2014 NFL Mock Draft: New York Jets select Mike Evans
Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mike Evans.
The New York Jets have a number of team needs, but the most pressing need is most likely at the wide receiver position. Whether or not you think Geno Smith has a shot to be a franchise quarterback, you have to admit that the Jets need to do a better job of surrounding whoever is their QB of the future with better wide receivers. I like Jeremy Kerley, David Nelson can be a decent No. 3 option, and Greg Salas has some intrigue, but there’s really not much to like. Santonio Holmes has talent, but he’s just not worth it anymore since he’s too inconsistent to trust (there are injuries to worry about with him as well). The Jets clearly lack a No. 1 option in the passing game, and I think their biggest task this season is to find a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. As we have seen with the Indianapolis Colts (Reggie Wayne) and San Francisco 49ers (Michael Crabtree) this season, having a No. 1 target makes all the difference.
Each week, Josh Sanchez does a 2014 NFL Mock Draft on the FanSided main site, and he has the New York Jets snagging Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mike Evans with the 11th overall pick in the draft. It’s a selection that makes perfect sense for John Idzik and the Jets, because Evans has all the tools to be an excellent wideout in the pros. He fits the profile of a successful No. 1, “X” receiver at the next level, and he would definitely shore up a huge need for the Jets.
Evans has bailed out Johnny Manziel countless times this season, and there have been a few occasions in which Evans has completely dominated a game. His draft stock might fall due to a slower forty time, but it takes a real idiot to throw out a full season of great tape for a not-sterling forty time. I mean, Keenan Allen fell to the third round in this year’s draft due to BS speed concerns, and he’s been one of the best rookies in the class (as his college tape dictated).
At 6’5″, 225 pounds, Evans has incredible size, and I think that’s crucial for the Jets, especially if they move forward with Geno has the starting QB. Evans’s size allows him to make a lot of contested catches, and he’s a safe pair of hands in the end zone. He’s also one of the smartest receivers in college football, because he knows how to find the soft spot of the zone, can get away from press coverage, and he can also get behind the defense with good route-running. Evans is an explosive player, and while most people rank Clemson’s Sammy Watkins as the best receiver in the draft class, there are others who believe that Evans will be the best WR in the 2014 NFL Draft.