Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Mike Evans Calls New Rookie 'Super Polished'

High praise from one of the NFL's best wideouts.

River Wells | Jul 24, 2024

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Media members and pundits have had plenty of great stuff to say about new Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan. But don't take it from us.

McMillan, who the Bucs selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Washington, has been the talk of the town for a little bit after displaying his crisp route-running skills and his sure hands. But he isn't just getting praise from outlets — he's getting good praise from Mike Evans, who is one of the league's best wide receivers.

Evans spoke to media after the first day of training camp, and when asked about McMillan, he immediately had some great things to say about the rookie wideout.

"Super polished," Evans said of McMillan. "Super polished rookie, smart."

It didn't stop there, though. Evans immediately recalled a story about McMillan from the previous day, giving major props to his work ethic and how he helps other people on the team, too.

"Last night at the hotel before curfew, I come in and he's in there with a couple of guys doing walkthrough for the plays today," Evans said. "I said 'Man, this is a new offense for me, too, let me get some plays.' So they're keeping me motivated and keeping me sharp. So [McMilan], I look for him to have a great year for us."

If that's any indication, McMillan could be a big factor for the Buccaneers this upcoming season. While he's technically in a competition with wideout Trey Palmer for the WR3 competition, offensive coordinator Liam Coen said that both of them will likely get some playing time across the year.

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Published Jul 24, 2024

RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.