Jason Licht Talks Draft “Intel”
May 5th, 2016
So you think who’s not attending a pro day is meaningless? Think again.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht shared a few nuggets about draft-day intelligence today on the greatest morning show on the sports radio airwaves, PFT Live on NBC Sports Radio.
Tampa Bay wanted cornerback Vernon Hargreaves in the first round last week, but with him sitting there at No. 9 overall, when the Bucs were set to pick, Licht traded down to No. 11, swapping picks with Chicago. And then came the sweat-inducing moment, the Giants picking at No. 10 made Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple the first corner off the board in the NFL Draft.
Licht said previously he had intelligence on what the Giants would do. This morning, he elaborated to explain that includes studying team habits that includes pro day happenings and visits.
“Also, getting some intel on what we think other teams are going to take, just based on their history and what kind of players they like at different positions, and what pro days they attended and visitors they hand in, and all that stuff,” Licht said. “So we put it all together, and the intel that we came up with was that we didn’t think they were going take him. But you also have to always have a little luck involved.”
This is especially interesting considering every last team and loads of scouts attended the Ohio State pro day, obviously, given the loaded Buckeyes roster.
But were the Bucs there watching to see if the Giants talked to Apple? Did they have a staffer focused on just that alone, how the Giants interacted with Apple?
Fascinating stuff. Licht sure likes to gamble.
May 5th, 2016 at 9:24 am
“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
May 5th, 2016 at 9:27 am
Licht knew the Bears wanted Floyd. He was perfectly happy with either Hargreaves or Rankins so it was no gamble at all.
If the Giants had picked Hargreaves – then the whole narrative would have changed and Rankins would have been “our guy the whole time”.
May 5th, 2016 at 9:33 am
I agree entirely that the pick was going to be between….Hargreaves, Floyd & Rankins.
I am still amazed at the discipline Licht displayed in round 2 when the first two picks were DEs……..He had the xtra 4th & could have used it to trade up for Spence but didn’t……so using
May 5th, 2016 at 9:33 am
Lol Pick…….That is prolly the Gospel.
May 5th, 2016 at 9:34 am
So using it for Aguayo didn’t bother me as much
May 5th, 2016 at 9:36 am
I bet if Haregraves was gone we might of took Apple
May 5th, 2016 at 9:37 am
Happy Cinco De Mayo Pablo!!!!!
May 5th, 2016 at 9:47 am
Bill Belichick has bugged 31 other teams draft rooms and the Bucs bought the intel from BB.
May 5th, 2016 at 9:48 am
I 100% agree with pickgrin
May 5th, 2016 at 9:52 am
That sounds like something he learned from Belicheat
May 5th, 2016 at 10:17 am
Tampabaybucfan Says:
“I am still amazed at the discipline Licht displayed in round 2 when the first two picks were DEs……..He had the xtra 4th & could have used it to trade up for Spence but didn’t……so using it for Aguayo didn’t bother me as much”
I agree TBBF. That was quite the sweat waiting for our pick after Ogbah and Dodd came off the board 1,2 to start the 2nd round. I would have almost certainly moved up a few spots to make sure I got Spence – so kudos to Licht for trusting his intel and believing that Spence would fall to #39. His decision was spot on and that decision is what allowed him to use the “extra” 4th rounder to make sure he got Aguayo – his 3rd intended target for the day.
In Licht we trust.
May 5th, 2016 at 10:19 am
SB
Speaking for Pablo
“Gracias”…….”gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto”
May 5th, 2016 at 10:29 am
Idk how these sources work but it moves fast as hell. And it seems like its all based on player ability. Mayock has the details and knew Floyd would go at 9 just didn’t know for sure whether the Bucs would trade out? Or was it a coincidence?
May 5th, 2016 at 10:51 am
No coincidence TheCollegeBuc. Licht somehow got it out there that he was hot for Floyd and tricked the Bears into trading up.
I myself was very concerned when those late reports that the Bucs were after Floyd came out and 2 or 3 big name analysts started projecting that. But once it was all done, I was like -” Oh – ok – wow that was brilliant”.
May 5th, 2016 at 11:21 am
So in summary, Licht and the scouting department know waaayyy more than us armchair GM’s.
May 5th, 2016 at 11:23 am
Agree Pickgrin. I too think that Licht would’ve been happy with either Hargreaves or Rankins. Giants taking Apple so high surprised me but there was no way we could lose in any event. Seriously doubt that Floyd was in play for the Bucs.
May 5th, 2016 at 11:30 am
You right clobber,I keep sayin it he learned from them gangstas in Boston. There fore he’ll be running circles around other GMs come draft night for years to come.
May 5th, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Still say Rankins is gonna be a straight up Beast in this league. Just like Donald from the Rams is becoming. We had a shot at him also but went with Evans instead. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!
May 5th, 2016 at 12:46 pm
“Mike Johnson Says:
May 5th, 2016 at 12:09 pm
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!”
50% of the last 10 Super Bowl Champions had average to poor defenses.
May 5th, 2016 at 1:40 pm
Joe. More likely they knew NYG were not at UofF for their pro day
May 5th, 2016 at 1:54 pm
MJ Rankins is no Donald..
May 5th, 2016 at 7:05 pm
Lol what Pickgrin said
May 10th, 2016 at 8:58 am
It’s all spin by the BACK-STABBER, I never said he was no good at his job, he’ll LOVIE hired him, there are some that say that, had someone else taken Haregraves, Licht would have went to plan B, and told us it was his master plan. Spinning it like only a BACK-STABBER can!!
May 14th, 2016 at 9:54 am
I liked Sheldon Rankins a lot too. In the end we got the right player. Not only was Hargreaves the best player available, the need he filled was greater than the need at DT. My original thoughts on Rankins was that we had lost Henry Melton and Tony McDaniel which leaves only Gerold McCoy, Clinton McDonald and Akeem Spence at defensive tackle. Not only would Rankins fill in for depth he would have been that player who could play next to McCoy on passing downs and take some of the double teams off of him. Once we drafted Noah Spence that could free up Robert Ayers to play inside next to McCoy. It is still a mystery why Licht would hold on to the second 4th round pick until after Noah Spence was picked? I mean he waited 5 picks before the Bucs had the opportunity to draft him? I think he knew all along that the 4th round pick was going to be used on Robert Aguayo. If Spence was taken I believe he would have drafted Sterling Shepard.