Son of NFL legend talks about being a 'fanboy' of Mike Evans, playing with the Buccaneers
Brendan Rice knows a thing or two about great receivers. After all, the former USC Trojan is the son of the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, Jerry Rice. The younger Rice is participating in Senior Bowl activities this week as he gets ready for the upcoming NFL Draft. He met with the media on […]
Brendan Rice knows a thing or two about great receivers. After all, the former USC Trojan is the son of the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, Jerry Rice.
The younger Rice is participating in Senior Bowl activities this week as he gets ready for the upcoming NFL Draft. He met with the media on Tuesday, where he responded to a question about Mike Evans.
"I definitely try to emulate him all the time," Rice said. "Growing up, my brother went to Texas A&M. My stepdad went to Texas A&M. So we would see Mike Evans at the games, and I was a little fanboy of him all the time. So it's going to be crazy going into the league and maybe even having the chance to learn from him."
When asked about possibly being drafted by the Buccaneers with their offensive tools from 2023, Rice was glowing at the thought of it.
"It would be crazy, man. Baker Mayfield, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans. I [would be] going into a situation where I know I'd be able to learn and go ahead and take in information. That's what I really want from a team."
Rice spent four years between Colorado and USC, spending two years at each school. His best year came last season, when he caught 45 passes for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Trojans.
Of course, there are some ifs that have to be answered first if Rice were to join the version of the Bucs' offense from 2023 that he talked about. The Bucs have to bring back Mayfield and Evans next year for that scenario to happen. Fortunately for Bucs fans, it's hard to see either one leaving town. With significant salary cap space and the franchise tag at Jason Licht's disposal, the likelihood that both are back still remains relatively high.
If both are indeed back, the Bucs have a strong starting three at WR, with Evans, Godwin, and 2023 rookie Trey Palmer serving as a formidable trio. However, there is always room for good players, and Rice could end up being there on Day 2 or 3 of the draft for the taking to challenge for the WR3 or WR4 spot.
There's also something to taking players who have an interest in your franchise, and that would be the case with Rice. After all, he's been a fan of the #13 jersey in pewter and red for a long time.
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