“He’s An Automatic”
April 20th, 2016
Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is pegged as a top-4 Bucs target
Former Bucs tight end and current ESPN college football analyst Anthony Becht names his go-to picks for the Bucs in the first-round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
So he’s all over those Clemson defensive ends, right? Wrong!
Becht thinks there’s an outside chance manbeast (6-7, 291 pounds) Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner falls to the Bucs. If so, Becht says “he’s an automatic” pick by general manager Jason Licht, so he told WDAE-AM 620 yesterday.
Becht also is high on cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (you can read his breakdown here), and he says DE Joey Bosa is an “intriguing” possibility and a guy the Bucs should pounce on.
But Becht was big-time gushing for Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.
“If him and Gerald McCoy could be on the field at the same time, it could be ugly around the NFL. This kid is a game-wrecker,” Becht said. “Speed, power, quickness, [I] saw him at the Senior Bowl up close. Basically, he practiced two days and took off for the rest of the week because he dominated, in my opinion, when he was down there.”
Would Jason Licht draft a defensive tackle? Perhaps, assuming he’s the best pass rusher available. Joe would love to see the Bucs snag Rankins coupled with a defensive end in the second round.
Rankins talk always has Joe thinking about what would have happened if the Bucs drafted the best defensive tackle in the NFC South, the Panthers’ Kawann Short, back in 2013. They selected Johnthan Banks, and Short went one pick later to Carolina. And the same though goes for Aaron Donald versus Mike Evans in 2014.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:42 am
the bucs have brought a bunch of 1st round prospects for visits who might project as a 4-3 DTs in the NFL. they are seriously considering a powerful insider presence if they don’t love the edge rushers at #9 or wherever they trade down to
April 20th, 2016 at 11:42 am
DeForesst Buckner would be cool.
I could live with Rankin. It would be a good pick, though not my choice.
I think Vernon Hargreaves would be a mistake. I would have to reserve judgment on that pick until I saw him in action in the pros.
Spence is a gamble, but MIGHT work out.
Dodd is the only Clemson DE I would accept.
In the end, I believe the pick has to be DE, because Ayers is not going to work out at all, given Licht’s FA record.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:43 am
I think this guy can possibly have a more immediate impact on the pass rush than any of the DEs to include Bosa. With a McCoy/Rankins inside push, we free up our EXISTING DE’s to do damage with Spence adding some depth for a never ending nightmare senario for the other teams. Dude is an Warren Sapp like ANIMAL!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:44 am
Everybody always talks about how much better GMC would be with a stronger supporting cast on the DL and they immediately assume a DE.
Yes a Simeon Rice DE would make GMC instantly better…but there are other ways and as this article suggests a dominant DT would also be a boon for GMC.
It’s a numbers game…they can’t double team everybody they have to pick their poison. Pressure up the middle is also a great thing. I get the contain requirement to keep the mobile QB’s inside but I love a blast up the middle that disrupts the passer before receivers complete their route or stuffs a run in the backfield.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:44 am
WE should definitely get him – I’ve backed that up (not that they need my permission) lol – I think ensuring McCoy can get help in the middle, should be a priority. If McCoy gets hurt, the rush would still be there. When McCoy is no longer in this team, We have some kind of cont. – Reality is we are wasting McCoys prime time. He has a few more years of primetime and that’s it. Draft Rankins and get DE Bullard in the second. D-line complete!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:46 am
@Joe
The Bucs also had a chance to draft a very good DT in round 1!!! But the pop-star negotiating with himself and got fleeced,,,again!!!!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:54 am
Ranks and Mccoy Together would be nasty!!!!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:54 am
I think Joe forget about our top shelf defensive tackle Geral McCoy here in Tampa when annointing Short the best DT in NFC south.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:59 am
@scott fitzgerald
I agree, and a very real possibility!!!!
April 20th, 2016 at 12:02 pm
I like Vernon Butler, he dominated in the senior bowl too.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:05 pm
Agree with Becht 100%, If Buckner is available take him. But if not then as I’ve commented before they should take Rankin. Most mock drafts don’t have a DT picked anywhere in the top 10, so why shouldn’t the Bucs take the No. 1 DT on their board instead of the 2nd (or 3rd) best DE? And if that’s Rankin, then he & McCoy side-by-side should blow up the pocket on a regular basis chasing opposing QB’s out of there right in to the Bucs group of “average DE’s” making them a lot more dangerous.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
Man, a 3 round of Rankin’s, Karl Joseph, Braxton Miller would be unreal. Doubt Miller gets to the 3rd, but maybe swing Glennon and a 3 for a mid 2 and grab him or sterling shepherd.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Braxton Miller would be an intriguing pick. I see a team like the Pats going after him too, possibly before we could afford to.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:24 pm
PR has been beating the drum for Rankins for weeks. They think he’s likely to be the pick, and they do have a fairly solid history of predicting which players the team will target. I think he’d be a good addition, especially if there are no difference makers at DE left. McCoy and McDonald are gonna be on the wrong side of 30 sooner than you might expect, and the only serviceable option behind them is Spence, who I believe isn’t signed after this year. Going DT makes a lot of sense in this draft.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:25 pm
You’all got me droolin’.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:29 pm
Now we talking baby!! If Bosa or Buckner slips thats the pick. If not,let’s go Rankins and Nkemdiche or Spence.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
@Joe … “Joe would love to see the Bucs snag Rankins coupled with a defensive end in the second round.”
That would be the perfect draft right there … Rankins coupled with the best DE available in Round 2.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
I like Rankins more than Buckner personally. Better fit and a guy that will collapse the pocket and pressure QBs more that a DT/DE like Buckner.
I’d be happy with Rankins at 9. Not sure we could get him if we trade back to 15.
Value and need meet if we get Rankins round 1 and best available DE or S/CB
round 2 imo based on reading a bunch of draft crap for months now lol
April 20th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Rankins is going to be a beast..for somebody. Just like Donald is for the Rams.
I can live with this pick. Looks like Spence is going to be available though. I’d take him. But I’d take Rankins over him anyday of the week. You never can tell. Come draft day, the Bucs might get an opportunity to trade down and get 2 for 1. They cannot pass that up.
April 20th, 2016 at 1:02 pm
Yep, Rankins and then if Ogbah falls to us in the 2nd, and maybe even Spence in a trade back into the 2nd if he’s falling. Nkimdiche probably wont make it out of the 1st.
April 20th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
That’s the beauty of the draft. I see posters on here saying if Buckner or Bosa is there at 9 then you pick them regardless. News flash…..Licht and the scouts may value Rankins more than those two DE’s. Every GM evaluates talent differently and that is why you have Dominick selecting Baron over Luke. Just trust the fact that Licht and the boys will draft who “they” feel is the best player once that #9 pick comes around. Yes, that means it could be a CB, DE DT, OL etc.
April 20th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
I like Sheldon but he ain’t keeping cam from escaping that picket once it breaks down. Give me the monster Ogbah from OSU. Again my challenge to any of you is put they’re collegiate and combine numbers up against eachother and come back an holla at me. All this reach talk makes me scratch my head.
April 20th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
has a dream bucs drafted rankins
April 20th, 2016 at 1:31 pm
@Cornelius…I like him better than Buckner and Bosa. Teams wouldn’t be able to double team McCoy anymore and it would be gross up the middle. I think we have enough depth at DE (Ayers/J.Smith/Gholston/Jones/Bowers) to get one in a later round. Everyone just thinks if we pick a DE in the the top ten that him and Gerald will automatically turn into Sapp and Simeon
April 20th, 2016 at 1:42 pm
Might have a shot at Rankin and Ogbah. Definitely not a Hargreaves fan. I;d give Nassib a look if he fell into our wheelhouse. Finally Noah Spence is intriguing. I’d be very surprised if one of the above four isn’t a Buc next week.
April 20th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Here comes a rhetorical question; Did anybody see the Super Bowl?
Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware made a bunch of plays. Why do you think that is? It doesn’t take anything away from Miller or Ware but, without the two DTs those guys are getting double-teamed.
Carolina has the same thing; stout up the middle.
The blueprint is there and I agree with Becht.
April 20th, 2016 at 2:38 pm
I’d love to see Rankin and Spence!
I hope not to see a DB before the 3rd round.
April 20th, 2016 at 3:15 pm
If Buckner drops, or the Bucs can move up without mortgaging this draft or the future, nail him.
I’d be completely OK with Rankins. Between him & McCoy, they’d make the current DE’s a LOT more effective.
April 20th, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Funny thing is no one made any mention of a need for a DT or CB after 2014 when Frasier was runing the defense. The other guy took control and all of a sudden we need DT,CB,SS,LB. We were all pretty much in agreement that Johnson’s play was suspect and only if we had a DE what that unit might become as a whole. McDonald is not a All Pro but he stout when healthy. One-day you folks will realize the need to draft an develop a young DE. You know kinda how like Carolina always does.
April 20th, 2016 at 9:46 pm
McCoy, McDonald and Spence is a pretty solid threesome. Ayers, Jack Smith and Gholson means we are lacking at DE. DE is a much greater need than DT. But the value does not line up with pick #9 unless Bosa or Buckner fall. What to do?
April 21st, 2016 at 5:29 am
Why would we go after Rankins, he’s a 3 tech in our scheme. We need a disruptive 1 tech or an edge rusher. Give me Andrew Billings, that dude is a monster and a scheme fit. Maybe not at 9 but unless Bosa or Stanley fall I don’t see any good value at 9.
We want: Stanley, Tunsil, Ramsey, Jack or Bosa. Even if 2 QB’s and Ezekiel go before us we lose out on the top talent. In that case trade back and take Billings or Spence.
April 21st, 2016 at 8:56 am
I was supporting Rankins when everyone thought Spence was gonna be our pick. The quickest way to the QB is up the middle. And u pair him with GMC? Oh boy that gets me excited. You can find a good pass rusher later in the draft but not a guy like Rankins.
GMC is not getting any younger either and is always getting injured and if u had Rankins you would have his replacement when he is gone and when is out with a injury. Wich history says is alot. And Just because he plays 3 technique doesn’t mean he can’t slide over.,with the heat and overall rotating of lineman he could still play 3 tech. Wich would give GMC a breather and keep him fresh and that means less of a chance of a injury.
I hope we take him over Buckner. I thinks he’s a slightly more talented version of Gholston, wich is a very good run stopper and not a good pass rusher, and we need pressure on the qb. Plus I’m not thrilled with Oregon defenders. History says they will be a bust.