Shaquelle Evans - Untapped Potential

I have to admit to being almost childishly happy with the selection of Evans. As many of you are aware, I'm a Notre Dame fan and Evans began his career with the Irish. He was in fact one of the most highly recruited prospects in the nation, many expected him to stay on the West Coast and throughout the recruiting process, he was the guy I wanted to nab for the Irish. Unfortunately although he did sign on, he never found a home in South Bend and he was soon off to UCLA, closer to home on the west coast.

I believe that Evans never reached his potential in college because of the choice he made to play for the Irish. He lasted just one season in South Bend before he transferred to UCLA. Due to NCAA rules, he had to sit out a year after the transfer, which really stalled his development from a 4* recruit to a highly touted NFL prospect. However saying that, he has still managed to lead the Bruins in receiving the last two years.

He had 877 yards in 2012 with 3 touchdowns, and then went on to have 709 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2013. Evans is a really interesting prospect because people think he's a lot bigger than he is, because he has excellent build and a lot of strength throughout his upper body. He has an excellent combination of arm length, strength, football IQ and a controlled body which allows him to beat a lot of press coverage. He also has deceptive speed, he's not lightning off the snap but once he gets going, he can really challenge the top of the defense.

He's also a very hard worker. I've read numerous reports about his work-ethic and desire to get better. A player who understands how to sell his routes and will study corners for any advantage. If you haven't guessed already, I absolutely love this selection. He strikes me as the kind of receiver who can take a lot of pressure off Decker and if it's not too bold, I think he'll work his way up to be a good 1A receiver.

John was completely right when he said he does need to become more consistent catching the ball away from his frame, and although there have been some drops, he also makes some catches that you just wouldn't believe. He's also a very physical receiver who went over the middle quite a bit in college and didn't seem fazed at all, he also has some open field moves to ensure he's not an easy tackle for any linebacker or defensive back.

Welcome to the Jets Shaquelle, I can't wait to see you out there in Jets green!