Evaluating talent is one of the harder things to do as a scout and general manager for any football team. Luckily for us, Jason Licht and his staff have done a tremendous job over the last few years. One of my favorite picks was last years Justin Evans. The tape didn’t lie, and we got what we had hoped for. Evans played very well and has found himself as a starter for this upcoming season most likely.
With this past draft, the Bucs chose Jordan Whitehead, from Pitt in the fourth round of the draft. I can’t stress the value this pick presents. Jordan, who played safety, corner, nickel and tailback has the speed, size and strength to make an impact almost anywhere on the football field.
As a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, you can expect to see Jordan competing heavily for snaps as his versatility and football intellect make his decision making really stand out. Whitehead isn’t the safety that will be creeping down to play the line of scrimmage every play. He is balanced. He can come down and threaten if he is asked, but his abilities as a pure safety may be the best in the whole class.
If the former Pitt standout can make some adjustments, learn from his tendencies that dropped him to the fourth round, his presence could be seen in Tampa for years to come. For Buccaneer fans, the timing of this pick as well as the development of the defense as a whole is very intriguing. With his ability to play either safety spot, the development of Justin Evans as well as the rest of the secondary, along with the breath of life the defensive line recently received, the defense as a whole has the chance to flourish.
We are about a week away from August, and with August comes preseason football and a new Madden. I’m excited for both, but the anticipation of seeing this team make this transition has me very eager for the season to start. Let’s go Bucs!
