The college football all star circuit has come to a close. Both the Shrine and Senior bowls are over and NFL teams have got a first hand look at a lot of these players. These are the type of events that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have valued in recent years, specifically the Senior Bowl.
Now that these players have left an impression, we can say the stock of some of these prospects are on the rise. The Bucs have drafted several Senior Bowl prospects with a lot of success and I expect this year to be no different. So with all that happened over the last week, here is my post Senior Bowl Buccaneers mock draft.
19) Jahdae Barron, Cornerback, Texas
Barron is not the typical Todd Bowles type of cornerback. He’s a little on the shorter side at just 5’11 and I’m not convinced that he has the speed that the Bucs have coveted in the past. However, he is everything that this Bucs secondary needs right now.
If you’re looking for a cornerback who is a physical tackler, has great ball skills and brings a high level of intelligence to the game then look no further. Barron excels in zone coverage, but can stick with his wide receiver in man to man as well. This makes him a perfect compliment to what the Bucs already have and checks all the boxes of what they need.Â
53) Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
The theme of the offseason is pass rush. However, if the top names are already off the board by the 19th overall pick then it might be wise to take advantage of a deep edge rusher class and address that need in the second round. A perfect match in that scenario is Ezeiruaku.
In terms of NFL athletic upside, there might be a limited ceiling here. However, Ezeiruaku does everything the way you would want him to. He features a wide variety of pass rush moves and has the flexibility to bend around the edge. He is also a feisty run defender despite being a little undersized.Â
Everything he does, Ezeiruaku does at a very high level.
84) Jaylin Noel, Wide Receiver, Iowa State
The Buccaneers need a wide receiver of the future. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin having their days numbered, it’s time to build up the depth and develop the next wave of playmakers in Tampa Bay. One player who I really like is Jaylin Noel.
He might be a little on the shorter side, but what he lacks in length he makes up for in route running, speed and toughness. Despite being just 5’11, he can play on the outside with no issues and would be a nice compliment to what the Bucs already have. He might not ever be a number one, but he can be a good second option.
120) Omarr Norman-Lott, Defensive Tackle, Tennessee
Jason Licht loves building in the trenches and this is the type of player that would truly strengthen the Bucs defensive line. Norman-Lott brings good size at 6’3 and 315 lbs. He has good natural power and can hold his own vs a double team in the running game.
Norman-Lott also brings some explosiveness off the snap and has potential as a pass rusher. In terms of a depth piece, you’re looking at someone who can play nose or 3 tech and give you value at both. I’ll take that at this point in the draft.
158) Nick Martin, Linebacker, Oklahoma State
This is a player who I really like. Martin is a tackling machine and brings sideline to sideline speed as a run defender. He is undersized at 6’0 and 220 lbs, but he plays with the pitbull mentality that you want from your linebackers.
Although he could be better in coverage at this point, Martin has the athletic tools to become a good coverage player. Even if he never puts that part of his game together then he’s still better than the depth linebackers the Bucs have in house and he would make an excellent special teams player.Â
237) Punter, literally anywhere
Punter was a weakness for the Bucs last season. They cut ties with Jake Camarda and never really found a suitable replacement. This is an opportunity for the Bucs to find that guy in the draft.
I don’t want to go too in depth with this pick. I don’t care who it is or where they come from, but this is the moment for the Bucs to draft a punter. In the 7th round I’m fine with drafting exclusively special teams players, so you won’t hear any outrage from me if this comes to pass.
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