Whilst the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl are the traditional final acts of the NFL season, many teams are already looking to the draft. As the draft moves closer, mock drafts are released with regularity and we’ll review the majority of them here.
First up is Drafttek, simply because they seem to have a knack for getting them right when it comes to the Bucs draft.
Round 1 – Bradley Chubb DE NC State – I’d like to blow my own trumpet for a second as Drafttek predicted not only the same pick but also that Indianapolis will go for Arden Key on Draft Night. (Bucs Report Mock Draft 1.0 – By BritBuc)
I’m not going to go into too much detail over Chubb unless you’ve been stuck in the Antarctic for the last 9 months we all know who he is and what he brings. The Buccaneers are in dire need of an elite pass rusher to take some pressure off McCoy and put it on opposing Quarterbacks. Bradley Chubb offers the potential of a blue chip player who could be a sack machine from day one so the pick makes perfect sense.
Round 2 – Levi Wallace CB, Alabama – Drafttek stays with defense with Wallace from Alabama. For me, it’s a confusing pick and I’ll assume that Drafttek knows something I don’t. Wallace was a walk-on for the Crimson Tide and played sparingly over the year, seeing more action on special teams where he stood out on occasion. At 6 feet the junior from Alabama certainly looks the part but, for me, doesn’t have enough tape to justify a 2nd round pick.
Round 3 – Royce Freeman RB, Oregon – This is where Drafttek jumps to the offense. Drafting the versatile Freeman isn’t beyond reason as he has shown he’s got the ability to be a 3 down back in the NFL. No one can doubt his production or ability as he excels in zone rushing. What I would doubt his how much he has left after being such a vital player for the Ducks? For a 3rd round pick, this isn’t a bad call and Licht may be tempted if he’s still on the board.
Round 4 – Matt Elam DT Kentucky – Back to defense and Drafttek predict the Bucs grab the senior defensive lineman. Elam mostly played in the 1 technique role for Kentucky and at 6 feet 7 inches and 360 pounds, he has the size to do it in the pros. The one issue will be getting into shape as he’s a fat 360 pounds, not a fit 360 pounds. If he does get into shape he could well be an anchor point for the defensive line, eating up blockers for McCoy, Chubb, and Spence to exploit.
Round 5 – Equanimeous St Brown WR, Notre Dame – Interesting pick! St Brown is a talented receiver and ranked number 3 on the WR prospects by Walter Football. At 6 feet 5 inches, 205 lbs and expected to run in the 4.5 range, St Brown would offer a similar threat to Mike Evans and help out Jameis Winston with a viable vertical threat and an impressive catch radius. Equanimeous could be gone before the 5th round as many scouts rate him a lot higher than his stats would suggest. The Anaheim native was a victim of the woeful passing game from the Irish and St Brown never got the chance to showcase his talents.
A little something for both offense and defense here. I’d be happy if the draft fell like that (assuming that Drafttek DOES know something about Wallace). Post your views on this mock and be on the lookout for more reviews and the Bucs Report Mock Draft 2.0
