Joshua Cole Allen’s Final Bucs Mock Draft

Its draft day and my final Bucs mock draft of the season is here! With the draft now hours away, tape has been watched, evaluations have been done, and now it’s time to sit back and see the results of months of work come to fruition.

While I do see the Buccaneers making trades around the draft, I decided to stay put with each of their picks in my final Bucs mock draft. I don’t see how eight rookies make this team and whether its pushing picks into future years or moving picks to improve current draft spots this year, I fully envision them making moves.

With that all being said, I’m excited for the draft to start. Names to be called, lives to be changed, and even seeing Roger Goodell.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the clock!

Round 1, Pick No. 32: EDGE Joe Tryon, Washington Huskies

Let’s hop on the Joe Tryon bandwagon here. After evaluating him again I can see why he is such a popular pick to the Buccaneers.

Tryon is one of the most explosive pass rushers in the draft. Quick of the snap, he uses his size and length to get good leverage on his opponents and win at the point of attack. He’s Fluid enough to drop back in coverage when asked and is sound against the run. He has all the tools an traits to develop into a dangerous pass rusher at the next level with the right coaching.

Tryon does need to work on developing a wider array of pass rush moves and is stiff when bending the edge but his high motor keeps him in plays. Another potential knock is that Tryon opted out of the 2020 season and only has one year of production in his only year as a starter.

Still a work in progress, learning under JPP, Shaq Barrett and this coaching staff could do wonders for his development while he contributes in a rotational role immediately.

Round 2, Pick No. 64: IOL Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks

Quinn Meinerz could be another Jason Licht small-school specialty. After blowing away the scouts at the Senior Bowl, Meinerz has put together a solid name for himself during the pre-daft process, earning him a couple extra dollars as well. Meinerz played guard in college and actually taught himself how to snap. He is dominant at the point, has good bend with a solid base and has the athleticism to get out in front on pulls and screens.

A nasty finisher, he can sometimes be overly-aggressive and end up on the ground. Meinerz could stand to improve his footwork and leans a little too much on the snap. But for someone who is self-taught, that can be corrected with coaching. One of the major knocks on Meinerz is his inexperience going against top competition. Playing against NFL defenders could take some time to get used to after playing in Division III. But he held his own during the Senior Bowl, so he’s capable of running with the big boys in that regard, at least.

Quinn shows the toughness Arians likes and has even drawn some comparisons to Bucs center Ryan Jensen. If the Bucs have a shot at him, his center/ guard versatility could be too much value to pass up on. Especially with Jensen and Alex Cappa in contract years. That’s why he makes sense in this final Bucs mock draft.

Round 3, Pick No. 95: QB Kyle Trask, Florida Gators

The Buccaneers draft the potential heir apparent to Tom Brady here in the third round after making a few moves. The team has spoken with the Florida QB several times throughout the pre-draft process, including most recently at his Pro Day. Kyle Trask fits the mold of what Bruce Arians looks for in a QB.

Big body, good arm, quick processor and release. Not a guy that can extended a lot of plays with his legs, but a stout enough runner to make short down conversions. Trask finished with a 180.0 passer rating, and completed 552 of 813 passes for a 67.9 completion percentage with 4,283 yards and 43 passing touchdowns.

A true pocket passer, Trask would benefit greatly from learning behind Brady and this coaching staff.

Round 4, Pick No. 137: RB Michael Carter, North Carolina Tar Heels

Michael Carter spent the 2020 season splitting carries with Javonte Williams and while he is not as complete a player as Williams, he has all the skills to become a very good back at the next level. He excels as a pass-catcher out of the backfield and can run inside and outside. He possesses great vision and burst; and his elusiveness makes him a slippery player to tackle.

However, his small frame will most likely limit him from becoming a feature back in the NFL. Carter projects more as a rotational back in a committee at the next level. That should be fine for Tampa Bay, considering how they used RoJo and Fournette in 2020.

Round 5, Pick No. 176: G David Moore, Grambling State Tigers

David Moore is the typical small school player that Licht loves to target in the draft. While he is compact at 5-foot-10, he has formidable power. Moore is aggressive in the run game often seeking the action and not waiting for it to come to him. He shows enough athleticism when pulling to be successful at the next level. He needs to play with better balance and more control at times but projects into a nice developmental prospect that should be a starter sooner rather than later.

Round 6, Pick No. 217: TE Tre McKitty, Georgia

Tre McKitty was an under-used prospect at his time at FSU and Georgia, but showed great potential as a receiving threat. His versatility had him lined up in in the slot and backfield where he utilized his athleticism in the passing game. He needs to work on his route running but has exceptional run after the catch ability.

While McKitty is a willing blocker, it is still an area where he needs to improve. He won’t run a 4.5 40, but he has great football speed on the field. McKitty underwent knee surgery before the start of the 2020 season which limited him to 4 games. With Rob Gronkowski and OJ Howard in a contract year, it would be worth addressing the position in the draft.

Round 7, Pick No. 251: Isaiah McDuffie LB Boston College

McDuffie is a sideline-to-sideline, high volume tackler. He uses his athleticism to stay with running backs in coverage and has enough strength to shed blocks. However, he often plays too fast and can overreact, which puts him out of position. He can also get taken out of plays by climbing blockers and has a difficult time turning his head around in coverage, which can lead to incidental contact downfield. He can also be a bit undisciplined after the whistle.

All said, McDuffie projects a solid back up at the next level who will really make his mark on special teams, where he was a steady force with the Eagles. McDuffie should make the roster out of camp and slide right into that fourth linebacker spot.

Round 7, Pick No. 259: CB Avery Williams, Boise State 

Avery Williams was a solid corner in college, he also spent time at safety due to injuries and is even seen as potentially playing running back in the league. That versatility will go a long way to helping him make a roster. But where he really shines as a return specialist. During his time in Boise, he recorded nine touchdowns on returns, five on punts and three on kickoffs. He added five blocked kicks and a forced fumble as well. Comparing himself to a blend of Devin Hester and Matthew Slater, Williams would be a welcomed addition to the special team’s room.

He may be the final pick in the first-round mock draft and the actual draft, but his return ability gives him a leg up on some of the earlier selections.

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Let us know what you think of this final Bucs mock draft in the comment section below!