You might ask yourself, who is the most underrated player in the NFL. Well that’s easy. Mike Evans, drafted 7th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2014 NFL Draft, has made a name for himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL.
2018 was thought of as his “breakout” season by most of the NFL and it’s fans who don’t reside in Tampa Florida, as Evans posted a whopping 86 receptions for 1,524 yards, which was good for third best in the NFL. Evans also averaged 17.7 yards per catch (highest in the NFL), over 95 yards a game, and 8 touchdowns, all with the quarterback position being uncertain all season long.
The kicker? Mike Evans has been posting hefty stats and shattering records since entering the league now five years ago. Evans holds 10 Buccaneer franchise records, as well as three NFL records, including youngest player to have 200 yards in a game, and youngest ever to reach 6,000 career yards.
On top of 5 straight seasons of 1,000 yard years, he’s now poised to shatter his career highs this season now that Bruce Arians is at the helm of the Bucs, a coach who has named Evans a focal point of Tampa’s offense and will look to use his 6 foot 5, 230 pound frame early and often. Evans is only getting better, and hasn’t began to scratch the surface of his potential. Evans will look to be the first to record six straight 1,000 yard seasons.
With that said, Evans is one of the most underrated players in the league, continuously ranked lower than other wide receivers who statistically don’t match up. Why? The Buccaneers record. Tampa hasn’t been to the playoffs in 11 seasons, and in the past two have only won 10 games.
With solemnly being in the win column since his arrival, Evans has flown under the radar while posting 5 straight 1,000 yard seasons. A teams record shouldn’t reflect a players standing. However, players like Michael Thomas and Davante Adams who play on teams with better records, have been constantly listed above Evans who has produced more with less. Both Thomas and Adams have had future HOF QB’s throwing to them in Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, while Evans has had more than FIVE different QB’s in his short career, two just last season.
Evans has not once said anything about the lack of respect and recognitio. But feels he is the most underrated player and seems to have a chip on his shoulder entering training camp after posting videos of him specifically working on his “YAC” or yards after catch. One of Evans’ biggest criticisms, and his explosiveness off the line. At the Pro Bowl (Which Evans only got into after an injury, even after posting third most yards in the league) he learned that if he could improve on his route running he would be near unstoppable.
Evans already had the most yards per catch in the league last season and his highest catch percentage (62.3%) in his five year tenure. If Bruce Arians can right Tampa’s ship, Evans may finally be viewed at his top five talent level. Like ex Buccaneer Ryan Fitzpatrick said: “You can’t be disrespecting Mike Evans”
