Jason Licht’s seventh draft will hopefully go down as successful after drafting a few missing pieces that could set the Buccaneers up for years to come. Well, as the draft has ended, here is a breakdown of the Day three picks for the Buccaneers.
Round 5 pick Tyler Johnson
Johnson is a 6’1” 206 lbs wide receiver from the University of Minnesota that may fill the void at slot receiver. As a junior, Johnson set the school record in receiving yard with 1,169 and touchdowns with 12. He could have opted to enter the draft after his junior year but came back for his senior season. During his senior season, he led the team with 86 receptions, 1,318 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns. He will become a solid receiver and help the team push for a playoff spot.
Round 6 pick Khalil Davis
Davis is a 6’1” 308 lbs interior defensive linemen from the University of Nebraska. During his career he played in 36 games and amassed 105 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Davis will bring an exciting quickness and agility once the ball is snapped. At the combine, Davis ran a 4.79 40-yard dash which was sixth-best among all defensive linemen and first among players over 270 pounds. He is not a finished product, but with coaching, he will become a solid rotational player.
Round 7 pick Chapelle Russell
Russell is a 6’2” 260 lbs linebacker out of Temple University. After tearing his ACL in back-to-back seasons, Russel became a standout for the Owls. He’s an instinctive run defender that is almost always around the ball. Over his career, he has racked up 237 tackles, 19.5 of which were for loss, and three sacks. They brought in Chapelle to add depth to the linebacker room and may play a part in special teams while he learns the defense.
Round 7 pick Raymond Calais
Calais is a 5’8” running back from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. While not being the primary back, Calais amassed 1845 yards rushing over his career. The Buccaneers may look to use him as a change of pace back because of his below-average size. The team will also look at him in the return game as he was voted to the Sunbelt All-Conference Team as a return specialist.
Overall, I think the Buccaneers are happy with the draft results and will now turn their attention to adding a few undrafted free agents.
