Ah, the 5th round. A wonderful time to find a relatively solid, if not super exciting player who could maybe contribute at some point in their career.
Regardless, even if whoever the Buccaneers end up picking don’t end up being a great NFL player, at this point they just need guys with pulses to fill some roster spots. So here’s five guys the Buccaneers could get in the fifth round.
Jarrett Patterson, G, Notre Dame
A center the majority of his time in South Bend, Patterson made the switch to left guard in his final season as a member of the Fighting Irish. He was a consistent starter on the team throughout his career at Notre Dame, and his experience as a versatile lineman make for a enticing option for many teams looking to shore up on o-line depth, but his lack of athletic ability and upside causes some major concern when trying to think of him as anything more than a quality backup.
Jonah Tavai, DI, San Diego State
Tavai was a former star rugby player in high school before switching to football, and he certainly brings that sort of edge to the game that teams look for in a defensive lineman. While at San Diego State Tavai established himself as a quality man to have against the run, and he uses a stout frame to his advantage. However, his lack of height and length can be cause for concern moving forward.
Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
Pappoe makes up for his size with great leadership ability and an eagerness to work harder than the next guy. Pappoe would be a wonderful draft choice for the Buccaneers in the fourth round, but he’s certainly a gamble due to that aforementioned lack of size and his inability to become an elite tackler. He played some great competition at Auburn in the SEC, and hopefully his skills translate well into the big show.
Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
After the speedy 5-star recruit transferred from LSU to Nebraska to look for more playing time, Palmer was able to take advantage of this opportunity and parlay it into one of the most productive seasons for a wideout in Cornhusker history. He vaulted himself into NFL draft conversations and looks to be just scratching the surface of his potential. Palmer would be an excellent complimentary option to Evans and Godwin, providing the speed that this offense has so severely lacked for the past couple of seasons. But, of course, since he’s a fourth round guy he has his share of flaws; he’s mostly a slot guy and lacks physicality at the position. We shall see what his future holds.
Jose Ramirez, Edge, Eastern Michigan
Not to be confused with the switch-hitting third baseman for the Cleveland Guardians, Ramirez is a local guy, coming from Auburndale High School. But the guy had some really impressive sack numbers in 2022 despite only being a 3-star guy coming out of high school. Hopefully Ramirez can improve on his strength at the NFL level, as he was able to get away with mostly using his explosive quick step ability at the college level to rack up sacks.
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