Rookie Report Card: Mike Evans and Taylor Gabriel
I’ve decided to put my own spin on the concept of a rookie report card. Going forward, the Rookie Report Card is exactly what it sounds like, a report card.
Not only will I cover my expectations for the player coming into the league and how he’s performed at the NFL level to this point, I’ll actually give him a grade in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, 2014 potential and long term upside. Each week I’ll cover at least two rookies and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week.
The series continues with a closer look at Mike Evans and Taylor Gabriel.
Mike Evans, WR TB
Week Eight Stats: seven receptions, 124 yards, two touchdowns
Season Stats: 32 receptions, 460 yards, four touchdowns
After catching four balls in each of the last five games, Evans had the breakout game we’ve all been waiting for since he was selected seventh overall in the draft. Shortly after he was picked by the Buccs, I wrote the following about him:
“The most impressive part about Evans’ game is how physical he is. He’s a prototypical receiver at 6’5”, and 230 pounds who always uses his size to his advantage. When the ball is in the air, Evans is as imposing as any player at the college level, always using his large frame to “box out” defenders and get into the best position possible to make the catch. He’s also incredibly effective at high pointing the ball, using his basketball skills to time his 37-inch vertical perfectly and attack the football.
Another example of Evans’ physicality is evident at the line of scrimmage. He’s incredibly smooth when defenders get their hands on him and it’s almost criminal how easily he’s able to get off of press coverage. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he’s very difficult to get on the ground – always muscling for extra yardage.
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Some have suggested concerns about Evans’ speed (he ran a 4.53 second 40-yard dash at the combine) and the limited amount of routes he was asked to run while at Texas A&M. Personally, I think those fears come from people looking too hard for something to nitpick about. He’s only 21 years old and will continue to develop over the next few years and although he’ll never be confused for a blazer, he’s got good enough speed to succeed as a possession receiver at the next level.
Overall, Evans is a physical freak with great size and excellent hands. He’ll do a majority of his damage for the Buccaneers on crossing routes, fade patterns and on back-shoulder throws, which he excelled at with Johnny Manziel in college. He’ll be depended on immediately as a red zone threat for Josh McCown and should be a regular target of his.”
Outside of it being Mike Glennon rather than McCown throwing him the ball, not much has changed for Evans since I wrote that.
Although it took some time for Evans to adjust, he’s starting to look like the same receiver that dominated the SEC with his size and physical dominance. Like he was in college, he’s impossible to re-route off the line of scrimmage due to his massive size and impressive power and balance. On one of his biggest catches of the game on Sunday in the fourth quarter, he lined up across from fellow rookie Justin Gilbert who was in bump-and-run coverage. Gilbert – who was drafted one pick after Evans in May – got both hands on him and attempted to re-route him but Evans simply ran through the contact, accelerated past Gilbert and caught the ball in front of the safety for a 31-yard gain. Gilbert was called for defensive holding on the play but Evans was unfazed.
Each of Evans’ touchdowns on Sunday were also great examples of his brute strength, great hand eye coordination and excellent body control. On his first, the Browns chose to blitz Glennon which left Evans in straight man-to-man coverage out of the right slot. Evans ran a go route, got the defender to turn his hips and run with him, and outmuscled him for the ball. On his second score, he lined up wide right and again ran a straight go route. The coverage on the play was good but Evans created a little space by discreetly pushing off and catching the perfectly thrown pass over his outside shoulder. Both touchdowns were from 24-yards out.
In the game on Sunday, Evans showed all the things dynasty owners loved about him coming out of Texas A&M. He was dominant at the line of scrimmage, fast enough to create space from defenders and impressive while attacking the ball in the air.
Evans has consistently been a part of the Buccs’ game plan to this point in the season as he’s been on the field for more than 75% of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps and has been targeted nearly seven times per game. In his seven NFL games, he’s hauled in at least four passes in each and averaged 14.5 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. For the rest of the season, there’s no reason to think he won’t continue to improve with each week that passes and have at least a couple more big games. Like all rookies, he may be a bit up and down but he’s a quality WR3 option going forward with WR2 upside every week he takes the field.
In the long term, Evans’ upside hasn’t changed a bit since he ended his final season in college. He has the potential to become a legitimate WR1 – perhaps as soon as 2015.
| Rookie Report Card | ||
| Player: Mike Evans | ||
| Performance To Date | 2014 Potential | Long Term Upside |
| C+ | B- | A |
Taylor Gabriel, WR CLE
Week Eight Stats: five receptions, 87 yards, one touchdown
Season Stats: 22 receptions, 412 yards, one touchdown
Until he beat out Nate Burleson as the Browns’ fourth receiver, I had never heard of Gabriel. Standing only 5’ 8” tall, weighing just 167 pounds and going undrafted out of Abilene Christian, there’s probably few that had. After he won the job for the Browns though, I decided to try to find some college film on the pint-sized receiver.
While in Abilene, Gabriel was used primarily as a slot receiver. He depended on running sharp routes and getting the ball in space to be successful. Running a lot of crossing patterns, slants and quick outs, he relied a lot on his skills after the catch to do a majority of his damage.
In his time on campus, Gabriel racked up 215 catches for 3,027 yards and 27 touchdown receptions. He was also regularly used in running game, totaling 262 rushing yards on 28 carries (9.4 YPC) with two rushing touchdowns while adding a pair of scores on punt returns and he even threw a 50-yard touchdown as a senior.
From what I saw on tape from him while in college, Gabriel looked to have dependable hands. He also displayed a willingness to go across the middle of the field and an impressive ability to balance himself along the boundary when picking up yardage after the catch.
It’s time to be completely honest.
When I first watched Gabriel’s college tape, I was convinced the Browns kept him on their roster strictly as a backup slot receiver for Andrew Hawkins and as a kick returner. That hasn’t been the case, however. Gabriel has played more than 55% of the Browns’ offensive snaps, is lining up in the slot under 25% of the time and has 37 targets on the season. Meanwhile, his biggest plays have come when lined up outside the numbers and he’s also gotten only one chance as a kick returner.
Outside of his 70-yard catch on a busted coverage in week three against the Ravens as well as his 34-yard touchdown on Sunday where after running a 5-yard comeback route he saw Brian Hoyer scrambling and went deep, Gabriel has done a majority of his damage as an underneath receiver. A great display of his skills in space came in week eight against the Raiders where he caught a bubble screen and weaved through the defense for a 48-yard catch and run.
At this point, it’s obvious the Browns’ coaching staff sees potential in Gabriel as a receiver. For now, he’s getting the opportunity to show what he can do on the field – but those opportunities may be limited as the season progresses. Josh Gordon will be back in the fold in a few weeks and although the depth chart in Cleveland is less than ideal, Hawkins figures to start opposite Gordon and Miles Austin is expected to get a majority of the playing time when the offense brings in a third receiver, which isn’t all that often considering the Browns’ run first approach. On top of that, Gabriel will continue to share reps with Travis Benjamin, who is being used more often in the red zone than Gabriel.
In both the short and long term, I see Gabriel as a poor man’s Percy Harvin who can be used as a gadget player and in situations where the Browns can get him in space much like they did a week ago against Oakland. Although he has very good explosiveness, his long speed isn’t so great that he’ll be able to consistently get open deep and he’s not big enough to be a red zone threat.
Once Gordon gets back, Gabriel will likely be relegated to spot duty on offense and perhaps a role in the return game which will severely limit his upside for dynasty owners. It’s also very likely the Browns will add talent at receiver over the off-season which could push Gabriel down the depth chart even further.
Gabriel is a great story of an undrafted free agent that is contributing for the Browns. He’s a big play waiting to happen and has an incredible desire to make plays but due to his size and limitations as a red zone threat, it’s unlikely he’ll develop into anything more than a WR5 for dynasty owners.
To read more on Gabriel, check out Jaron Foster’s excellent feature on him.
| Rookie Report Card | ||
| Player: Taylor Gabriel | ||
| Performance To Date | 2014 Potential | Long Term Upside |
| C- | C- | D |
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