“Turning Heads”
August 6th, 2017
There’s Joe and fans evaluating players on the training camp fields, and then there’s the real evaluation behind the scenes.
Joe’s got a little of the latter here.
Tampa Bay director of college scouting Mike Biehl was a guest on the official Buccaneers Insider show recently and said rookie seventh-round pick Stevie Tu’ikolovatu is “definitely turning some heads.”
Interesting. The manbeast 330-pounder out of Southern California is a unique, 26-year-old, late-bloomer prospect out of the University of Southern California. He’s got a long way to go to make the roster, but file that Biehl assessment away in your memory banks. Maybe Stevie T. will stick. Late-round Bucs picks in recently years have struggled to cut it, and that’s no surprise.
Biehl added that his college scouting team uses training camp to study the current team, which helps give them an idea of how to attack the draft next year, as directed by Jason Licht.
“We really want to know our team when we hit the road just so when we go out we know what we’re looking for,” Biehl said.
Scouting does change slightly each season, Biehl noted. “Of course, when Lovie was here we graded defensive guys differently than when Mike Smith came in.”
Amen to that.
August 6th, 2017 at 12:30 pm
I hope they are grading them differently !
Lovie’s D was that good ….
August 6th, 2017 at 12:31 pm
Lovie sucked
August 6th, 2017 at 12:46 pm
This article is extremely interesting to me. I have a hunch Lovie may have been all black and white when scouting, only looking for a mold of the old Tampa D. With Smitty, seems there’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that, most notably the beef coming in on the D line. We aren’t watching Tampa 2 constantly forced as if it’s a video game and every 4th down you get lucky. Nope, we have 3-4, 4-3, heck, I’m even waiting to see some 11-0 and 0-11 lol. I love it, I love Smitty and most of all, I love these Bucs!
August 6th, 2017 at 12:49 pm
I meant to put in the middle of that, the article is a tattle tail of the past. Of course everyone knows love forced it, this scout just pretty much confirmed it.
August 6th, 2017 at 12:55 pm
Guys I have re-opened the JoeBucsFan.com Pigskin Pickem for all of you that want to play again this yr or would like to join us.
http://games.espn.com/nfl-pigskin-pickem/2017/en/group?groupID=99276
We had over 60 players last yr!!! Lets shoot for 80 This Year
AND CARRY A BIG FUTHERMUCKING STICK!!!
August 6th, 2017 at 1:05 pm
It’s nice to have some man-beast power on the Dline now, I also like that this D isn’t so darn predictable now. Understand what your players do best and put them in a position to be successful. Smitty is the man.
August 6th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
Thanks SB looks like fun. Looking forward to seeing this team hit the field, especially the new guys….this coming week! Learn some more on hard knocks. Bout time to sign up for hbo. Go get em Stevie. Go Bucs
August 6th, 2017 at 1:25 pm
Hope Stevie-T makes it…..he can be our first “CHUNKANEER”
August 6th, 2017 at 1:44 pm
“Late-round Bucs picks in recently years have struggled to cut it, and that’s no surprise.”
Um – well yea – if you are talking about the Dom years , sure – but that applied to most of his high round picks as well.
Licht by contrast has owned the 1st round (Evans, Winston, Hargreaves, Howard), gotten a # of good players in the 2nd and 3rd rounds (Sims, D.Smith, Marpet, Spence) and he’s also done better than average w/ his late round selections
2014 – 5th rd Kevin Pamphille – entrenched starter at LG
2015 – 4th rd Kwon Alexander – starter, never leaves the field, 5 star pick
2016 – 4th rd Ryan Smith – currently 1st back up at outside CB
2016 – 5th rd Caleb Benenoch – 1st back up swing tackle – vying for RT starter
2016 – 6th rd Devante Bond – current front runner for starting SLB spot
August 6th, 2017 at 2:00 pm
If Stevie T makes the final 53 – then its a high probability that every rookie the Bucs drafted in 2017 will be on this team and contributing. That’s not easy to do considering how much the overall talent level has already risen.
At least a couple of these 2017 picks are going to be big name players in the future (Howard, Godwin) and the rest have a chance to make some noise as well (J, Evans, Beckwith, McNichols).
Solid, solid drafting – bordering on outstanding.
A hat tip to Jason Licht. Keep it up and we are looking at a legit dynasty moving forward with Winton as the centerpiece.
August 6th, 2017 at 2:01 pm
Looks like we are playing jay cutler week one!!!!
August 6th, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Mike
Are you sure he can beat out Moore? Would seem the ‘Fins believe that or they wouldn’t have handed him 10 million.
Cutler does not scare me any more than Moore or Tannehill. None of these guys are world beaters although obviously Cutler has a great arm…his head? Not so much.
August 6th, 2017 at 3:32 pm
Go look what Cutler did with Gase as his offensive coordinator (for one year) two seasons ago in Chicago. That’s why the Dolphins hired Gase. They figured if he could resurrect Cutler’s career, he could fix Tannehill (which he sort of did).
August 6th, 2017 at 4:09 pm
I just don’t get it …at this time of Cutler’s Career…Colin is a far better pick and neither Moor or Tannehill could never hold Colin’s jock strap…so I use a term that is currently haunting president elect DT, Callusion, and a word that all 32 owners know very well (shame on you Glazers) BLACKBALLED!!
August 6th, 2017 at 5:04 pm
BigHog………..You are the biggest Racist on Any blog I visit. Hope you get some help because YOU are what perpetuate racism.
August 6th, 2017 at 5:05 pm
Not to mention a Top Ten in football stupidity
August 6th, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Joe you are Spot On! Gase ALMOST revived Cutler’s career! Almost. Cutler is what he is but with Gase he has extra Juice!
August 6th, 2017 at 7:41 pm
Took a lot of people to come around to Licht.
I’ve liked him since he was jumping in swimming pools, all though it didn’t happen very often.
Always loved his strategy of “Build through the Draft” cus he seems to be damn good at it.
August 6th, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Kap recently gave high praise to the Castro Regime. That would start a total distraction in Miami.
August 6th, 2017 at 9:11 pm
Do we have room on the line? GMC, McDonald, Baker …. Some Ayers and Gholson. ,,,,, Maybe.
August 6th, 2017 at 9:28 pm
he just looks awesome I have a feeling he’ll be a fan favorite soon. Prob be in top ten bucs jersey sales. Like Andrew “beef” Johnston on PGA tour, we need a guy like this badly. This team getting harder to make which is a great sign
August 6th, 2017 at 10:33 pm
I see LUV is In!!! Awesome first night of enrollment!! Great to see you Brother!!!
August 7th, 2017 at 2:08 am
Oh hell yea SB I’ll Be joining again
August 7th, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Big hog haynes.
Kap brought this on himself when he disrespected military veterans
Past, present, and families of veterans. Make amends to them and he could find himself back in the NFL
August 7th, 2017 at 7:13 pm
As a US military Veteran the National anthem and the American flag hold a special place in my heart. It does for anyone who has worn the uniform, picked up a weapon and fought for this great Nation. Mr. Kapernick’s actions was a slap in the face to those of us who served. To the families who’s loved ones died in defense of the flag. I fully support Mr. Kapernick’s right to protest. There are thousands of ways he could protest. Is he maybe unaware of the resentment his actions caused? The hurt to this Nation’s military community, Veterans, families of our fallen heroes. This item is never addressed, easier to make it a race issue, a “Stay in your place” subject. I call equestrian feces on that. He spat in the face of all those wearing the military uniform past and present. I am of the opinion that he is a good athlete, awesome skills, has the tools. I do not oppose his protest or his right to protest. Which is something else the flag and anthem represent. But his kneeling was seen as disrespect for two symbols held in high esteem by American military personnel past and present.