Hargreaves Wants To Play For Bucs
February 27th, 2016
“If you can play ball, you can play ball.”
Vernon Hargreaves III has just made it perfectly clear. The Tampa native and top flight college cornerback, who shined at the University of Florida, wants to stay in-state.
Sure, he’s OK with playing for the Jags. Yeah, he wouldn’t mind starting for the Dolphins. But Hargreaves stated in his press conference Saturday morning at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that he prefers to stay in his backyard and play for the Bucs.
Hargreaves, who came across as an intelligent, classy kid, couldn’t contain a smile when he was asked about playing for Tampa Bay.
Of course! Of course,” Hargeaves said. “That would be nice.”
It is a real possibility.
It wouldn’t shock Joe at all if Hargreaves is on the board when the Bucs pick at No. 9. The problem with Hargreaves is he isn’t that big. He’s only 5-10, per his official measurement this week. With the Bucs having to face Julio Jones and Kelvin Benjamin for 25 percent of their regular season schedules over next few years, that might be a tough sell to draft a shorter corner that early.
When asked about receivers he faced at Florida, Hargreaves cited going up against Benjamin as proof he can play tall receivers.
“If you can play ball, you can play ball.”
Hargreaves also said, with an ear-to-ear smile, he and fellow stud cornerback Jalen Ramsey of Florida State have a “silent rivalry.”
February 27th, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Uhhh, KB went 9 catches for 212 yards and 3 tds his senior year, in the swamp.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:20 pm
I don’t know about taking him at #9 but if he puts up a 4.4 or below in the 40 it’s a possibility if Spence, Buckner or a few others aren’t available.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Let us pass. seriously, KB, JJ, Funchess, too tall for this dude. What he wants does not matter.
sidenote for Joe: Heh, what’s your take on Braxton Miller–market Glennon and get this kid–so many options with this talented guy.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Draft hargreaves! That we we have 4 solid corner backs (hargreaves, verner, banks, moore) and can blitz more often to makeup for our crappy pass rush
February 27th, 2016 at 12:40 pm
I’m still waiting for one of these prospective high-round draftees to say ‘Nope, no interest in playing for team such-and-such’ when asked by the media. His agent would probably shoot him on the spot.
February 27th, 2016 at 12:44 pm
Defense:
Guess you weren’t paying attention last year? Dante Fowler said he had no interest in playing for the Bucs. And he grew up in St. Pete.
Joe was standing five feet away from him when he said it.
And to the best of Joe’s knowledge, Fowler hasn’t been shot by anyone.
February 27th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
I like Mackensie Alexander more but would not mind Vernon Hargreaves III, either. Both are two of the best CB’s in the draft. Darrelle Rivas is 5-11 and weighs about the same and I would put him up against anyone in the NFL. It is a mistake to not address our secondary early in the draft. In the second or third round Safety Karl Joseph West Virginia is the pick. Check out the film on this guy. Amazing hitter.
February 27th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
Here’s a thought to put out there…. Who would Buc fans rather draft: Hargreaves or OT Stanley?!?! I actually am split down the middle on this….
February 27th, 2016 at 2:04 pm
I like Hargreaves, I simply like Spence better. I grew up in Ky right across from Cincinnati. When we selected colleges Ohio State would have been to shelf…Eastern Ky would have been a consolation prize. Better than no college at all.
And football would magnify that 100 fold. I am impressed that Spence spent a year in solitary…have you ever been in Richmond Ky ? At least Lexington is nearby and the countryside is pretty. But EKU football? We looked down on it.
And so Spence who was athletic enough to simply skip all of this and sign right out of OSU as a free agent…he could have made an NFL team…and yes the big $$$ come with the high draft pick…but I think Spence has shown he knows what to do with a 2nd chance. He paid his dues.
I want Spence. He’ll appreciate being a first round pick after almost losing his career. I think we’d be getting him at just the right time in his recovery. He and #3 and Kwon could lead this team and keep character in the locker room.
It’s the way New England manages to work in some bad boys…get the use out of them and cut them free…but have no locker room issues. Their locker room is strong. I think our’s is getting there.
February 27th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
The 9th overall pick sounds too high for Hargreaves to me. The Bucs can do better, just a hunch though from a longtime Gator fan. Big things can come in small packages, but I would prefer a bigger impact thus sized player with the first pick of the Bucs. Don’t ask me to be specific on the player because I can’t.
February 27th, 2016 at 2:19 pm
Martin Mayhem and Ricky Reynolds both short, both pretty damn good corners.
February 27th, 2016 at 2:59 pm
5-10 on his tippy toes.
February 27th, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Joe, I forgot about Dante Fowler. Obviously the Bucs came out much better drafting Jameis instead. Never much doubt there anyways.
February 27th, 2016 at 4:38 pm
If spence is gone take tackle Stanley both gone trade down get extra pick or 2 at that point most picks are crap shoot anyways
February 27th, 2016 at 4:43 pm
Well he always can have his agent say, “If anyone but the Bucs draft him, then they aren’t signing with them.”
We need to get a minimal of 4 defensive ends this offseason via free agent, draft, or trade. IMO I would try to get Mario Williams and two more younger guys in free agent. Get the best de on the board like Spence. Then focus on our secondary, since it not as deep as the d line. The only secondary guy I like so far in free agnecy is Eric Weddle. He could realistically be gone from the Chargers.
February 27th, 2016 at 4:47 pm
@ Defense Rules
It’s pretty easy to say you wouldn’t want to go to the Bucs when there is a 100% chance they are not going to pick you anyway.
Fowler was playing to get the Jags pick and he got it.
February 27th, 2016 at 4:55 pm
How tall are darrell revis and Joe Haden? They seem like shorter guys. I don’t think height is a big deal if you are good CB. It helps to be tall when you are bad CB. So you can try and blockt he view of the WR with your tall bird wings. But a good CB will cover and jump and play the ball well enough in the air that his height isnt a factor.
February 27th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
Unless the guy’s tape is ridiculous, you don’t draft a small CB that high. I don’t know. Is he really THAT good to overcome any size/speed deficiencies? I’m happy to let Jason Licht evaluate that. Personally, I like DE – whichever one they decide fits what they want to do, but I love Buckner’s size. If not DE, then OT Stanley sounds good to me.
February 27th, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Hargreaves isn’t good enough to be a first round pick.
Also, the WRs in our division are tall, so the Bucs need a taller CB.
I suppose I should start researching all these draft players soon. Watch their games. I’ve just been far too busy to worry about it.
February 27th, 2016 at 5:17 pm
@Trubucfan22
Only an inch taller…but the WRs they face are different.
February 27th, 2016 at 5:18 pm
I bet Hargreaves falls to 3rd round or later.
February 27th, 2016 at 6:10 pm
I wouldn’t get him at #9, but if we traded back and still got him I’m all for that. Just cuz we pick him up doesn’t mean he has to play the big receivers, we could have J. Banks to do that. You still need 4 good CB’s on your roster to be a better team…to defend the 4 wide.
February 27th, 2016 at 7:06 pm
Trade up for Jalen Ramsey. The next Dion.
February 27th, 2016 at 8:22 pm
He is 100% getting drafted in the 1st rd. Only way he doesn’t get drafted in 1st rd is if he gets in trouble or does something moronic. There ar too many teams that need a CB and he is easily one of the best in the draft.
February 27th, 2016 at 8:27 pm
I think it says a lot that some of the top-flight players in the draft are saying they want to play in Tampa Bay. Remember a couple years ago that defensive end from Florida said there was no way on earth you want to play in Tampa? I forgot who he was. I think he ended up playing for Jacksonville and ended up blowing out his knee on the first day of practice and then we never heard from him again.
February 27th, 2016 at 8:59 pm
I like him and am not worried about his size but first and foremost is a DE.
The CB’s are deep and there will be good ones in Rd 2-3.
February 27th, 2016 at 9:56 pm
VHIII using Kelvin Benjamin as an example was a really, REALLY bad analogy.
February 28th, 2016 at 12:27 am
Hargreaves can ball. The tape doesn’t lie. He would be a great pick at #9. Its a similar story to Joe Haden. Haden’s issue was his 40 time mainly, but still. All these guys do is shut down WRs. The tape doesn’t lie. We passed on Haden and he became an All Pro. Lets not make the same mistake again if he is available at #9. Which he prob won’t be.
February 28th, 2016 at 12:34 am
Off topic, my man Tyler Boyd killed it today! His magnet like hands can catch anything thrown to him. Which is needed when your QB can throw it as hard as Jameis can. A good comparison numbers wise would be Antonio Brown. TB ran a 4.58 40, AB ran a 4.57 TB had a 34″ vert, AB had 33.5″ TB had 11 reps, AB had 13 TB ran a 6.9 second 3 cone, AB did it in 6.98 TB had just under a 10′ broad jump. AB had 8’9″ broad jump. The numbers are there. And his numbers in college don’t lie. He is a stud. And would be the perfect guy out of the slot early in his career. Esp with VJax and Evans on the outside. Please draft this kid. He will become #3’s best friend for year to come. He is def my “man-crush” in this draft class. LOL
February 28th, 2016 at 5:18 am
I like him, but that height and at #9, no. Im sorry. D line and O line with #9 please.
The more I think about it, the more Im thinking of O line here unless we trade down which isnt likely being at #9. D line is deep in this draft, O line isnt. And I doubt we’ll be picking top 10 again for a while.
Lets finish anchoring around JW3, especially with the uncertainty of Mankins. Even if he comes back, this will probably be his last year….so use that time wisely with another O lineman drafted at #9 for him to mentor.
There will be a run on OT’s so Tunsil and Stanley will probably be gone, but if Stanley is still there, you just have to. If not, I like Jack Conklin. He’ll go in the top 15. So unless we’re moving up for Bosa or Ramsey, Im want an OT!
Andrew Billings or Noah Spence may just be there near the end of the first and we can trade back in to grab one of them or wait and see if they fall to the 40th pick.
February 28th, 2016 at 8:25 am
Ha! Sorry Vernon, but you’re getting your butt kicked in that “silent rivalry” against Jalen.
I’d be fine with Vernon.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:41 am
Sorry Bonzai but there NO WAY VH3 makes it out of the 1st rd. He’ll I’d be shocked if he isn’t a top ten pick. Im not worried about his height because he has elite skills to make up for it and if u have seen him play u would know that he has amazing leaping ability. Dude has ups! Wait and see on his broad jump. He is certainly worthy of the 9th pick and is a safer bet than Noah spence. I’m not opposed to drafting Spence, I’m just sick of hearing that VH3 is no good and not worth the our pick. That’s nonsense. If we do draft a CB We can find plenty of DE help in the mid rds. The draft is LOADED with DL talent.
February 28th, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Hargreaves is bad ass, he’s has lots of great film . I think he only put up a few stinkers. He’s first round caliber and should be a ball hawk in the no fun league.
February 28th, 2016 at 8:27 pm
Can’t wait till tomorrow morning 9 a.m. sharp!