Mike Evans Makes Surprising QB Comparison To Baker Mayfield

After some discussion about the Aggies and College Station area, Mike Evans was then asked about his chemistry with Mayfield following a season together. As he got going, Evans wound up saying that Mayfield’s game was similar to none other than fellow Heisman Trophy winner and college teammate of Evans – Johnny Manziel.

“Baker, he surprised me a lot,” Mike Evans said. “With not his game, I knew he was a really good player, just how he is as a leader and a teammate. He really surprised me a lot. He’s similar to Johnny (Manziel), his playing style. I mean, really similar. So it was easy to adjust to play with him.

“Shorter quarterback. Great athlete. Throws like a baseball player, like really tight spiral. Really good arm. Improvise, can do all those things. Super tough. So I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do this year.”

Mike Evans Helped Each QB’s Career

There’s nobody in the world that would have a better firsthand experience between Baker Mayfield and Johnny Manziel than Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans. Each is a shorter quarterbacks in stature with Mayfield at 6-foot-1 and Manziel at 6-foot. Their ability to rocket a ball down the field or turn a chaotic moment into a huge gain on the ground or through the air is quite distinct as well.

Manziel was one of the most electrifying quarterbacks to ever play in college football. He got the moniker of “Johnny Football” while at Texas A&M, and at the height of his success he reached mass hysteria in terms of fandom and news coverage.

During his Heisman winning season in 2012, Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,410 yards and 21 scores. Mike Evans was a huge part of that great season, making 82 catches for 1,105 yards and five touchdowns.

The game that most will remember that season is when Manziel and Evans went on the road and the Aggies defeated top-ranked Alabama, 31-24. Manziel spent two years with the Cleveland Browns as a former No. 1 pick, but unfortunately other issues got in his way and he was released in the spring before his third season.

Manziel spoke very highly about Mike Evans and what Evans meant to him while appearing on Shannon Sharp’s podcast Club Shay Shay. You can watch the video and see how Manziel gets emotional speaking about his teammate.

Ironically, Mayfield also won the Heisman Trophy in 2017 during his time at Oklahoma and also was drafted by the Browns with Cleveland’s first-round pick – No. 1 overall in 2018. In his final season with the Sooners, Mayfield had 4,627 passing yards with 43 passing touchdowns to go with 311 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass that season. Mayfield led the Sooners to a 12-2 record that season.

Oklahoma won the Big XII Championship and earned a spot in the College Football Playoffs, but lost, 54-48, to Georgia in double overtime in an incredible game played at the Rose Bowl.

Mike Evans played a huge part in the resurgence of Mayfield’s career when he came to the Bucs last season. Mayfield’s 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns were spring boarded by Mike Evans, who led the Bucs in receiving with 1,255 yards and a league leading 13 touchdowns. Mayfield was able to ingratiate himself into the locker room in Tampa Bay quite well and that was no different in his relationship with Evans.

With each player re-signing on a new deal this offseason, another year of chemistry between the two leaves for a lot excitement and expectations for what they can do in year two together.