TAMPA, Fla. — The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and the Buccaneers are the talk of the football world.
No one has a clue what they will do, where they could look, or what they could possibly need as they will pick last in the first round for the first time in the franchise’s history. For those who may have forgotten, the Bucs’ 32nd overall pick back in 2003 belonged to the Oakland Raiders as part of the trade to get Head Coach Jon Gruden.
If you go back and look at some of Jason Licht’s previous drafts, it appeared as though the Buccaneers’ first round pick was always the worst kept secret of the league. Almost every mock draft had them linked to eventual picks: Mike Evans, Jameis Winston, Vernon Hargreaves, Vita Vea, and Devin White. You could throw Tristan Wirfs in there as well, but the names surrounding the Buccaneers’ first pick last year rotated between all of the top four tackles in the draft.
This time around, it seems as though no one knows what Tampa Bay will do, but everyone has an opinion as to what they should do.
Running back seems to be the flashy pick by many when it comes to mock drafts. Getting a running back at the end of the first not only helps the team this year – especially if it’s a guy who can catch out of the backfield like Alabama’s Najee Harris or North Carolina’s Javonte Williams – but the fifth year option for a position that doesn’t generally get a lot of love on the open market is equally as enticing.
Some think it’s all about the trenches – whether that’s building depth along the offensive line or finding a rotational guy to get in the mix with Ndamukong Suh, William Gholston, and Vita Vea as they prepare to take over as a starter for Suh in 2022.
Finally, edge rusher is another popular choice. If Jaelan Phillips (Miami) or Jayson Oweh (Penn State) were to fall to 32, you have someone who can rotate in with Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul as JPP’s contract expires after the 2021 season.
All of this is to point out that the Buccaneers can go in literally any direction they want, and that makes them one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL Draft. On the most recent Locked On Bucs podcast, we had our listeners chime in to our “Question of the Week,” to answer what position they felt the Bucs should look to address. Surprisingly, a position that hasn’t been spoken about often kept popping up - Safety.
Jordan Whitehead and Antoine Winfield Jr. both had outstanding seasons. However, they were both hurt during the NFC Championship in Green Bay where we saw Mike Edwards and Andrew Adams step up and help propel the team to a Super Bowl. Well, Adams is now gone.
Safety is a thin position for the Buccaneers and getting a player like Trevon Moehrig (TCU) or Jamar Johnson (Indiana) would not only provide depth but could potentially be Winfield’s wingman for quite a while considering Jordan Whitehead is only under contract through the end of this year.
No matter what the Buccaneers do in just 24 days, there’s literally nothing that can happen draft night that could be considered a surprise.
For more on this story, and all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out the Locked On Bucs Podcast.
More from Locked On Bucs:
- With all 22 starters returning, what will the Buccaneers do in this year's draft?
- 'I was trying to take it all in': Bucs assistant coach and trailblazer Lori Locust talks Super Bowl win
- What are the Bucs thinking ahead of the NFL Draft?
- Arians: 'Can’t really say I’ve ever gone into a draft not having a need – a drastic need'
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