Donte Jackson And The Bucs
April 7th, 2018
Coming to Tampa.
Joe has to admit this guy has slipped under his radar.
One reason Joe doesn’t know much about Donte Jackson is that he pities any cornerback the Bucs may draft this month. You know the drill: Joe has zero faith based on two years of unsettling evidence that the current defensive staff can develop a rookie corner.
So just the thought of studying a great deal about corners potentially selected on the first two nights of the draft by the Bucs makes Joe ill on a variety of levels.
Now LSU is a NFL factory. Joe remembers at the NFL combine in February mentioning to running back Derrius Guice how LSU sure puts a lot of guys into the NFL. Guice looked right and Joe and said, “That’s why I went to LSU.”
So the report by NFL draft analyst Jared Tokarz that Jackson is scheduled to be one of the Bucs’ 30 private visits to One Buc Palace sparked Joe to do a bit of research.
This Jackson, projected to be selected on the first two nights of the draft, is one fast mofo. Of course, some Bucs fans will grumble that he is 5-10. As Vernon Hargreaves famously told Joe at his combine, “If you can ball, you can ball.”
Only four picks in 35 college games sort of raises a flag with Joe but perhaps opponents were just smart enough not to test him?
If the Bucs draft Jackson, perhaps he could be used as a returner and won’t be a complete and total loss? As with any corner the Bucs may draft this month, Joe is prepared to light candles for his soul.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:03 am
Pass. I’d rather address the O-Line and running game in the first 2 rounds
April 7th, 2018 at 10:19 am
The only time people who hate the sec thinking they are overrated chill out is during the draft
there is so much hidden talent in that leauge.
How does lsu always lose?
April 7th, 2018 at 10:23 am
I’m beginning to think our pick might be minkah if he is there,you aren’t hearing his name mentioned much as far as the bucs go which often means that a team is very interested. I’m not sure people know just how good he is but the kid is special.our secondary needs attention and I believe the bucs will address it in the first round .james is also in the mix but if minkah is sitting there at #7 I think he will be the pick unless one of the big three is still on the board chubb/Barkley/Nelson.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:26 am
If that is the best YouTube highlight video of this guy, no thanks!
April 7th, 2018 at 10:32 am
Seems that for we fans and maybe even the Buc’s front office two things stand out every year in the draft.
First we worry about who to take with our top picks…trade down…which player etc.
Secondly…and for me perhaps the most interesting is the search for that “uncovered gem”…the kind that fly under the radar as Joe says. I’m talking about steals in the late rounds or better still a UDFA.
Who is the next Kwon? Who is the next Brate? I LOVE the under the radar players for all the obvious reasons but I also like the human interest stories. Everybody loves seeing the underdog succeed.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:33 am
So Hargreaves brilliantly says, ‘if you can ball, you can ball’ which in Bucs’ cases has no bearing on whether or not you will or, even choose to.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:52 am
Mincah can play Free Safety or Slot Corner. We already have those positions covered with good players, so it would be rediculous for us to waste a Nr 7 pick on him. James isn’t worth it either. First he missed all but two games in 2016 so he is an injury risk. Second, his only two interceptions last year prove he is no playmaker either. With penalties for any hitting with the helmet this year will make his hitting reputation a penalty risk and only 11 pass breakups last year doesn’t merit a Nr 7 pick either. It would be a stretch! But I believe 4 QBs will be picked in front of us, leaving a choice of one of the big 3 or a lucrative trade down offer, both of those choices are better than a reach for James. But then we have Licht and his BPA history in his picking and his ratings on players have been badly flawed before, like an FSU kicking bust or our stupid 5th pick last year, so Licht could be foolish enough to waste his 7 pick on James.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:53 am
So Hargreaves said if you can ball, you can ball. I believe Hargreaves is talented but he was drafted to the wrong defensive scheme. HE’S NOT A ZONE CORNER! Donte seems talented and I think he would help our team but the best corner in this draft and for this team is Josh Jackson. Rangy and great instincts playing in a zone defense. The guy makes you pay if you try to fit the ball in any window. He’s the best corner for this team and its really not close. Watch the tape.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:58 am
No kidding.
April 7th, 2018 at 10:59 am
Owlykat, minkah can play anywhere in the secondary, that’s what makes him special.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:03 am
Doesn’t necessarily make him “special.” It’s great that a guy is flexible but he has to be able to perform. Joe has yet to hear that Fitzpatrick is a shutdown corner in any way.
Could Fitzpatrick be a solid nickel corner? Perhaps. Didn’t the Bucs just spend an 11th overall pick for a nickel corner? 🙁
April 7th, 2018 at 11:06 am
The thing with Alabama secondary players are they look great on tape but with Bamas pass rush in college football is second to none. Joe blow could have 10 INT’s in that defense. They won’t get that kind of push up front in the NFL and it’s something they always have to adjust to. Be careful what you wish for.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:08 am
He has great make up speed and needs it as he seems to be out of position a lot. If you want an explosive returner, check out Jamarion Grant from Rutgers:
https://youtu.be/N7VyDal_voE
He is likely to be available on Day 3. His 40 isn’t flashy (4.6), but his film is amazing!
April 7th, 2018 at 11:09 am
*Janarion Grant
April 7th, 2018 at 11:18 am
Shane:
LOL!
Joe has to be honest he is a little spooked with Bama defenders. These dudes ball out so much in college but more often than not are little better than average NFL players. It’s like Saban maxes these guys out or burns them out physically.
Yeah, yeah, Marcel Dareus, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Donte Hightower have done very well. But look at all the stud defenders Saban has churned out over the years and they have been just OK in the NFL.
Mark Barron also has done well in the NFL once he found a coach who knew how to use him. 🙁 #Lovie
April 7th, 2018 at 11:20 am
There are a lot of CBs in this draft…and about 94% of them are undersized. I would rather sign a vet and draft one next year…that would allow us to make sure Ryan and VHIII are what so many seem to think they are.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:21 am
Joe,I guess time will tell but I do know the kid can play!when you start as a freshman for Alabama, I think it’s safe to say you can play!where would the bucs play him is the question but if they pick minkah he would start somewhere!he is better than anything we have at safety,I like grimes but other than him we have nothing on the outside.could minkah play on the outside?that’s the question that I can’t honestly answer but I do believe most teams think he can from what I hear .i just know that he can play and I’m sure his name is high on the board at onebuc place.dont be shocked joe if minkah is there at #7 and the bucs snag him!it could happen joe!!
April 7th, 2018 at 11:23 am
Yeah it could. And Joe might just break down crying.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:23 am
Not to mention that Minkah’s 40 time is only 4.52 compared to Ward’s 4.38. He also is high in his back pedal and loses a step in transition and mentally gets down on himself after making a mistake. He lacks the amnesia that top corners use to stay sharp after a mistake. The Buc’s Tandy if moved to CB, his college position, would make a better CB than Minkah, and we easily could get a backup Safety later in the draft to take Tandy’s place on the bench. Unlike Mincah, Tandy, who has been our Special Team Ace for years, is a lot faster than Minkah, and is a proven playmaker, is very tough and durable, and a good tackler, and can cover very well as a CB, if you watch his film when he was a star CB at WVa. He foolishly was moved to Safety by the Bucs and has languished there all this time
April 7th, 2018 at 11:24 am
Donte Jackson is fast though. 4.32 40 speed.
But he can’t catch at all. He would have had more picks, but he dropped so many. Bad instincts too.
I suspect he won’t go until 5th or 6th round, maybe even 7th. Because he is ranked wrong.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:25 am
Joe Says:
“Yeah it could. And Joe might just break down crying.”
Joe, I suspect you will cry anyway, because I do not believe they will take Barkley if he is there…and we all know how badly you want a RB. lol
April 7th, 2018 at 11:25 am
If he could catch he’d be a wide receiver.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:30 am
Minkah came to Alabama as a outside corner but when Eddie Jackson got hurt he moved to safety.why would you cry if the bucs picked him joe?he is a hell of a player.sec all freshman team,started 10 games as a freshman,he has all the awards a player could get besides the heisman
April 7th, 2018 at 11:34 am
A safety at No. 7 with the massive holes the Bucs have a running back, defensive end — and the rabble who constantly bellyache about the offensive line?
A safety at No. 7??? #Facepalm
(And Joe already explained how he is skittish about the recent history of Bama defenders.)
April 7th, 2018 at 11:39 am
Owlykat, he gets down on his self after a mistake (minkah),I wouldn’t know cause I can’t recall a time minkah was beaten.he blocked field goals,took interceptions back for touchdowns including a 100 yarder,good vs the run, good in the locker room,very smart with great hands.you guys try to act like he is garbage but I will tell you right now minkah is a great player that will be very good in the NFL. Make no mistake about that!I do respect all of your opinions though!we will see soon 😆
April 7th, 2018 at 11:39 am
Who cares? We selected a corner with the 11th overall pick, supposedly the best corner in the draft and he’s terrible. Like you said Joe I don’t have any faith they can develop any kind of corner.
April 7th, 2018 at 11:41 am
It’s freaking sad man! 🙁
April 7th, 2018 at 11:43 am
I see what you are saying joe,I know we have some holes on this team but I want a great player in the first round and minkah is one of them.no reason why we won’t get a great one as there will be a few on the board when we pick!I’m ready for the draft and it can’t get here fast enough!go bucs!!!
April 7th, 2018 at 11:57 am
If Licht wants to get a CB from Bama, he needs to take a close look at Anthony Averett, the Bama right CB, who has a 9/10 of a second better 40 time than Minkah, and is also 6’ Like Minkah, and was a Track Star in high school with the top long jump in the country. He is strong also in run support, and frustrates pass receivers. The best part is Licht could take a top 3 pick at 7, then trade back in the second round and get back his 3rd pick, and still get a big physical corner like Averett who can cover some of the bigger WRs in our Division. Then in the third round still get the other need filled with a quality pick he can’t get in the fourth round. Pass on Mincah and James.
April 7th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Imagine the Buc’s ownership and Licht having this conversation–
Joel Glazier-“Hey Jason, did you read joebucsfan the past few months?”
Licht-“No, why?”
“They say that you cannot develop a corner. Whoa, why did you throw that dirty, smelly towel on the floor?”
“Because I’m throwing in the towel. If they say it’s true then it must be true. No need to draft a corner in any round of this year’s draft. We’d better focus on other positions as, obviously, they know more than we do.”
Glazier-“Good move Jason. Do you think we can get them into our “‘war room”‘ for the draft?”
“I’ll try, but I’m not sure if I want to be intimidated by two guys that know so much more about football than me. I’m afraid if you see their stuff you’ll fire me and have duel general managers next year and I’ll be relegated to taking over their website and complaining, incessantly, about their inadequacies…But now that you mention it, the quid pro quo of such an exchange will be refreshing…I’ll call them!”
April 7th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
He’s fast – and we DO need some legit speed in the defensive backfield other than Justin Evans. I’d rather have Jaire Alexander who is just as fast but also has tight coverage ability and better ball skills.
April 7th, 2018 at 12:59 pm
That’s pretty funny JA – 🙂
April 7th, 2018 at 1:12 pm
Why draft a cornerback at all because Joe has this stupid narrative that bucs can’t develop one and that the position requires zero skill on the part of the player
Jason Licht you should phase out the cornerback position immediately signed joebucsfan.com. for some reason they think a first round corner should have to be developed not have any talent. Or instead go hire the guy that developed lattimore or Marcus Peters.
April 7th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
Stupid?
Please explain in great detail how Vernon Hargreaves, Ryan Smith and/or Javien Elliott improved at all the past two years. These guys didn’t just stay status quo, they each got worse.
If you are OK and comfortable with rookie corners growing worse, cool.
Joe is anything but cool with that.
If anything is “stupid” is relying on three coaches who have not done one thing to demonstrate they know how to develop a young corner to think this disgusting pattern will magically flip.
If you take your car to the same shop to have the transmission worked on three times and they still don’t get it right, you expect a fourth trip to work?
April 7th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
Oh try telling Eric Berry a safety can’t change a secondary. But besides that people act like Brent Grimes was some kind of shut down corner last year, I guess so if they refuse to allow the guy to cover Julio Jones. Everyone gave you yards at corner last year and had just as much to do with zero pass rush and scheme.
April 7th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
@admin
Vernon Hargreaves, Ryan Smith and Javien Elliott are you serious? Vh3 I get it he was drafted in the first round everyone was saying he was a slot corner anyway. You don’t decide what he is as a player after two years.
Ryan Smith is supposed to develop into a starting corner just because he was drafted? You would need great detail about something so simple. How many starting corners n the nfl have been “developed” so Justin Evans a rookie started your saying we have no issues “developing” any other position including safety we just don’t know how to train corners? That’s just stupid and Joe saying doesn’t make it make sense.
For all the people he’s talked to about bucs players this off-season why isn’t he asking anyone why the bucs can’t develop a corner why isn’t he talking to anyone about Elliot or Ryan Smith? If you don’t know why it’s why they say say nonsense like this and you believe it.
If they draft a corner why ends up starting and he’s good you mean you’ll have to actually do a complete turnaround and say of this staff does know how to develop corners or will you say they drafted a good player. Why people believe anything they see online is beyond me
April 7th, 2018 at 1:37 pm
Everyone but NFL folks.
Apparently, you and Joe have significant different views of what coaches are supposed to do. Joe has benefited significantly in the past from good coaches when he played football. And Joe has seen bad coaches totally wreck careers.
Good coaches are actually supposed to develop young players — imagine that. At worst, players should remain status quo with competent coaching. All three young corners with the Bucs the past two years got worse — not status quo, not improved but worse.
One player, Joe can excuse. Two players, that’s a red flag. All three? That’s a pattern.
If you want to put your head in the sand and think just by drafting a guy No. 7 overall that he will turn into the next Deion Sanders with these coaches, knock yourself out.
Until proven otherwise, Joe has zero faith in these coaches with rookie corners. Zee-ROE.
As Mike Tanier once wrote about Lovie, never, ever underestimate how bad coaching can drag down a team.
April 7th, 2018 at 1:38 pm
I do not want Minkah or James as both are a huge reach–let us trade down, Davenport or Vita Vea or one of the top 3 non QB’s Corner later in the draft along with 1 safety. Would rather Licht pick up corner free agency.
April 7th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
The staff has worked with three rookie corners. So far they are 0-3.
But they are drafting another rookie so they’ll either be 0-4 or we will see somebody figure out how to cover a sideline.
Don’t see why fans seem to get angry about this narrative. Are you happy with the development of our young CBs?
April 7th, 2018 at 1:46 pm
What do you make of VHIII upping his game last year moving to nickel? Obvisously he was drafted to play the sideline but he did show improvement at the inside position. Can anything good be said about the coaching that, maybe, took a guy who was over his head at outside and got him prepared well to play mickle?
April 7th, 2018 at 1:48 pm
The key component in a player is can you learn and apply what you learn each day to become better. There are too many prospect to fit in 7 rounds some of the undrafted taken it better then the drafted talent. Because once football become your job an only focus it about who put it together.
April 7th, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Jimmy Jacks, no, no one is happy with their development, but do you really think Ryan Smith, a 4th round pick, and Elliot, an undrafted guy, would even be on other teams? Heck no. This has a little to do with coaching but a lot to do with lack of talent. Thinking the Bucs could make those two starters is akin to expecting magic to happen. At some point, you’re just not talented enough to do the job.
April 7th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Why is no one talking about Joshua Jackson. He’s the best playmaker on the ball in the draft. Something the bucs desperately need. More playmakers!
April 7th, 2018 at 2:06 pm
cgmaster…..Thats debatable. Yes I do think R.Smith would be on other teams, though he probably would not be their go-to backup.
Or you could argue better coaching would get him in a position to be the go-to guy.
It would be nice to have better depth and hide R.Smith but when you pick a guy in the fourth round the goal is to have that guy at least be a serviceable backup for you. R.Smith was not serviceable.
Sometimes guys just get overvalued or have different issues and just don’t work out…….In the Bucs case with CBs this is 2 players who aren’t working out(3 if you count Elliot). They are drafting(my guess) another CB this year and it will be getting silly to keep blaming players if we can’t get these guys playing well.
For what it’s worth I think we see development. Either VHIII or a rookie on sideline. Maybe both with Vernon on nickel.
April 7th, 2018 at 2:53 pm
Totally off topic…anyone feeling Orlando Brown could drop out of the first two rounds? Horrific combine….
Maybe Dotson replacement in round 3? 6’8 345
Pistol
April 7th, 2018 at 4:57 pm
This is a young man I very much love at CB.
Incredibly fast back pedal, fantastic transition to run, amazing make up speed,
And climbs so fluidly- it looks like hes taking off!!!
Yeah, He doesnt have great hands
But, with a year or two of seasoning- je will be able to shut down NFC south recievers
And he should last til 3rd round
April 7th, 2018 at 9:24 pm
Nothing makes an NFL secondary better than a suffocating PASS RUSH.
Grimes & company are already better just with the additions we’ve made to the D-Line. Any DB in the NFL will get torched if a QB has all day to throw — the WR always has the advantage of knowing what the route is going to be; something the DB doesn’t know.
Now that we’ve addressed the D-Line this offseason, our priority needs to shift to the OFFENSIVE LINE. A dominant Offense keeps the Defense off the field and rested; making them even more effective.
We need to pray that Nelson is there at #7. Then move up into the bottom of the 1st (or hope to get him top of the 2nd) and draft Guice.
April 8th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Mike Hughes second round. Possibly that Hernandez guy too.
We need more picks!