Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Mike Evans Notes, Thoughts, and Final Grade

Evans vs. LSU

  • Creates separation by blatantly pushing off on 5 yard curl, no call
  • Creates good separation at LOS on 3 step slant-but Drops ball
  • Is able to get a step in press man, catches it, but just out of bounds
  • Looks like he does a good job of creating separation at top of his routes, even his he pushes off
  • 3rd & long runs right by press WR, slaps away his press, is wide open, QB misses him
  • In RZ-wins inside vs. CB, is open by about 3 yards, QB misses easy TD 
  • Certainly not a sudden WR. Doesn't show good quickness with ball in his hands
  • Mosses S on jump ball. Doesn't even extend his arms, still catches it
  • Great adjustment to under-thrown ball on goal line fade. Goes to ground for TD(ruled incomplete)
Good game for Evans, he's certainly not sudden, but if you put the ball up, he's going to catch it. He does a good job of adjusting on bad balls, and creating separation at the top of his routes.

Evans vs. Auburn
  • Catches screen and goes for TD. Good buildup speed.
  • Excellent catch downfield, high points the ball.
  • Catches another screen and just runs free for long TD. 
  • Nice block on screen
  • Drops ball on comeback route, hit him in the hands
  • On 3rd down route, can't create separation or even get off jam still 10 yards down the field struggling
  • Really nice in route
  • Good blocking downfield
  • Back shoulder fade, impossible to stop
  • Off in route, uses nice stiff arm and gets about 10 extra YAC yards
  • Catches deep comeback but at the expense of Manziel extending the play
This game displayed Evan's YAC ability. I think he runs very good underneath routes. I'm noticing that he's benefited by Manziel extends plays. His ability to high point the ball is phenomenal.

Evans vs. Arkansas
  • Catches deep ball, doesn't create separation but because size, he's open
  • Catches a TD on another extended play-though was open on in route underneath good sideline awareness
  • Ridiculous catch in traffic for a TD.
  • Good dig route
  •  Good effort blocking
Evans had some highlight plays. Very good at in breaking routes, and catching in traffic, still a little worried about creating separation down-field

Evans vs Bama
  • Back shoulder fade is unstoppable with Evans
  • Really good sideline awareness on deep catch
  • Beats CB's press, works to outside and leaves enough space along sideline
  • Doesn't win initially, but is able to get a big play down field due to Manziel extending play
  • Is covered again, but Manziel just puts it up and Evans catches it
  • Really nice job of pressing the CB and eating his cushion up. Then strides up/stiff arm for 95 yards
  • They're just throwing the ball up at this point and he's catching everything. He's covered, doesn't matter
This was tough game to evaluate. It was basically a bunch of jump balls. He just owned the catch point this game. The long TD should he can get up to good top speed

Evans vs Mizzou
  • No room to run on screen play
  • Into the 2nd qtr, just not able to separate 
  • Good job of getting up field. Turns a 3 yard catch into a 10 yard 1st down
  • Is unable to build up speed and press the CB's cushion
  • CB all over him on Dig route
  • Nothing doing on a drag route
  • #31 doing a fantastic job on Evans
  • Evans catches 4 yard curl, but tackled immediately 
  • Is open underneath, Manziel misses him
  • Nothing doing on a screen pass again
This was a poor game for Evans, Mizzou did a good job of mixing up coverage, and completely took him out of the game. I don't know if it was a slower track, or what, but Evans didn't look anywhere near as explosive as he did off the LOS in the other games.

Evans vs. Ole Miss
  • Doesn't create separation down-field
  • Still having a issues separating after a couple of possessions
  • Ole Miss is now double teaming Evans-at least on that 1 play
  • Has a chance to make a catch in traffic on skinny post-drop-targeting call
  • On Skinny post on 3rd & Long is covered. Needed to get inside release, didn't. Isn't quick enough to get around CB and cross his face
  • On deep ball, is able to use his hands to fight off CB, glide by him for a half step. Ball under-thrown
  • Looked like he came open on intermediate dig, Manziel just missed him
  • Is very good at catching the ball and immediately getting up-field 
  • Really good in route. Hesitated off the line, then exploded and cut in. Was open, no throw.
  • Is running a lot of 2-3 step routes where he just sits down
  • Covered pretty well down-field, not able to create separation  
  • Comes open on drag route, turns it up for big gain. Nice YAC play
  • When it's man coverage-#1 was able to run with him pretty easily on the drag routes
Another not so hot game for Evans. He was open on plays where Manziel missed him a couple times, but he was covered pretty well for the majority of the game. Separation issues down-field are apparent.

Grade/Final Thought

Evans is the type of WR who is open, even if he isn't open. He can make a living on in breaking routes and back shoulder fades. Evans defines "owning the catch point. At the top of his route, he's good at creating separation. Primarily when he is going across the middle.  He also is very good along the sideline, great awareness. Where he struggles is where he has to create separation on his own, going down-field. He's nowhere near as sudden as other WRs in the class, and I question whether he'll be able to eat up a corner's cushion on a consistent basis.

Multiple Pro Bowl Player, Top 10  8.5 – 9.0
Highly Productive Starter, 1st Round  8.0 – 8.4
Very Good Starter, Early 2nd Round  7.8 – 7.9
Reliable Starter, 2nd Round  7.5 – 7.7
Potential Starter in Year 2, 3rd Round  7.0 – 7.4
Backup/Spot Starter, 4th Round  6.5 – 6.9
Productive Backup, 5th Round  6.0 – 6.4
Very Good Backup/STs, 6th Round  5.5 – 5.9
Quality Backup/Good STs, 7th Round  5.0 – 5.4
Backup/STs/Project Player, 7th Round  4.5 – 4.9
Priority Free Agent w/ Limitations  4.0 – 4.4
Non-Draftable    < 4.0

Trait WeightGrade
Route Running43.5
Speed2.51.9
Hands32.7
Ball Skills33
YAC Ability22
Effort22
Blocking22
Toughness21.8
Awareness2.52.4
Athleticism21.7
Evans graded out as an 8.3. So a mid 1st round grade. His ability to dominate the catch point, be open when he's not really open, and bail QBs out of tough situations will loom large at the next level. At his size, his ability to catch in traffic should really help him be a good starter at the next level. 

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