SANTA CLARA – Mike Evans graciously stopped on his way to the 49ers locker room Friday to answer one more question about his jump-ball skills.
Does he know about R.C. Owens’ “Alley-Oop” touchdown grabs, or much else about the 49ers’ history?
“I do not. I do need to learn some,” Evans said with a curious and respectful tone.
Seventy years after Owens pioneered a way to snag touchdown passes from quarterbacks Y.A. Tittle and John Brodie, Evans’ ability to do the same for Brock Purdy might be the only sure thing this season from the 49ers’ highly questionable receiving corps.
Those lingering questions:
— Can Deebo Samuel summon his 2021 All-Pro form in his encore act, having agreed Thursday to return on a one-year, $7 million deal?
— Is Ricky Pearsall’s right knee injury serious enough to cost him this season, after missing half of last season?
— How instant a star can rookie De’Zhaun Stribling be and how is his glowing start to camp different from those of Pearsall in 2024 and Jordan Watkins last summer?
— Will Christian Kirk’s calf strain during the camp’s first practice keep him out much longer?
See, this is why Evans’ addition is so vital for Purdy and the pass game, for providing such a credible threat, especially near the end zone.
In Friday’s first red zone drill of training camp, Purdy wisely threw a ball that the 6-foot-5 Evans snatched high at the goal line, with an almost unnecessary leap against 5-foot-9 cornerback Upton Stout.
“I’m 6-5. I have ability and I’ve done it throughout my career,” said Evans, whose 108 touchdown catches are 10th most in NFL history. “You just talk to quarterbacks about it, like, ‘When I’m covered, I’m still pretty open if you throw the ball up and get some air.
“That’s one of the biggest things in my game.”
In Evans’ past 12 seasons at Tampa Bay, he made 51 touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line, and 26 from inside the 4-yard line.
Here’s another history lesson for Evans: Such jump-ball skills would have served the 49ers well in, say, the 2012 team’s Super Bowl that ended with Colin Kaepernick’s failed fade passes to Michael Crabtree in the end zone.
Back in 1957, R.C. Owens showed that prowess, and today inside the 49ers’ museum at Levi’s Stadium is a statue of him making an “Alley Oop” catch. His enshrinement to the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame came 15 years ago, along with that of Roger Craig, who’ll be entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame next weekend.
“When I was in college (at Texas A&M), I made a living off of getting open. Johnny Manziel, we had a good connection on jump balls,” Evans said. “I’ve always used my frame. It comes from my basketball background. I love to box defenders out. And I love competing.”
Evans won a Super Bowl catching passes from Tom Brady with the 2020 Bucs. Now, Purdy is the one leading this ring chase.
“Brock is a super accurate quarterback,” Evans said. “He hasn’t overthrown me yet.”
There are just nine players in NFL history with more regular-season touchdown catches than Evans’ 108. Ahead of him are: Jerry Rice (197), Randy Moss (156), Terrell Owens (153), Cris Carter (130), Marvin Harrison (128), Larry Fitzgerald (121), Davante Adams (117), Antonio Gates (116) and Tony Gonzalez (111).
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said Evans “still has juice. I know people talk about his age. He still moves really well and is still the same Mike Evans.”
Evans turns 33 on Aug. 21.
“Mike is a real competitor, a real savvy guy,” cornerback Renardo Green added. “So seeing him make moves that a lot of guys can’t, seeing how he tracks the ball and is as a pro, it’s very interesting. I like competing against Mike. A dog recognizes a dog.”
As for how best to defend a jump ball, Green said: “Mike’s a physical guy so you better get physical and fight pressure with pressure. Then at that point it’s about adjusting and playing the ball.”