Tampa Bay Buccaneers: No sophomore slump for Mike Evans

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an awful 2014 season, as they had the worst record in the NFL, and will be drafting first-overall in the upcoming NFL Draft.

2014 was mostly a disappoint season for the Buccaneers, but it did lead to the emergence of a talented young receiver.

In last year’s NFL Draft, the Buccaneers also had a Top 10 pick, and they did a very good job by drafting wide receiver Mike Evans from Texas A&M. Evans was the seventh overall pick in last year’s draft, and although he wasn’t the first receiver taken, Evans had a fantastic rookie season for the Buccaneers.

In his rookie season, Evans totaled 68 receptions, 1,051 receiving yards, and 12 receiving touchdowns. The numbers that Evans was able to amount were very impressive, as the Buccaneers’ offense wasn’t very good mainly due to ineffective quarterback play from Josh McCown and Mike Glennon.

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The Buccaneers had high hopes for their season after signing McCown, who played very well in a small sampling with the Chicago Bears in 2013. McCown was never able to play like he did in Chicago and the Buccaneers’ offense suffered.

The 2014 NFL Draft would turn out to be a great one for wide receivers, but the Buccaneers have to be happy with their selection of Evans. Last season, Evans was tied for fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns, and also 19th in the NFL in receiving yards. And if it weren’t for another special rookie, Evans may have gotten more attention.

Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants dominated the talk of the rookie class, as Evans could have possibly won the Rookie of the Year award if it wasn’t for the Giants’ wide receiver. Beckham Jr. was able to have a record-setting season for the Giants, as he totaled 91 receptions, 1,305 receiving yards, and 12 receiving touchdowns. One major advantage that Beckham Jr. had over Evans in 2014 was that his quarterback was Eli Manning.

There is simply no comparison between Manning and either McCown or Glennon for the Buccaneers, as Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion. He has also been statistically leaps and bounds above what the Buccaneers had at quarterback.

Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston (right) and Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota do an interview on the NFL Network after finishing their workout during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

With the ineffective play at quarterback in 2014, the Buccaneers will be using that first-overall pick to mostly like draft a quarterback. Whether it be Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota drafted with the first-overall pick by the Buccaneers, they will be having a very talented young wide receiver to throw the football to.

Evans has a massive frame for a wide receiver, as he is 6’5” 231 pounds, which makes him an extremely tough player to guard in the red zone. Red zone efficiency is extremely important for an offense, and having a threat like Evans will help that.

In 2015, the Buccaneers will likely not be in the playoff hunt, but if they can add who they think is a franchise quarterback in the NFL draft, they will have the makings of a good offense. A young quarterback will tend to favor one or two wide receivers before they become adjusted to going through NFL progressions and reads. Having a receiver like Evans will be great for the development of a young quarterback, and he will be looking to build upon a great rookie season, as he can build chemistry with his quarterback.

Next: Should the Bucs draft Marcus Mariota first-overall?

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