What I Would Do If I Were Drafting For The Buccaneers

We are just over two weeks away from the NFL draft. Any last minute homework is starting to be wrapped up and big boards are starting to be solidified. At this point, we all have a pretty good idea of what teams will or should do in the upcoming draft.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers we know it will be a very defensive heavy draft. Edge rusher and linebacker are at the top of the list, with cornerback, defensive tackle and tight end as secondary needs. At this point, it’s just a question of what players they will bring in at those positions.

And while we have an idea of who that might be based on team fit and historical trends, it’s impossible to know for sure. What I do know is what I would do if I was sitting in the general manager seat. If I were Jason Licht, keeping in mind his trends in the draft, here’s what I would do if I was drafting for the Buccaneers.

15) Mansoor Delane, Cornerback, LS

Yes, I know that this isn’t either of the main positions that the Bucs should target early. However, I’m a believer of drafting the best players you can relative to need and fit. And if Delane is still on the board at this point, then I can’t pass up on his talent.

Delane is a versatile and technically sound cover man. Whether it be press man coverage or off zone coverage or anything else, you feel good about what he can do. He’s also a very good athlete who has all the twitch to react to breaking wide receivers. 

While I don’t think the Bucs will actually go in this direction after drafting a pair of day two cornerbacks last year, the position is still unsettled and could use an elite lockdown corner. Delane would give them that.

46) Jake Golday, Linebacker, Cincinnati

I also really like Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez here, but let’s assume he’s already off the board. The other linebacker who I really like for the Bucs is Golday. If there was one linebacker in this draft (aside from the Ohio State guys) who I could see becoming an All Pro then it would be this guy.

Golday is an excellent athlete at 6 ‘4 and 240 lbs. He’s played a lot of edge rusher in his past, as well as a hang linebacker who specializes in coverage. Regardless of anything else, he has a floor of being a good blitzer and coverage linebacker; both skills the Bucs need.

Golday has limited snaps as a traditional middle linebacker and you can see that he doesn’t have the developed instincts that other linebackers do. However, there are times he looks really good in this role. I truly believe that with more experience, Golday will be a great player at the heart of the defense. 

77) Romello Height, Edge, Texas Tech

This is the pass rusher that Bucs fans are looking for. Height is an explosive and quick edge rusher who can bend around the corner or jab back inside against off balance offensive tackles. His 10 sacks were overshadowed by teammate David Bailey’s 14.5, but that shouldn’t take away from how good this guy is.

In terms of fit, Height is a great match for the Buccaneers. Not only is he the pass rusher they need, but also someone who can drop into coverage comfortably. All the things that Todd Bowles will want him to do, Height does well.

There are only two issues here. One is that Height isn’t a good run defender and will probably be a pass rush specialist in the NFL. The other issue is his age as someone who will be a 25 year old rookie. But in the third round for a team that desperately needs pass rush, neither of those things bother me here.

116) Sam Roush, Tight End, Stanford

In terms of blockers, you won’t find many better than Roush in this class. At 6 ‘7 and 267 lbs this is the big body physical blocker you want on the line of scrimmage. It’s a skill that will absolutely translate to the NFL level.

Roush is also a great athlete. After participating in all of the athletic tests, he ranked as one of the ten most athletic tight ends in the last 40 years. Between his size, his 4.7 40 yard dash, his explosive jumps and his 25 bench reps you won’t find a better athlete at the position. 

This shows up on film. Roush can separate as a route runner as well as pick up yards after the catch. If it wasn’t for a bit of a drop problem, then he would very likely be a top 50 pick in this draft.

155) LT Overton, Defensive Line, Alabama

Overton is a bit of a tweener. He’s 6 ‘3 and 273 lbs with long arms. However, he isn’t really athletic enough to be an edge rusher and he isn’t really big enough to be a defensive tackle. Really his only natural fit is as a 3-4 defensive end.

On top of that, Overton leaves something to be desired as a pass rusher. He’s inconsistent with his pass rush plan and just doesn’t get around blockers consistently. He will be a run stuffer and not much more in the NFL.

With that said, I think he can be a pretty decent 3-4 run stuffing defensive end and the Bucs need that. Overton is a strong player who can hold the point of attack and gives a good effort. He’s a niche player, but I think he can be really good for a team like the Buccaneers who need that niche.

195) Caden Barnett, Guard, Wyoming

Barnett isn’t a perfect prospect, but he has the power and mindset to maul the man in front of him. He’s nothing short of a goon in the running game and I mean that in the best way. Plus he’s athletic enough to be more than used in more outside and counter concepts.

There are some technical issues that could be polished up. But I can live with that as a depth player who has really good tools. This is the small school gem that the Buccaneers always seem to land.

229) Donaven McCulley, Wide Receiver, Michigan 

Not too flashy with this player. McCulley is the big body receiver that the Bucs are looking for to help replace the Mike Evans prototype. As a depth wide out he can be a chain mover and red zone target.

McCulley is fluid for his size and consistent. He uses his catch radius to his advantage and he has good hands. Even as a late round pick, I believe he can develop into a possession receiver who carves out a role in the NFL.