Buccaneers Finally Have a Rising Star to Build Around in Mike Evans

The last time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a true game-breaker on offense was...

Doug Martin for a season? No. Only one year of production before his career dropped off a cliff.

The combination of Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott in the backfield? No. A good duo, certainly, but never true game-breakers. 

A three-year stretch from 2005-08 with Joey Galloway's speed on the outside may be the closest thing the Buccaneers have had to a true mismatch on offense since the start of the new millennium. The organization has been traditionally built around a strong defense with just enough on offense to win (even a Super Bowl in 2003). 

This lack of memorable offensive weapons on the Buccaneers' roster may have finally changed with wide receiver Mike Evans. 

When the Buccaneers selected Evans with the seventh overall pick in May's NFL draft, the organization had high expectations for the wide receiver. He is already exceeding those expectations. 

Despite a 22-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns Sunday, Evans was the best player on the field. 

Like Galloway, this year's first-round pick is a constant mismatch who creates headaches for opposing defenses. Galloway won individual matchups in the NFL for 16 seasons due to his blazing speed. Evans combines the ability to take off the top of a defense with tremendous size at 6'5" and 231 pounds. 

The organization signed veteran Vincent Jackson to five-year, $55.55 million contract two years ago in an attempt to be what Evans now is in the offense, as The Tampa Tribune's Ira Kaufman correctly identified: 

The Buccaneers have never had a young talent at wide receiver quite like Evans. The start to his rookie season is better than any other draft pick at the position in the franchise's history, according to The Tampa Tribune's Roy Cummings: 

Evans reached new heights Sunday. The wide receiver set new career highs (the first of many times this will likely happen) with seven receptions for 124 yards and a pair of touchdown catches. 

What was most impressive about Evans' performance was being able to display the entire package in one contest. 

The first-year wide receiver used his body to shield defenders, caught the back-shoulder throw, took the top off the defense, high-pointed the football, found soft spots in the zone and even tracked the ball over his head to make an over-the-shoulder reception. 

While the Browns defense hasn't played to expectations this season, Evans was matched up against the talented Joe Haden, the scrappy Buster Skrine and even fellow first-round pick Justin Gilbert. Evans proved to be a mismatch against each of them due to his size and raw physical ability. 

Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon described the advantage Evans gives the team's offense, per the Tampa Bay Times: 

"

Mike really stepped up. Like I have been saying, he's getting better and better every week. When a team puts a guy like Joe Haden on Vincent Jackson, that's okay because we are pretty good on the other side. It's going to be interesting to see how teams start playing us. They are really going to have to pick and choose what they want to do with those two guys.

"

Evans' over-the-shoulder touchdown reception against Skrine may have been the highlight of the contest even in a Buccaneers loss. 

Just ask former NFL scouting director and current ESPN analyst Louis Riddick how special Evans can be: 

The growing concern over the long haul is whether Evans will ever have the caliber of quarterback to consistently get him the football. Glennon has proved he's not the team's answer behind center. The franchise already invested heavily in the offensive line this year. And Charles Sims is eventually expected to take over at running back after being a third-round selection in this year's draft. 

That leaves quarterback as the major question mark. Whether it's Oregon's Marcus Mariota, Florida State's Jameis Winston or whomever the franchise selects in the draft, the new quarterback will have an ideal target and security blanket on the outside in Evans. 

After a terrible 1-7 start to the season, Buccaneers fans can at least look forward to watching Evans each week. The young wide receiver will only get better as he gains more experience, and Tampa Bay won't have to worry about a No. 1 option in its offense for a very long time. 

Evans is already the Buccaneers' No. 1 wide receiver.

All salary information obtained from Spotrac.com.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.