We are only one week from the NFL Combine, which means player stock will rise and fall over the next month. As a result, this will be the final mock draft before the combine. In the fourth addition of the Bucs Report 3-round mock draft, we take a look at who the Buccaneers could draft in April.
To view the entire mock draft, click this link
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
HT: 6’5 WT: 320 lbs
If you’ve been keeping up with our weekly mock drafts, you can see a theme developing. Offensive tackle is incredibly strong in the first round of this draft, and the Buccaneers would be wise to grab one.
I originally stated that Andrew Thomas will unlikely fall out of the top 10, but with the rising stock of other lineman, it is becoming more of a possibility. I have raved about Andrew Thomas for the past month, his versatility to play both guard and tackle at the NFL level is one reason why.
Thomas is incredibly powerful in the running game, his ability to maintain his frame is already at an elite level. His quickness off the ball is trait that I think is underrated in most analyst’s assessments of Thomas. One trait I like to see in first round prospects is intelligence, and Thomas has experience in pro-style passing sets.
One of the biggest drawbacks in film evaluation is Thomas’ endurance. He can get sloppy in his technique as the game progresses. This can cause slip-ups against quicker edge rushers, but I think with good coaching, Thomas can iron out these deficiencies.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
HT: 5’10 WT: 217 lbs
In my second mock draft, Buccaneers 2020 3-Round Mock Draft 2.0, I drafted J.K. Dobbins out of Ohio State. We do the same here, for one big reason. The trio of Dobbins, D’Andre Swift, and Jonathan Taylor are elite runningbacks. If you can draft one of them in the second round, you send in that draft card without hesitation. In this mock draft, Dobbins fell again, so we pulled the trigger. Here is my previous assessment of Dobbins.
“Aside from his catching ability, Dobbins’ elite vision and deceptive elusiveness will translate well to a three-down role in the NFL. With over 300 carries in 2019, Dobbins proved that he can be a durable running back at the next level. One concern I have is his sub-par pass blocking, a trait that Bruce Arians benched Jones for last season.”
Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne
HT: 6’1 WT: 217 lbs
Some draft analysts knock prospects for playing at a small school. I think it should be included in your assessment, but completely shooting down draft stock because a player dominated at a division II school is unfair.
Kyle Dugger is an elite, but raw athlete. He excels in a strong safety role where he can “seek and destroy”. Think of an M.J. Stewart type of play style, but with more speed and acceleration. One reason I also love Dugger is his versatility. He can be shifted to the linebacker position, a returner, and a gunner on punts and kickoffs. The Buccaneers have been searching for a returner for quite some time, why not kill two birds with one stone.
One of the weakness of Dugger is his zone coverage ability. He can sometimes get lost in space, which creates larger holes on his side of the field. I think this can be coached, especially in a specific NFL scheme. His man coverage ability is a bit more developed given his natural physicality, with that being said, I could see some difficulty covering quicker NFL receivers.
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