Despite continuing to stack 1,000-yard seasons it somehow still feels like Mike Evans is not given enough credit as one of the best receivers in the NFL. Reception Perception shows that he’s always been a great player and continues to develop layers to his game.
Success Rate by Route
Route Percentage
Success Rate vs. Coverage
If you still think Mike Evans is just some big jump-ball receiver it’s time to let go of that bad take. Evans has cleared 70% success rate vs. man coverage in five of his last six seasons.
He finished the 2021 season with career-best numbers in success rate vs. man and a stunning 79.1% success rate vs. press.
There was legitimate discussion about how a big receiver who “doesn’t get open” like Evans would fit with Tom Brady. How foolish does that sound now?
Size doesn’t matter when it comes to getting separation. It’s all about quickness and technique, two portions of the game Evans has mastered.
Because of his speed and long strides, Evans is a great nine route runner. He posted a 60.9% success rate vs. coverage on that pattern. However, he also checks in with strong scores in the short to intermediate area and particularly shines on curls and comebacks.
His ability to deceive cornerbacks and fluidly sink his hips to snap back to the quarterback is just so impressive. He simply doesn’t get enough credit as a top-level route runner.
All this talk about his separation chops is great but we can’t forget Evans still has a trump card trait. His 85.7% contested catch rate is one of the top results among all players sampled for RP last year. He’s a dominant 50/50 ball receiver.
With the state of the Bucs pass-catching corps in the wake of Chris Godwin’s injury and Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, Evans has a strong chance to be one of the most productive receivers in the NFL. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he pushed for a historic-type of touchdown scoring season.
Big Mike! Smooth like gravy