Ole Miss football fans were watching the NFL Draft last Thursday night. Needless to say many hoped for no big surprises like last year. Although nothing even close to last year’s ‘gas mask’ fiasco popped up, many were still surprised when the NY Giants got on the clock for their first pick. Roger Goodell announced NY Giants had selected Evan Engram as their first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and many Ole Miss fans were shocked and happily astounded.
Evan Engram made a push to get selected within the first round of this draft early last Thursday afternoon, even before the draft began. However, many of the super-pundits were still saying no way. As Ole Miss football fans, we all know what Engram is capable of. Throughout his outstanding career as a Rebel we saw it time and again. Evan always seems to be always be open and always seems to make the catch.
Even after blowing up the NFL Combine by the dramatically fast 40 times he turned in, the ‘experts’ were still saying he was too small to play the part of the prototypical TE in the NFL. They had concluded he was the third best prospect in this draft. However, his statistics at TE his senior season at Ole Miss had completely obliterated OJ Howard of Alabama and David Njoku from Miami. Perhaps, sometimes the experts are wrong? Nah, surely not.
Proof In The Numbers
There have never been any doubts in our minds that Evan was the very best tight-end in the nation. Not just because he wore a Rebel uniform or made the fantastic plays on the field. Evan had the numbers to prove he was better and won the accolades to prove it.
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In Engram’s career at Ole Miss he was responsible for many exciting moments. However, the proof he is the best in the nation and deserved to be the first pick in the draft are in the numbers of his senior season.
According to OleMissSports.com, Evan had 65 receptions for 926 yards, which was an average of 14.2 yards per catch. In 11 games he would catch 8 TDs and average 84.6 yards a game receiving.
There was no doubt what Evan was capable of once he got the ball in his hands, literally powering over defensive backs in the toughest conference in the nation,
Awards And Accolades
Engram was selected to the All-American First Team as a TE his senior season. Engram also won the illustrious Ozzie Newsome Award which is awarded to the best TE in the Nation. Evan won the Pop Warner College Football Award and the C-Spire Conerly Trophy. Obviously, Evan was the best TE in the nation in everybody’s eyes but the so-called ‘experts. Per OleMissSports.com,
"“Over his sensational collegiate career, Engram became the first Rebel to be named All-SEC four times and finished as the all-time Ole Miss leader in receptions (162), receiving yards (2,320) and touchdowns (15) by a tight end.” ~OleMissSports.com"
Proving The Experts Wrong
Everybody has their own opinion when they watch a player in highlights. Experts who have seen the very best players from every position have a depth of knowledge which surpasses many arm-chair quarterbacks. However, as noted before. The experts are sometimes wrong.
Many Ole Miss football followers began to believe the experts, even after they had watched Engram his entire career. Even after he plowed through the competition at the NFL Combine in Indy, many people, fans included, had determined he was undersized as a prototypical TE. However, Evan Engram’s draft stock began to rise at the beginning of last week.
Of course, in the final days leading into the draft, the landscape changes a lot. Every year there are teams offering trades for better pick positions, as was the case this year. As late as Thursday afternoon, teams were still jockeying for position and the possibility of gaining a shot at a specific player. The Atlanta Falcons were just one team who was in the trading mode to get Evan. However, the New York Giants had their eye on him as well.
Giants Are The Experts
After picking Evan at 23rd in the first-round Jerry Reese was quick to endorse the NY Giants position. He let everybody know what had enticed them the most about Engram and the logic behind their pick. “We see Evan as a weapon in the Giants offense.” “We see him as somebody who can line up at TE, in the slot or outside,” continued Reese.
What position will Evan play for the Giants? We can’t be sure. However, the Giants front office is certain of their first round pick and happy enough in his credentials to offer him a 7 figure signing bonus.
One thing is for certain. The Giants know what they are doing when it comes to drafting Ole Miss and Conerly trophy winners. Accordingly, just look at what they did with the last one they got. I’d say two Super-Bowls and two MVPs is a pretty good repertoire. Maybe the Giants front office are the experts? Ole Miss football fans know, however, the rest of NFL nation finds out soon. At any rate, congrats to Evan and the New York Giants. You both did very very well. Even Rosetroll was wrong. Hotty Toddy!