The 2015 NFL Draft got off to a great start for the
Bucs. Not only did they land their
(hopeful) franchise QB, but the way the rest of the night played out left a ton
of attractive talent on the board to start day two. Who will they pick?
First let me mention the 5 best available players that I
don’t think the Bucs will target:
Randy Gregory – I don’t think he’s got the size that the
Bucs are looking for with already two smallish ends in Jacquies Smith and
George Johnson. I understand that Lovie’s
defense doesn’t rely on larger ends, but they can’t become so susceptible to
the run by acquiring too many players with the same physical stats.
Landon Collins – I hope the Bucs have learned their lesson
about taking limited Alabama
safeties. Collins was thought to be a R1
pick by the experts, but his limitation to an in-the-box role has him still
looking for a job on Friday. The Bucs
won’t bite, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the safety-needy Titans took him to
kick off R2.
Owamagbe Odighizuwa – Hopefully this is the last time I have
to type his name. I don’t think much of
OO as a pass rusher, but he’s one of the top rated remaining ends. I believe there are less risky options for
the Bucs with this pick. They already
have a ends who are questionable pass rushers.
No need for OO.
La’el Collins – Without knowing the specifics, I can’t say
that it’s a shame that Collins went undrafted Thursday. For be it for me to analyze his strategy, but
I would have thought that, if innocent, he would have done everything possible
to get out in front of the issue and save himself millions of dollars. The fact that he didn’t definitely doesn’t make
him guilty, but it certainly doesn’t point toward innocence.
Dorial Green-Beckham (WR, Oklahoma )
The best way to describe this guy is to say it can’t be
ignored. I’m speaking to both his
on-field talent and his off-field behavior.
Professional sports have been great at excusing transgressions by
special talents, but that era seems to be fading. If you believe what’s been written, DGB has
been physical with women on more
than one occasion. Oklahoma ’s staff says he’s a changed young
man, but it’s hard to ignore his past transgressions. Is he a need or a luxury? As talented as he appears, I can find a much
safer receiver in the next round and not lose much in the talent category.
With those exclusions, here are my top 5 picks for the Bucs
at #34:
5) Donovan Smith (OL, Penn State
Initially believed to be a R3 pick, Smith earned a trip to
the draft in Chicago . That invitation does not guarantee a
particular draft position, but I doubt he’s available when the Bucs pick at
#65. He’s large and projects as a top
notch RT. Some still project him as a
LT, but he’s got quite a bit of work to do before he gets there. I like him as an option at both RT and guard
but not with this pick. I believe I can
find a less risky player in this spot.
4) Eric Kendricks (LB, UCLA)
My highest-ranked LB in this year’s draft, Kendricks went
all of Thursday evening without hearing his name called. I think he’d be a stud in the middle of
Lovie’s defense, but they signed Bruce Carter in free agency with an eye on
lining him up there. Was he penciled in
with the possibility of the draft forcing a move to SLB? I think the Bucs would definitely be better
at LB with Kendricks in the lineup, but is it worth it at the expense of the OL
and DL?
3) TJ Clemmings (OL, Pittsburgh )
Here’s this draft’s biggest OL gamble in my opinion. Clemmings shows the strength/potential to be
a truly elite offensive lineman, but his technique needs a ton of work. He’s also very inexperienced having played
just two years on the offensive line. Is
the stress fracture in his foot a big deal?
There may not be a stronger or more physical imposing tackle in this
draft, but with as much development as he apparently needs, is that a risk Bucs
fans want to take? Personally, I’m not
optimistic about this staff’s ability to coach up the offensive line talent.
2) Preston Smith (DE, Mississippi State
If the Bucs want to address the pass rush with this pick, it
needs to be by selecting Smith. He’ll
play all three downs and give the Bucs the stability they’ve been searching for
since they drafted Adrian Clayborn four years ago. He has size, speed, strength, and hand usage
to be an ideal compliment to Gerald McCoy up front. He’s not a flashy speed rusher, but he’s also
not the type of end to get washed out of plays.
You won’t see a lot of useless upfield rushed by Smith. He fights well to the football.
1) Jake Fisher (OL, Oregon )
With the way R1 played out the Bucs will have their pick of
a couple of top offensive tackles. Are
L&L focusing on the offensive line prospects as much as Bucs fans? If they are, Fisher might be the pick. A guy who steadily rose up draft boards
throughout the process, Fisher projects as versatile OL with the ceiling of a
franchise tackle and the floor of a decent RT.
I believe he can play guard as well and would provide the Bucs with two
tackles who have the ability to play on both the left and right side.
Summary
If I had to put a wager on what I think the Bucs will do,
I’d say Clemmings, and I wouldn’t be mad for a second. The talent is certainly there. It just needs to be developed in the right
situation. Here he wouldn’t be expected
to be a LT right away but could start and grow at RT given the current state of
affairs as the position. Clemmings might
have the most potential of any tackle in this class. Unfortunately, he comes with quite a bit of
risk as well.
Honestly, the Bucs could take any of these top 5, and I’d be
happy. Although I’d really like to see
it come from the top 3. Locking up an
offensive or defensive lineman after acquiring a potential franchise QB is the
right way to build a winner.
Go Bucs!