Hey, I haven’t done a Buccaneers mock draft yet, and with the date fast approaching (a month will fly by, especially with baseball season starting) I figured I’d go ahead and get it out of the way.
Because what football blogger would I be if I didn’t do at least one of these bad boys where none of my picks end up being accurate and I look like an idiot?
So, without any more blabbering, here are my picks with my explanation provided.
Round 1, 26th Overall: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Bama
Ok, so a bit of a dull pick in that he’s generally slotted in this range for the draft, but McKinstry seems to be one of those players that was super highly projected entering the 2023 season, then fell a bit for whatever reason (boredom, underperformance, more intense tape-viewing, etc.). But I’ll put it like this; his strengths are in zone coverage (which the Bucs play a lot), he’s a Bama guy (those players turn out OK I think), and he doesn’t have any overly glaring weaknesses. He might struggle adjusting to the NFL DPI rules and with physical wideouts, but I’m sold on his upside, his dope name, and the need for the Bucs to fill the Carlton Davis III-sized hole at corner. Having KAM, Dean, Zyon, Hall, and Thomas is a really nice cornerback room with room for injuries/underperformance.
Round 2, 57th Overall: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Bama
Two Bama guys right off the bat, yikes, but it speaks to the program, can’t help it if they’re an elite football player factory. Braswell is an unfinished product with a lot of refinement needed, but my goodness his first step is elite. Without getting too weird and oozing over his athletic ability, Braswell would fit in nicely with this rotation of pass rushers the Buccaneers are building. JTS, Yaya, and Braswell would combine for one of the more athletically gifted pass rush groups in football. The bad news is that athleticism hasn’t always translated to much in terms of production or disruption. Hopefully Braswell’s elite work ethic will be able to not only change that in terms of his own production, but also will set an example for the others to step things up.
Round 3, 89th Overall: Johnny Wilson, WR, FSU
Absolutely massive dude here. Wilson is one of the biggest wideouts you’ll ever see, so the idea of drafting him to line up alongside M1K3 is tantalizing, but he’s got some other skills other than just being 6’7. Wilson is surprisingly competent in the open field, but he does struggle in the route tree department as well as when it comes to gaining separation. Luckily he won’t be thrust into a starting role unless he’s ready or if injuries happen, as Trey Palmer is fine while Wilson figures some stuff out.
Round 3, 92nd Overall: Beaux Limmer, C, Arkansas
Good run blocker, sloppy against the pass. Sounds like someone the Bucs could use with their putrid running game over the past few seasons, and with Hainsey likely holding down the center position entering training camp, it’s not the worst idea to give him some competition. And if the Bucs decide they need a guard to compete with Mauch and the couple veterans they brought in on one year deals instead of (or in addition to) a more traditional center, hey, no problem at all. Just address the interior o-line.
Round 4, 125th Overall: Tyler Davis, DL, Clemson
Versatile but injury-prone, athletic but short arms, Davis is a typical mid-round selection in that there is a genuine possibility for him to turn into a productive starter, but there’s a significant risk in him suffering injury, not panning out, etc. Davis is more of a pass rusher than some other defensive lineman that the Buccaneers have on the roster, making for an interesting fit alongside Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, as the Florida-native would likely be headed for a depth role unless proven otherwise.
Round 6, 220th Overall: Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia
A powerful runner out of Georgia, sounds like a winning formula to me; Milton has a lot of negatives (as you’d expect for a day 3/UDFA type of pick), but he has the size and power to be an interesting complement for Mr. White. Milton isn’t the athlete that RW is, and he’s not going to break off any huge runs because of his breakaway speed, but that’s not what the Bucs would need out of him anyways.
Round 7, 246th Overall: Dominique Hampton, S, Washington
At this point the Buccaneers really need warm bodies in their safety room; the position is currently occupied by AWJ and Jordan Whitehead. That’s it. Hampton wouldn’t be someone receivers want to see over the middle, as his 6’3 frame allows him some big hit ability, but is a bit rigid in his athletic profile, lending himself to a lot of weakness in zone on occasion. Here’s to hoping he’d be more of a special teams guy who fills in every once in a while instead of a full-time starter.
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