Ali Marpet has been one of the more consistent players for the Bucs since being drafted out of Division three Hobart College in 2015. From the time he was giving former Buccaneer Gerald McCoy fits in OTAs his rookie year, we all knew he would be special.
Injuries slightly derailed two of his seasons, but for the most part he has remained healthy. Entering his 5th season coming off a massive extension, Marpet just might be out to prove something to Tampa Bay. He’s worthy of being a 1st team All-Pro. All the tools are there. The grit is there. The position flexibility is there as well.
Aside from times where he makes mental errors (20+ penalties in his career), he’s shown he can bounce back with a string of very solid outings. Now back in his more comfortable role of playing left guard, Marpet has a golden opportunity to literally put his money where his mouth is. So look for Marpet to be an anchor yet again for the offensive line this season. If the Bucs are establish themselves early in games, it will have to start up front and Marpet will have to shoulder that leadership role.
