Second-most deep receiving yards in 2018
Last year, Evans finished second in the entire NFL in receiving yards on deep balls, just behind Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs. Evans finished with 543 deep yards, and out of 90 qualifying receivers, finishing second on the list is elite.
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This means a massive third of Evans’ receiving yards came down the field; this is quite impressive given that he does not have the speed to burn corners down the field, but is still a reliable target on deep shots. This is a dream come true for new head coach Bruce Arians as he loves to fire the ball downfield in his vertically-minded offensive system.
At 6-5, Evans is in prime position to out-leap cornerbacks in one-on-one coverage to make big plays for the Buccaneers. At 230 pounds, Evans knows how to throw his body around to put his frame in front of defensive backs and shield them away from the ball as well.
Entering a make-or-break year for quarterback Jameis Winston, having a physically dominant receiver on the other end of his passes down the field will give him the flexibility and willingness to take those shots. There is a solid chance the number of receiving yards deep could increase in 2019.