Two Bills Drive

‘Though he does not have prototypical size (the only top prospect shorter than six feet), Evans is a strong competitor with blazing speed and reliable hands. He accelerates quickly off the ball and after the catch. Dangerous over the middle, he runs crisp routes and does an excellent job of creating space. He makes tough plays in traffic and has the moves and explosiveness to evade defenders in the open field.’

‘”I’ve always had high expectations for myself, and I know a lot of people have high expectations for me,” Evans said. “There’s a lot that I’ve learned being in school actually for an extra two years. Just about sitting out for a while. You learn a little more about the game and, being injured, you learn a little bit more about yourself and things like that. So there’s plenty of things to learn. It’s just about how you approach it and attack it, basically.”‘

‘Evans abandoned the quick comeback after developing swelling in his knee that eventually required another surgery, and by taking the slow approach he enters this weekend’s draft as a likely first-round pick. Though he’ll probably go late in the round, that’s more a function of landing in an exceptional receiver class than anything else.’

‘”Out of the top six, eight receivers or so, I’m probably the only one under six feet,” he said. “I think in certain situations that will help me, because not all offenses are looking for a big, tall receiver. Some already have one and some are looking for a smaller-type receiver who can get deep and stretch the field vertically. It will play to my advantage in some cases.”‘

‘Before he tore up a knee in the spring of 2002, Evans was on his way to the head of the 2003 draft class. His rehabilitation appears complete.’

‘After spending more than a year rehabbing, Evans responded with a stellar senior season. Many pre-draft articles have questioned the status of Evans’ knee, but he is convinced that teams know he is healthy after thoroughly inspecting the knee at the NFL’s scouting combine in February.’

‘He has proved to NFL personnel once and for all that his knee is fine. Not only did he return to form during his senior season in 2003, he produced a 40-yard dash time of 4.41 seconds and a vertical leap of 35 inches at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in February.’

‘NFL scouts seem to think so. Although the 5-foot-11 Evans, who visited Buffalo, Pittsburgh and his hometown Cleveland Browns last month, isn’t as tall as the other highly regarded receivers, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash time in the group (4.41 seconds) and scored the highest on the Wonderlic intelligence test (27).’

‘Instead, Evans returned to school for his senior year and tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the spring game. He underwent two surgeries, but in the midst of his rehab, he was arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana and placed on probation for a year.’

‘”Last week, going on all those visits, it gave me a boost of confidence just to hear NFL personnel saying so many good things, but you can’t get caught up too much in that. The way I look at it is that there’s not too much I can do now. I did everything I had to do, ran at the combines, testing, and all that, and now it’s time for them to make their decision. Emotionally, it’s a roller coaster. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down.”‘

‘Evans made a successful retrurn from a torn ACL in his left knee in 2002 and had 64 catches for 1,213 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.’

‘Some fateful draft decisions led to some of the greatest coups and some of the worst blunders in Bills history. Enough good decisions led to the most productive drafts in Buffalo franchise history just as some poor decisions led to some of the worst draft crops in team history.’

‘It’s believed the Bills have Roethlisberger rated slightly ahead of Rivers. If the Chargers and Giants take quarterbacks, the chances of Buffalo getting a QB drop. In that case, Buffalo probably would have to move ahead of Pittsburgh to get Roethlisberger. If either the Chargers or Giants pass on a QB, then the odds of a passer for Buffalo go up.’

‘The 2004 NFL draft shapes up as possibly the deepest ever at wide receiver. According to most projections, seven or eight could hear their names called in the first round, which begins today at noon on ESPN.’

‘Gallery is the only offensive lineman expected to be picked in the top half of the first round today. He is a 6-foot-7, 320-pounder who has been mentioned in the same breath as St. Louis’ Pace and former Jacksonville Jaguar Boselli, two of the most heralded tackles to hit the NFL in the past 20 years.’