe hearing Gene Deckerhoff saying his name along with “touchdown Tampa Bay!” Oh, wait, that will only be on away games, since I will be at the home games!
July 17th, 2015 at 10:58 am
BlogTalkFootball …you can always here Big Gene’s highlights on the radio when you’re driving home. That’s always fun for me.
July 17th, 2015 at 11:09 am
Dewey Selmon
All Bucs games in 2014 were garbage time, regardless of when or how he got his stats, he got them, do you think Rice or Irvin cared who was covering them or what the game situation was when they stacked their stats, hell no, they all count the same.
July 17th, 2015 at 11:39 am
SAVAGE MIKE! He won’t become the greatest blocking prodigy like Clayton. He’s going to become a FUKN nightmare for secondaries.
July 17th, 2015 at 11:58 am
You guys have valid counter points. i hope #13 sets the td record again! Hey Joe Ihave been here 2years, Why am I on your moderation list?
July 17th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
When I read of Evans work with arguably the best receiver to ever play in the NFL…apologies to Jerry Rice…Randy Moss I relaxed enormously.
He could have let all that rookie success go to his head and gone the route of his former QB Johnny Football and partied all off season. Instead he went to an all time great and decided to GET BETTER. That’s freaking awesome!
Generally in life you’re either getting better or worse…rarely standing still…the fact that Evans apparently gets this at a very young age is impressive!
July 17th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
I would die laughing if one day 87 gets a package in the mail, opens it up and its a Mariota jersey
July 17th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
It’s hard not to be wary of Evans being unable to live up to expectations built up in a stellar rookie season as we have seen the likes of Michael Clayton and Doug Martin tear it up their 1st year then never look as good again.
Evans sure showed last year that he can go up and get that ball over an NFL defender more times than not though didn’t he? Pretty good speed for such a large receiver as well. Not Moss or T.O. speed – but close
I hope to see Evans get better and better and have a long career with the Bucs as one of the premier receivers in the NFL year in and year out. But only time will tell.
The fact that he has Winston throwing to him could bode quite well for both of them.
Here’s hoping that Winston to Evans becomes the NFL’s next super passing stat duo – as in – Montana/Rice, Aikman/Irving, Manning /Harrison
July 17th, 2015 at 4:35 pm
I’m thinking that Kenny Bell will be out wide opposite Mike Evans and VJax mostly in the slot, if Bell is out wide and stretching the field with his speed, I see great things from Mike Evans.To be honest, corners in the NFL don’t respect VJax speed, so they put a safety on top to help with Mike Evans. But with Kenny Bell on the outside opposite of Mike Evans they will have to play man with Mike Evans with no safety help, because Kenny Bell will blow past the corner and drawing safety help.I can’t remember the Bucs having a wideout with Kenny Bell speed, not even Kevin House. Kenny Bell could be another deep threat like Kevin House was for us.
July 17th, 2015 at 5:22 pm
Evans was once officially clocked at a 4.46 while Owens ran a 4.45. Their speeds are almost identical!
July 17th, 2015 at 7:41 pm
Think I meant Calvin Johnson (4.35) & Randy Moss (4.25)
Terrell Owens (4.45)
Mike Evans (4.53)
Saying someone was “once officially clocked at” does not mean that’s what they can run. T.O. was probably “once officially clocked at” 4.38 somewhere along the line.
Bottom line – Owens was a step faster than Evans is – and Moss & Johnson 2 steps faster – but 4.5 range for a 6’5″ 235 lb receiver is still pretty good wheels.
July 17th, 2015 at 10:02 pm
I’m 2-0 in the last 2 drafts picked Evans long before the draft took place, then picked Winston long before the draft took place (actually before the season even ended). Let’s hope Winston blossoms as much as Mike did in his first season.
July 17th, 2015 at 10:04 pm
Firethecannons Says:
July 17th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
“I would die laughing if one day 87 gets a package in the mail, opens it up and its a Mariota jersey”
Aha ha ha ha I just saw that now. Thanks for the good laugh on a bad day.
That was truly funny!
July 17th, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Evans scored 12 TD his rookie season. There is nothing anyone can say that can take that away. He has the best hands I have seen in a WR. Ball placement is everything and I see Winston to Evans being unstoppable. The wide receiver position has always been one of the more hit-and-miss selections in the course of NFL history and the variance at the position has continued in recent seasons. That is what makes Evans so special. His numbers blew Sammie Watkins and Kelvin Benjamins away. Evens was thrown at 116 times and had 68 completions for a comp rate of 58.6%. If Evans had a competent QB throwing he would have completed 70%+ of those receptions. If you want to talk speed Kenny Bell is your man.