The Tampa Bay Buccaneers go into day one of the NFL draft with a near complete roster. The only needs are Edge, Defensive Back and Offensive Line. Filing out the roster with depth will be key, especially with the attrition of the 17 game regular season. Here are some players to keep your eye on.
Current Picks
🔸️Rd: 1 (27)
🔸️Rd: 2 (60)
🔸️Rd: 3 (91)
🔸️Rd: 4 (133)
🔸️Rd: 7 (248)
🔸️Rd: 7 (261)
Edge Rusher
Arnold Ebiketie
Ebiketie was not the strongest, fastest, or even biggest player on the field, but he still found ways to disrupt the Quarterback. His high effort and short arms show shades of Shaq Barrett. Using a first-round pick on Ebiketie would show impact on day one.
Projection- Round 1
Nik Bonitto
The only way to describe Nik Bonitto is to say he plays like he’s been “shot out of a cannon” which fits well on the Buccaneers. Bonitto has the best get-off and insane bend. Bonitto may be a one-trick pony, but that trick is done very well and at a high level.
Projection- Round 1-2
Drake Jackson
A four-year starter at USC, Drake Jackson flashed immediately and became a day one impact. He hasn’t grown much, but was still a threat to opposing teams his senior year. Jackson is a very safe pick with little upside.
Projection- Round 2
Dominique Robinson
Born in Canton Ohio, football was part of his life from day one. In High School he played QB, he went to Miami (OH) to play QB, but his athleticism was so dominant he was moved to receiver. He put up nearly 500 yards as a wide receiver before being told to put on weight to play defensive end. He is very raw but has the athleticism to be good at the next level.
Projection- Round 3-4
Sam Williams
A near-perfect fit for Todd Bowles 3-4 defensive scheme. Williams has speed off the edge and can dip his hips to get around slower tackles. His red flag is off-the-field issues that led him to be suspended for the whole 2020 season.
Projection- Round 3-4
Interior Offensive Line
Zion Johnson
To put it simply, Zion Johnson would be a slam dunk pick and would make the Buccaneers oline the best in the league. As a top 5 player on my board, Johnson is versatile, he can play tackle and can snap. He can even play both sides as he did back in his early college days at Davidson. His tape could be teaching tape and is nearly flawless.
Projection- Round 1
Cole Strange
Small school linemen have always intrigued Jason Licht and it has worked in the past. Strange is a violent guy in the trenches who has that “F-you” mentality, a perfect running mate for Ryan Jensen. He will never be the most athletic or strongest, but he has a mentality you can’t teach and is worth a day two pick.
Projection- Round 2-3
Jamaree Salyer
Salyer is a big guy and will most definitely be a guard in the NFL. He started at Georgia at both guard and tackle and could provide an NFL-capable tackle in an “emergency” situation.
Projection- Round 3-4
Dylan Parham
Parham has a smaller build, especially for a guard, but he has a surprisingly good anchor when getting bull-rushed by defenders bigger than him. He is an all-around solid prospect, but his lack of being able to move bodies in the run game could scare teams away.
Projection- Round 3-4
Defensive Backs
Dax Hill
Positional flexibility is so important, especially during a 17-game regular season where injuries will affect every team at every position. Dax Hill can play anywhere in the secondary and can do it at a high level. At worst Dax Hill is a good slot corner in the NFL.
Projection- Round 1
Zyon McCollum
Zyon McCollum is the most athletic corner to come out of college since modern metrics became a thing. A small school guy who still produced and showed flashes of greatness. In a draft where Trevon Walker could go #1 overall, I don’t understand why that same level of hype hasn’t been attributed to Zyon McCollum.
Projection- Round 2-5
Roger McCreary
Roger McCreary is a prototypical man coverage corner. At the senior bowl, he was asked about his comfort in the zone and he said that he never played pure zone in his college career. If used correctly he could be a lockdown corner in man or match coverages.
Projection- Round 1-2
Jalen Pitre
Bucs fans weren’t too happy about losing Jordan Whitehead. Well, Jalen Pitre is Jordan Whitehead with a more complete skill set. His smart and physical play along the line of scrimmage makes him a plus one in the run game and showed flashes of good coverage too.
Projection- Round 1
Final Thoughts
Picking at 27 means it’s virtually impossible to predict who will be on the board, let alone who the Bucs will take. I could name another 25 players who would be a great fit with our first three selections. Always remember that no matter how much praise or backlash the pick may get it means nothing and the real value will be shown on the field.
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