Tampa Bay Buccaneers Beat Reporter Trevor Sikkema

1. WR Mike Evans
As much as I hate to agree with my boss Scott Reynolds on this one — not because I think he’s wrong, just because I don’t like being too much of a copycat — I have to go with wide receiver Mike Evans as my most impressive camp performer so far.

Evans has simply been unguardable through the first four days. Whether it was in full pads, half pads or no pads, Evans has caught ever single ball thrown his way and has imposed his will on just about every defensive back on the roster. I’ve seen Evans look like a Pro Bowler before, and yet I’m not afraid to say this is the best I think I’ve ever seen him.

2. CB M.J. Stewart

Bucs CBs Isaiah Johnson and M.J. Stewart – Photo by: Zach Beeker

A rookie on the most impressive list? And even better than that, No. 2 on the list? You better believe it.

There were a few people, myself included, that were a little hesitant of the selection of Stewart in the second round of this past draft, mostly due to the fact that he’s mainly a nickel cornerback and the Bucs needed more help on the outside. But, as Vernon Hargreaves has been out of practice for the the last few days, Stewart has stepped in to play slot with the first team and shown that, even though it might not be exactly where they have the biggest need, the selection of him was no mistake thus far. He’s been aggressive, confident and seemed to learn from mistakes very well. He’s taking his lumps against some of the better offensive weapons, but he’s making his plays against them, too. I’ve been very impressed.

3. K Chandler Catanzaro
A kicker? Really, Trev?

Come on, you know that from the way we’ve seen this team go through kickers over the past few years that this should be a welcomed point of emphasis. Catanzaro did miss a handful of kicks early on in the mini-camp practices, but since then he’s been lights out. He went 4-for-4 in the only pressure kicking drill we saw so far, and a couple of those were from far distances. This team needs consistent kicking something fierce, and so far, in practice, Catanzaro has been what they paid him to be.

4. DE Jason Pierre-Paul
In shirts and short, it’s hard for trench players to really make their mark. When the pads come on, that’s when the real assessments of those guys can begin, and on Sunday when the team broke out the full pads for the first time, Pierre-Paul was a stand-out.

The coaches have raved about Pierre-Paul’s ability to be a full-time defensive lineman, meaning against the run and the pass. On Sundays he really proved them right with a full practice of plays as a run stuffer. He’s been lining up at defensive end and defensive tackle, stopping the run and rushing the passer. No matter what the team has asked of him so far, Pierre-Paul has done his job and done it very well.

5. TE O.J. Howard
There are a handful of players that deserve to be on this list, if we’re being honest. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been great getting the ball deep down the field. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has been making an impact daily. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has performed well as the first-team quarterback. Linebackers Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander look excited with the full pads on. But, those are the stars, and their top performance is expected.

With that in mind, I decided to point out another player I’ve been impressed with and that is tight end O.J. Howard. The second-year tight end looks more comfortable this year than he was last year. He’s been used in a variety of different ways, and he seems to really be complimenting fellow tight end Cameron Brate instead of taking away from him. Howard’s use will be crucial to this Bucs offense in 2018.