Ranking every Tampa Bay Buccaneers first round draft pick since 2014
By Josh Crysler
1. Mike Evans, WR/Texas A&M - 2014 NFL Draft - Round 1, Pick 7
The bar was set extremely high with Jason Licht's first draft choice.
When the Bucs drafted Mike Evans with the seventh pick of the 2014 NFL Draft they didn't just fill a need at wide receiver; they landed a player who would go on to become a surefire Hall of Famer and the best offensive player in Buccaneers history. He would also have a massive impact on the local community and become one of the fanbase's most beloved players of all time.
Evans has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in ten consecutive seasons to open his career, breaking an NFL record previously held by Randy Moss, who opened his career with six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
The overall record for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons is held by Jerry Rice with 11, and Evans has a chance to tie that record in the 2024 NFL season and further solidify his legacy as one of the best wide receivers of all time.
Production aside, Evans has also been a blessing for the organization due to his team-first mentality and leadership. For much of Evans' career, the Buccaneers were dysfunctional and non-competitive, but Evans remained a consummate professional through it all. There have been many cases of dominant receivers demanding the ball and having a negative impact on team chemistry-especially in the midst of subpar quarterback play like Evans dealt with at times, but Evans continued to be a leader and prioritize the team over himself during these tough stretches.
Last season during a tense negotiation process, Evans could've taken inspiration from some of his peers across the league and held out from team activities to leverage the Bucs into giving him a new contract, but instead he avoided the distraction and had one of the best seasons of his career in order to earn the contract he was seeking.
"[Mike Evans] is the epitome of what you want in a draft pick, and he set the standard," Jason Licht said at Mike Evans' press conference. "Every year, you want the first-round pick to set the standard for the class and Mike set the standard for me. I have been chasing that standard for my staff every year."
Evans shows no signs of slowing down, as he is coming off a season where he received Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors, and tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions. Licht's selection of Mike Evans continues to pay off a decade later, as Evans continues to be the face of the organization both on and off the field.
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