If I see Buccaneers center Robert Hainsey get beat for another season, I will explode.
The interior of the o-line did not look good for most of the season to say the least. To give some credit to this offensive line, the tackles were spectacular. And hey, Cody Mauch looks like he can develop into something with a few more pounds of muscle. But Matt Feiler and Hainsey were not it. I’m not exactly shocked Feiler didn’t look great. He was already a below average guard and in his 30s. But Hainsey was the starting center for every game except the playoff game against the Cowboys last year. He looked fine then.
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Baker Mayfield did not help matters much. He has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long, and so makes the o-line look worse as a result. But too many times they were straight beat and Baker will not change that part of his game, so an upgrade is necessary.
Jackson Powers-Johnson is exactly the guy the Bucs need on this o-line. I know, I know, really shocking take here. Absolutely nobody except every draft nut at the Senior Bowl has talked about how amazing he is. Well guess what? Sometimes if everyone is correct, there is no need to buck the popular opinion. Because everyone is correct, this guy kicks ass. He has been one of the most impressive IOL prospects at the Bowl, which is amazing considering he has a lot of competition.
Somehow this guy is projected as a late second round pick, but he might honestly shoot up the draft boards when it gets down to it. He is big, mean, and nasty, exactly what you want to see in your center. Very rarely has he been straight up beat. In his stints at RG and center, he had not let up a single sack and. Hey, he’ll fit right in with Tristan Wirfs.
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The other reason why I love him is that he is a fantastic run blocker. The success Oregon had as an offense has a lot to do with the run game. And while having a good RB helps, having a good blocking line helps. It is hard to get more than a yard when the entirety of your line collapses. I should know, I saw it constantly with the Buccaneers. Johnson will bring immediate improvement to this line should the Bucs nab him.
If I were to note something of concern, I would say he doesn’t have a lot of experience. His last season was also the only one where he is a true-starter at center. He started 13 games and 829 snaps. Before, he was a RG. So, he doesn’t have a ton of experience of playing center, which I would argue could be concerning. That being said, he still didn’t give up a sack, even with the extended time at his new position. So, I think he can still do it at a pro-level.
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I know it might kill Buccaneers GM Jason Licht to draft an o-lineman from a college that has more than 2,000 students, but I think Johnson would help this team immensely. The Senior Bowl has showcased that he can hang with the best d-linemen of this draft (which there are a few). He doesn’t get beat very often and is a downright bully when asked to run block. There are definitely other solid prospects like Zach Frazier, Sedric Van Pran, Christian Haynes, the list goes on. All of whom can help the interior of this o-line, but these are second or third round prospects. If there is no edge rusher that Licht likes, I think Johnson is the guy to go with.
Make sure you check out Devin’s blog at cannoncrunch.wordpress.com.
Cannon Crunch with Devin Sanguinett
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