Writing The Ship: Final Predictive Buccaneers’ Mock Draft

It is officially NFL draft week! After months of mock drafts and anonymous sources, we will finally know who is going to be drafted where. This means that it’s time for final predictions.

We know the needs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and what players they have been meeting with. Now based on that and their historical trends I can make a final predictive mock draft for the Bucs. Here is my best guess as to what the Buccaneers will do this weekend.

TRADE – Buccaneers trade 15th overall to Philadelphia for 23rd overall and 68th overall.

The Bucs are looking to trade back and the Eagles could be looking to move up in front of a few offensive tackle needy teams. A deal that benefits both parties.

23) Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

Mesidor is a balanced player. He’s physical at the point of attack vs the run and he led the ACC in sacks last year. On top of that, the football character is excellent with this guy and he comes off as a professional before he’s even drafted.

Misidor is a good player with a deep arsenal of pass rush moves. There are questions here such as age (will be a 25 year old rookie), injury history and how consistently he can win around the outside edge, but if nothing else he projects as a high floor pass rusher. He might already be maxed out, but the Bucs can get a relatively sure thing for the next five years with this pick.

46) Lee Hunter, Defensive Tackle, Texas Tech

The Buccaneers have done a lot of homework on the top of this defensive tackle class. This makes sense with A’Shawn Robinson signing just a one year deal and Vita Vea in the last year of his contract. It makes sense to add some muscle in the middle of the defense.

Hunter is a powerful and surprisingly quick nose tackle. He’s naturally a strong run defender with more pass rush ability that you might expect. Even though he didn’t test like a great athlete, there is a lot to be said about “phone booth quickness” when you are talking trench play and Hunter has that in a big way.

There are some concerns about weight management and that allows him to fall to the Bucs here. After having met at the NFL combine and on a top 30 visit, the front office should have a good feel on Hunter. If they don’t have major concerns about his weight then I think they will love his edgy and energetic personality.

68) Josiah Trotter, Linebacker, Missouri

If Jacob Rodriguez or CJ Allen are on the board in the second round then I think they go in that direction, but I just don’t believe those guys will be available. Instead the team waits a little longer to draft Trotter. There is a lot to like about the son of the former All Pro.

Trotter is an enforcer against the run. If getting violent football players is the goal then it would be no surprise to see the Bucs go after this guy. Trotter is great at blowing up blocks in the box and is fluid enough to slip past the big bodies and make tackles.

The down side here is that Trotter is limited in terms of speed and explosiveness. That makes him a pretty limited coverage player and someone who lacks sideline to sideline speed. But if you are looking for a strong side linebacker who plays in control and brings some thump to the defense then Trotter can do that.

77) Sam Roush, Tight End, Stanford

If the Bucs are looking for an element at tight end that they currently lack, Roush brings that in a different way than some are thinking. Very few tight ends have the size that Roush does at 6 ‘6 and nearly 270 lbs. He mauls people off the line of scrimmage, but can also play in the slot and as a wing.

Roush isn’t necessarily known as a pass catcher, but he had the 10th most receiving yards of all college tight ends last year. It’s easy to understand why as a freak athlete who runs good routes and can actually create separation. Much like Rob Gronkowski, Roush is a blocking tight end who just so happens to be a factor in the passing game.

The knock on Roush is a drop issue. He isn’t great at adjusting to the ball and will let some passes get away from him. If he’s able to clean that up or even if the team just keeps things simple for him, then we could be looking at one of the better tight ends in the NFL.

116) Hezekiah Masses, Cornerback, California 

Masses has great ball skills. His 5 interceptions and 13 passes deflected are a result of excellent instincts and timing to break on the ball. I view him as one of the most under rated prospects in the entire draft.

The Buccaneers did meet with Masses at the combine so there is seemingly a level of interest here. And seeing as they didn’t address the position in free agency, it would make sense that they target the position relatively early. 

Masses has a well rounded skill set. He does a nice job getting hands on the wide receiver off the line of scrimmage and the athletic tools to turn and run with his man. There is a lot to like here and if he falls this far then it will be a result of a very good cornerback class.

155) Matt Gulbin, Interior Offensive Line, Michigan State

The Bucs saw their offensive line depth tested last year and it did not hold up well on the interior. Getting a player who can improve all three interior spots on the depth chart would be ideal. Gulbin is exactly that type of player.

Having started a year at all three interior positions, Gulbin steps in as a ready made depth player. His experience is great and his leadership also comes off as impressive after being voted a team captain last season (which was his first year at Michigan State). In terms of resume, this is someone the Bucs should want in their room.

In terms of skillset, Gulbin is a well rounded player. He moves well and can work into space as a run blocker and he has a good anchor in pass protection. Don’t be surprised if he is starting in the NFL in a year or two.

195) Bryce Boettcher, Linebacker, Oregon

In terms of talent, there really isn’t anything special about Boettcher. He moves fairly well, but he’s not a great athlete by any means. A bit of a jack of all trades who can defend the run some and not look lost in coverage.

What makes Boettcher exciting is the way he plays the game. Few players bring the intensity on a down to down basis that this guy does. He plays with maximum effort which makes his play speed feel faster than what you see with better athletes.

Boettcher is a depth player. He’s someone who can probably cover better than SirVocea Dennis, so you can potentially use him on passing downs. If nothing else, Boettcher strikes me as the type of guy who will be a star special teams player in the NFL.

229) Joe Fagnano, Quarterback, Connecticut

The Bucs signed Jake Browning to a one year contract to be the back up quarterback this year. However, it would be nice to have an in-house option to be the long term backup moving forward. Fagnano could very well be that guy after meeting with the Buccaneers at the NFL combine.

Fagnano threw for over 3,400 yards last season with 28 touchdowns and just one interception. He seems to work through progressions well and find the open man quickly. I think he can operate an NFL offense that keeps him in rhythm and getting the ball out quickly, like what I expect the Bucs to be running next year.