It’s that time of year again Buccaneers fans! The NFL offseason, or silly-season as some would call it is here. That can only mean it’s time for some mock drafts.
In this series of Buccaneers mock drafts the head honcho at Bucs Report handed the reigns over to the hosts of “The Aftermath” live stream Stevie “Coach Slick” Probert and AJ Turn-Up. Coach Slick is up first.
Round – 1, Pick 26
Jackson Powers-Johnson, Center, Oregon
HT: 6’3
WT: 334 lbs
Accolades:
Rimington Trophy (2023)
Unanimous All-American (2023)
First-team All-Pac-12 (2023)
Video:
Pros:
In the run game, Powers-Johnson plays with a mean streak and does a nice job generating a push at the initial point of attack. Powers-Johnson can get outside and does a decent job landing blocks in space.
Fires out of his stance with a good pad level, consistently winning at the point of attack.
Quick out of his stance with the footwork to be effective in front of screens. Willing to get out in front of ballcarriers to take out defensive backs and linebackers.
In the run game, he explodes off the line of scrimmage and consistently gets out to the second level to do damage.
Shows a good feel for combo blocks, and he displays good quickness and flexibility when moving to the second level, capable of sealing the back side on reach blocks
Powers-Johnson does a nice job working with teammates to build the pocket, anchoring against bull rushers and displaying good awareness against stunts and twists.
Cons:
Had issues against quality counter moves, struggling to readjust. That’s something he’ll see frequently against NFL technicians in the pass rush.
He’s better moving forward than Powers-Johnson is retreating as a pass protector, where he often seems to be a bit out of sync.
Doesn’t display the agility and speed to effectively get around as a pulling guard. Powers-Johnson generally struggles in space, and he will have a tough time consistently landing blocks on the second level
Summary:
As a sophomore in 2022 he played in 11 games and a total of 382 snaps. He conceded just one QB hurry, one QB hit, and no sacks while playing most of his snaps at right guard.
In 2023 as a junior Powers-Johnson saw action in 13 games and totaled 829 snaps. He gave up just one QB hurry, no QB hits, and no sacks while playing at center. Powers-Johnson is a plug and play draft pick that instantly upgrades the Buccaneers offensive line
Round – 2, Pick 57
Beau Brade, S, Maryland
HT: 5’11
WT: 208 lbs
Accolades:
2023 Team Captain (voted on by players)
2023 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
Video:
Pros:
Takes accurate angles to the ballcarrier. A strong, aggressive tackler and doesn’t back down against the run.
Straight-line speed to take a pick to the house. Can punish receivers with closing speed and desire to hit at max impact.
Great on route recognition and has click-and-close ability
His length and leaping ability allow him to high-point the ball and make plays. Brade would have had bigger interception numbers in college had opposing quarterbacks not gone out of their way to avoid him.
Is an explosive mover with quickness and speed. He’s at his best attacking downhill, shooting gaps in run support, and disrupting the backfield.
Has quick feet and excellent change-of-direction ability, capable of mirroring quickness underneath.
Cons:
Gave up far too many big plays in college, especially concerning since Brade has recovery speed to make up for missteps.
Inconsistent getting off of blocks. Can be a step slow to react when a quarterback comes back to his side of the field late in progression.
While he has man coverage skills, he can struggle when sitting back in zone. He’s not instinctive and struggles reading downfield routes and tracking the deep ball.
Summary:
In 2022 as a junior Brade played in 12 games and contributed on 762 snaps. He chalked up solid 65 tackles, 17 assists, and added 23 stops. In the secondary Brade forced 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and gave up QB rating when targetted of 74.3.
In 2023 as a senior Brade saw action in 11 games while playing 681 snaps. He logged solid 61 tackles, 14 assists, and made 24 stops. In coverage Brade had 4 pass breakups, one interception, and surrendered QB rating when targetted of 93.8. Drafting Brade would immediately upgrade the Buccaneers defensive backfield.
Round – 3, Pick 89
Braden Fiske, NT/DT, FSU
HT: 6’3
WT: 295 lbs
Accolades:
Second-team All-ACC (2023)
Second-team All-MAC (2022)
Video:
Pros:
Quick off the snap in the pass rush, Fiske has violent hands and a good feel for working inside counter moves.
Fiske has heavy hands and uses them aggressively, rocking offensive linemen back. He shows the ability to disengage and out-grapple blockers in a phone booth.
He has an excellent feel for working off blockers and knowing how and when to counter as the play goes on.
Combines strength and footwork to fill holes inside, as well. Recovers from cut blocks or falling on his way to make a tackle.
Flashes quick hands to slap away blocks, but too oft~n gets caught in the hand-fighting at the line rather than quickly disengaging.
A high-motor pass rusher with good quickness, Fiske has a compact but wide frame and long arms.
Cons:
Plays upright and struggles with leverage. Too often stonewalled at the line and doesn’t show the hand strength or technique to shed or redirect blockers.
Misses tackles, even when Fiske gets his hands on the ballcarrier. Needs to improve hand placement and technique.
Fiske is a bit underpowered, often playing too high and struggling to hold the point of attack against double teams.
Summary:
In 2021 as a senior Fiske logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 471 snaps for the Broncos. He also added 29 tackles, 7 assists, and 26 stops. As a pass rusher, he tallied 33 total pressures, which included 23 QB hurries, 6 QB hits, and 4 sacks on the season.
In 2022 as a fifth year senior Fiske logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 737 snaps for the Broncos. He also added 40 tackles, 14 assists, and 36 stops. As a pass rusher, he tallied 45 total pressures, which included 32 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and an impressive 8 sacks on the season. Drafting Fiske would solidify the Buccaneers interior defensive line.
Information in this article first appeared on NFL Draft Buzz and is used with permission. Find the latest coverage, analysis, and player rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft at nfldraftbuzz.com
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