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It wasn’t the first quarterback that sprung to mind when Mike Evans said that Baker Mayfield, the quarterback for the Buccaneers and his teammate, had a similar playing style. During his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Evans has played with a number of quarterbacks over the years, including Mike Glennon, Josh McCown, Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Tom Brady.
But it was unexpected to hear Evans compare Mayfield to another quarterback, much less claim that their playing philosophies were the same. Though his argument made sense, the connection he offered for Mayfield was unexpected.
After a season together, Evans talked about his relationship with Mayfield during an interview on the Texas A&M program TexAgs. Evans was promoting a golf outing for the Mike Evans Family Foundation near his alma institution. He said that Mayfield’s style of play was similar to that of Johnny Manziel, Evans’s college teammate and fellow Heisman Trophy winner.
Evans remarked, “Baker surprised me a lot.” “Even without his game, I knew he was an extremely outstanding player because of his leadership and teamwork qualities. He truly caught me off guard. His playing style is identical to Johnny (Manziel). Really, really similar. Therefore, it was simple to adapt and play with him.
Evans has unique insight into Mayfield and Manziel’s playing styles because of his first-hand experience with both players. Mayfield and Manziel are both 6 feet 1 inch and 6 feet tall, respectively, making them both shorter quarterbacks. Their ability to throw accurately and perform well under pressure is a noteworthy feature of their play.
Known as “Johnny Football,” Manziel had an incredible collegiate career and was the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner. He was well-known for his thrilling style of play, which frequently involved him turning tumultuous situations into significant advantages in the air or on the ground. Evans was crucial to Manziel’s accomplishments while they were teammates at Texas A&M.
Paradoxically, Mayfield was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the top overall choice in the 2018 NFL Draft after having previously won the Heisman Trophy in 2017 while attending Oklahoma. His ability to guide his team to victory on the ground and in the air is reminiscent of some features of Manziel’s style of play.
Evans’ appreciation of Mayfield’s tenacity and leadership on the field is indicative of the influence the quarterback made while he was a member of the Buccaneers. There is enthusiasm and expectation for Mayfield and Evans’ ongoing collaboration on the field as a result of their respective offseason contract signings.
