Mike Evans Is A Top 5 Receiver In The NFL

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown is already making a name for himself in the football afterlife.

McCown was hired by ESPN shortly after his retirement and is currently working in the television department of the mothership. He made his debut appearance on NFL Live Wednesday to rank what he thought was the top 5 receivers in the league.

The biggest takeaway from McCown’s list - and he’s getting killed for it just about everywhere - is Julian Edelman coming in at number four.

But what will interest Bucs fans is who follows Edelman: Mike Evans.

Out of all the great receivers in the league, Evans is certainly up there. He is already the Bucs’ all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, the youngest player ever to record over 1,000 yards in his first five seasons, and a two-time Pro Bowler at the ripe age of 25.

Evans’ numbers represent top 5 production, as well. Since entering the league in 2014, he is fifth in total receiving yards (6,153), fourth in touchdowns (40), sixth in targets (717), 10th in receptions (395), and third in yards per reception among players with at least 250 catches.

He finished 2018 with an incredible 17.7 yards per catch on 86 catches. That is just silly. To put it into context, that has happened just twice since 1960. Jerry Rice did it in 1986 and Josh Gordon in 2013.

Advanced stats are also on his side. According to Footballoutsiders.com, Evans should have had a catch rate of 57.8% in 2018 based on historical baselines of passes thrown his way (distance and location), but Evans caught 65.6% of the balls thrown his way in a very difficult offense.

Per FBO, Evans’ 2018 season saw him finish fourth in DYAR and third in DVOA. If you aren’t familiar with those two metrics, feel free to check out DYAR here and DVOA here.

And he’s doing this in a 6-foot-5, 231-pound frame, which is not something many people - including many NFL receivers - can do.

Evans can beat you short, intermediate, deep, across the middle, on a corner route, or whatever he so desires to do. He is one of the most dynamic weapons in the NFL and has the numbers to back it up.

So, the question remains: Was Josh McCown right about Mike Evans being a top 5 receiver in the league?

Let us know in the comments below!