Texas A&M football: 30 greatest players of all-time
By Jeff Shull
Stats – 151 catches, 2,499 yards, 17 touchdowns, 16.5 yards per reception
Accolades – Consensus All-American in 2013, All-SEC in 2013, Freshman All-SEC in 2012
Team signature moment – Beating the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in 2012, winning the Cotton Bowl over the Oklahoma Sooners to finish 11-2
Mike Evans might have only suited up for two seasons in Aggieland, but they were arguably the two best seasons by wide receivers in school history. There really is no debate about who is the best receiver that ever put on the Aggie uniform.
It’s Evans and everyone else. No, he does not have the career statistics, but Evans might eventually be recognized as one of the best NFL wide receivers ever, let alone college.
His combination of speed, size and athletic ability made him a nightmare for any cornerbacks to cover. Just ask the Alabama Crimson Tide, otherwise known as “DB U.” Evans put up 12 catches for 319 yards in two games against Nick Saban.
Though he only had those two seasons before declaring for the 2014 NFL Draft, he is No. 6 all time in yards and No. 7 in catches for the university.
One of those games against Alabama, he put up a school record 279 yards. Not to be outdone…by himself…he put up 287 against the Auburn Tigers later that same season. Special talents like Evans only come around once in a generation, if you’re lucky.
Evans would go on to be the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he has not disappointed. This past season, Evans became the youngest receiver to reach five 1,000-yard seasons. Only A.J. Green and Randy Moss had five 1,000-yard seasons to begin their career.