Biggest Hole
March 31st, 2016
Young’uns: This man was not named after a dish from a Thai eatery.
With the draft exactly four weeks from tonight — free beer! — there is no doubt in anyone’s mind what the Bucs must secure to get this defense to the next level.
An edge rusher.
It is past the point of irresponsibility that the Bucs haven’t had a double-digit sackmeister since Simeon Rice left the team nine friggin’ years ago. Once and for all this nonsense needs to be halted, thus, the Bucs will address an edge rush in the draft. You can bet a case of cold Bud Light on that.
Everyone knows this. Everyone but Mike DiRocco of BSPN. In an article on teams’ biggest holes entering the draft, DiRocco is convinced the Bucs need a cornerback worse.
The Bucs added 32-year-old Brent Grimes, but he’s certainly not a long-term answer. Josh Robinson isn’t, either. Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner were spotty last year, too. The Bucs need an elite player at this position, and they may have to find it in the draft. Most mock drafts have them taking Vernon Hargreaves III at No. 9.
Well, DiRocco is right about everything but the position. It is an edge rusher that is needed.
Oh, Joe is confident the Bucs will draft a corner in a month. You can bank on that, too. Bucs officials don’t even try to hide that an edge rusher is Priority No. 1 — so much so, the Bucs very well could draft two edge rushers.
Now this doesn’t mean the Bucs will draft a defensive end at No. 9. The draft is deep in edge rushers. That is why some believe the Bucs will pick a corner at No. 9.
But just because the Bucs may select a corner at No. 9, that’s is a far cry from the position being the most critical need entering the draft. A guy walking around with a white cane can see it is an defensive end.
March 31st, 2016 at 10:22 am
Getting a feeling we are going to draft Shaq Lawson, and I know he’s a Clemson DE, but Jameis was a FSU QB, but Shaq checks all the boxes, plus with the track record of DL coach Hayes,, heck he made Mike Ghost Johnson a stud, I’m confident no matter who we get to play on the line, we’ll get production
1st DE Shaq Lawson
2nd CB Artie Burns
3rd DE Carl Nassib
4th DT Maliek Collins
5th S TJ Green
6th FB Dan Vitale
6th WR Mike Thomas
March 31st, 2016 at 10:30 am
If there is not an impact edge rusher that can produce right away, then I’m all for picking a defensive back or offensive lineman. What we don’t want is to reach for a DE like we did with Gaines Adams or even Adrian Claybourne.
March 31st, 2016 at 10:37 am
I do have a feeling one of the top 3 edge rushers will be available at 9. Unless there’s a tremendous dropoff in talent, I would go with one of them. If not I have no problems with a CB at 9 also. Please concentrate on the defense like you have the offense for 2 yrs Tampa bay.
March 31st, 2016 at 10:42 am
I agree Joe, DE is the biggest need. The fact that most DEs take longer to develop and make an impact make it prudent to draft for quality, aka 1st round.
Also, I just don’t see Hargreaves as a “can’t-miss” prospect.
March 31st, 2016 at 11:10 am
Guzzie
I like your draft but I highly doubt Mike Thomas gets to the 6th round.
I do think he is going to fall into the 3rd round area.
Here’s my Bucs draft
1) Shaq Lawson DE Clemson
2) Noah Spence DE Eastern Kentucky
3) Sterling Shepard WR Oklahoma
4) Deion Jones OLB LSU
5) Sean Davis FS Maryland
6) Glenn Gronkowski FB Kansas State
6) James Bradbury CB Samford
March 31st, 2016 at 11:38 am
there’s never a cant miss prospect…everybody coming out of the draft has an “UNKNOWN” sticker attached to them…de is our biggest need(#1) but cb is right up there(#1b)…don’t think Lawson is the answer at #9 and he already has a history of injuries(shoulder&knee)…hayes likes de’s standing around 6’5…
1) Vernon Hargreaves-cb
2) E. Ogabah-de
3) D. Jones-lb
4) C. Nassib-de
5) TJ Green-s
6) D. Kirkland-t/g
6) D. Vitale-fb
March 31st, 2016 at 11:53 am
I like those late round picks Ocala. But gotta go Hargreaves in the first. A lot of people have bought into the notion that he is somehow too small to be a great corner. He will be better on day 1 than any corner we have had since Revis.
March 31st, 2016 at 1:52 pm
I have never watched as much film and studied the draft as much as this year. This is the most confusing draft I’ve been around. The guy i keep wanting is spence. 9 maybe a little early but he won’t make it to round 2. The guys at Walter football who I believe are just a bit more informed than I have him I the second but when you listen to the nfl radio guys, they call him the best pass rusher in the draft. For us (I’m one) who think Donovan smith is a really good nfl player go watch the osu vs penn state game and tell me if you’d rather pick Bosa or Spence. Second round I would love either Tyler Boyd or the WVU safety Third, maybe Shawn Oakman, he’s a project but could be a real beast with coaching. After that?????
March 31st, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Draft 3.
March 31st, 2016 at 3:53 pm
I’d like to add a wr early. If we can add a receiver I think our offense is done for now.
March 31st, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Ocala….there are 2 Mike Thomas, Ohio state is 1-2 rounder, the other is 6’1 200 southern miss, same college our new OC/wide receiver coach was the head coach at, he’s projected in the 4-6 round range