Texas A&M Legend Mike Evans Still Viewed as a 'Beast' Heading into 2025

As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go through their first few padded practices of training camp, they do so with a fully healthy star receiver in Texas A&M Aggies legend, Mike Evans.

Even after missing three games due to a hamstring injury, the Aggie receiver still tied an NFL record held by Jerry Rice for most consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards with 11. And now, as he looks to set the record heading into his age-32 season, he is still regarded as one of the NFL's best targets, but he is not ranked as high as he used to be.

In a recent article from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, he revealed the top-10 receivers for the 2025 season, purely based on the feedback he heard from NFL executives, coaches, and scouts. Evans dropped a spot from last year to No. 9.

"If you're trying to win one game or win on third down, you're still picking him really high," one NFL general manager told Fowler of Evans. "He'll decline eventually but I haven't seen any signs of it. He's still a beast."

11 straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards certainly doesn't feel like a sign of slowing down. However, as he is now 31 years old and will turn 32 before the season officially gets underway, talk of potential regression will continue. But so will rumors of retirement, and despite continued production from the Aggie, one scout told Fowler that he could see the Buccaneers star retire at season's end.

"This might be it for him," one scout said of Evans. "But he looked awesome last year."

With 12,684 career yards and 105 touchdowns - which is the ninth most touchdowns all-time by a receiver, and 24th in yards - Evans looks to be set for a spot in Canton, Ohio, as part of the Hall of Fame when his career is over.

He is a one-time Super Bowl champion, two-time second-team All-Pro, and a five-time Pro Bowler, in addition to working his way up the record books.

The Buccaneers will kick off their regular season on September 7th when they travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons. Kickoff is set for noon CT inside the Falcons' Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, before then, the Buccaneers will play their first preseason game on Saturday, August 9th, when they host the Tennessee Titans inside Raymond James Stadium.