Looking to upgrade the NFL’s 25th-ranked passing offense, the Buffalo Bills selected Wisconsin wide receiver Lee Evans with the 13th pick in the first round of Saturday’s NFL draft.
For Evans, the draft was a culmination of a two-year comeback from a left knee injury suffered in UW’s 2002 spring football game.
“It’s great. I couldn’t be more happy, more thrilled with what’s going on,” Evans said. “It’s been an incredible ride. To be rated real high my junior year, to come back and play and still be rated high, it’s a great feeling. I’m really enjoying the day with my family and all my friends.”
Evans was the fourth receiver taken, behind Pittsburgh’s Larry Fitzgerald (third overall to Arizona), Texas’ Roy Williams (seventh overall to Detroit) and Washington’s Reggie Williams (ninth overall to Jacksonville).
“I knew a lot of teams from the 13 to 20 range were really interested, but you just never know with the draft,” Evans said. “You never know what can happen. I was still trying to be optimistic about it and stay up, but pretty much just wait for the call. Luckily for me, it came early.”
In Buffalo, Evans will join an offense led by veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Last season, Bledsoe’s main targets, Eric Moulds and Josh Reed, struggled to make up for the departure of the departed Peerless Price. After a 100-catch, 1,292-yard campaign in 2002, Moulds’ production slipped to 64 receptions and 780 yards in 2003 following the trade of Price to Atlanta.
Reed was unable to replace Price completely in the complementary role, tallying 58 receptions for 588 yards. New head coach Mike Mularkey will look to Evans to help boost a passing attack that averaged just 191.8 yards per game in 2003.
“They have a great defense and a great quarterback,” Evans said. “Some of the receivers there in Eric Moulds and Josh Reed, I think they’re two people who I can certainly learn from. I think it will be a great situation to go into, with veteran players who I can learn from and get better, and hopefully contribute in a way to help the team win some games.”
Buffalo also drafted its signal caller of the future in Tulane’s J.P. Losman, whom they selected with the 22nd overall pick.
Prior to the draft, Evans made visits to three NFL clubs: Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. He told reporters last week the Buffalo trip was the most enjoyable. Apparently, both Evans and the Bills liked what they saw.
“After I left Buffalo, I felt pretty good about Buffalo,” Evans said. “To actually get drafted by a team that you feel good about, I don’t know if that happens very much. I’m very pleased; I don’t think it could have been much sweeter.”
While in Buffalo, Evans spent considerable time watching film with Bills receivers coach Tyke Tolbert.
“We actually watched my pro day and watched some of the routes I did,” Evans said. “He told what he liked and what he didn’t like. It was fairly in-depth, and he had a lot of good things to say. He didn’t really bring up issues about the incident or my injury. We talked about it, but it wasn’t a very big issue with him.”
Evans shared the draft-day experience with friends and family in his hometown of Bedford, Ohio.
“I got the phone call ahead and I kept quiet,” Evans said. “As soon as they said my name, the house blew up. It was incredible. It was so special to me.”
The Bills and Evans both believe Evans can step on the field in 2004 and make an immediate impact.
“I feel like I can, that’s my goal,” Evans said. “That’s one of the things I certainly want to do. It’s just a matter of going out there and doing it: Obviously learning the offense and some of the things they do, and being able to make plays. It’s obviously a learning curve, but it’s a learning curve I’m trying to tackle. I’m excited about it and I can’t wait to get started.”
Evans joins former Badger standout Troy Vincent in Buffalo. His professional career will officially begin when he reports to mini-camp this weekend.
