The Pastor, The Pick & Blood Ties To Jameis Winston
May 16th, 2019
Sean Murphy-Bunting
Are higher powers at play for the guy the Bucs will lean on heavily to bring their cornerbacks crew back to respectability?
Joe thought this was a fun nugget out of the Macomb Daily in Michigan, hometown newspaper of rookie Sean Murphy-Bunting, the Bucs’ second-round pick.
It seems Murphy-Bunting had a family gathering to watch Day 2 of the NFL Draft, when he was selected No. 39 overall. As Bucs fans well know, the rookie was a bit of a surprise pick; Bucs fans and many NFL observers didn’t see the Central Michigan corner going that soon.
Seconds before the pick was made a divine presence entered the Murphy-Bunting home. “As soon as the pastor of our church walked through the door Friday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made their pick,” said Kim Murphy-Bunting, Sean’s mom.
Cruel joke by the football gods? Joe’s just kidding. Joe’s pulling for Murphy-Bunting, who is just the kind of long, fast, super athletic, aggressive desired by Todd Bowles and Bucco Bruce Arians. Joe’s only reservation is Murphy-Bunting had just 15 passes defensed in college. That tells Joe he didn’t get tested very often in the Mid-American Conference.
As a side note, on Monday night at Donovan Smith’s fundraising event for Autism, America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, revealed that he is a blood relative on Murphy-Bunting.
Joe’s eager to get the background on that.
May 16th, 2019 at 9:55 am
At first i hated the pick *bunting* but after gathering what type of players they were going after it’s clear all these guys were big time ballhawks in college I’m just praying it translates to the nfl!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:13 am
On the surface this looks like another 2nd round reach with Licht getting cute with his selection…..but, let’s see…..there are many who are very high on SMB….he has all the skills & looks to have the right attitude.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:20 am
I honestly think having long, athletic db’s will translate very well for us in such a pass heavy league. Also I think it will lead to more sacks. I know conventional thinking says that the dline is most important, but personally i think a strong secondary is the best defensive weapon. Cant wait to see.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:26 am
He was a 5th round pick all day long.
If you watched the highlight reel that was posted on JBF that day, at one point the announcer was saying that it looked like they were picking on Bunting that day. Think about that for a moment. This kid is playing for Central Nowwhere State on a 1-11 team and the Northwestern Nowhere team chose Bunting as the weakest link. SMFH!
Most of the highlights on that video showed opponent’s QB that was throwing the ball Hail Mary style as high and as far as they could into heavy coverage. Bunting simply had enough speed to recover on those errant passes. It was junior high school caliber stuff.
Available at that point in the draft was the best CB in the draft, Trayvon Mullen, who nobody would throw at throughout his historic career at National Champion Clemson University. Alabama chose to pick on him and they paid dearly.
Mike Mayock stole him but Gump thinks Sean would nose him out in a sprint.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:27 am
And the 2019 Defensive Coach of the Year…Todd Bowles from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:33 am
With a average to below average pass rush the DB’s will have to hope for 50/50 balls or poor passes…a QB throwing on time to a spot or throwing a WR open and a good DB is making a tackle downfield…..oh I said hope and…. “There ain’t no hope in football “
May 16th, 2019 at 10:34 am
im rooting for him…
GO BUCS!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:36 am
Joe…ask Murphy-Bunting what is behind the name change
May 16th, 2019 at 10:37 am
Chris Simms right on…hope this guy and the others come around but its a steep learning curve and it will not be in 2019. Which DB last year pushed the bucs over the top? The guy they got off the street did the best. Whitehead in my opinion is going to be like the honey badger in Bowels defense and I think he will excel at that. He will be the “robber” player down in the box for run support and a curl flat player on the TE…i just think he is the perfect guy from last year for that spot and would be successful kinda like jamal adams….Not sure who the over the top guy is but im guessing they want justin evans for that
May 16th, 2019 at 10:44 am
The answer to your question (“are higher powers at play…”) is obviously no. What if a local chef walked through the door when he was picked? Would have been due to his culinary powers? I kid. A little. But do track down that JW bloodline backstory…
May 16th, 2019 at 10:47 am
Any slack jawed idiot who thinks Chris Simms would a make a good GM whilst simultaneously having a picture of a juggalo chosen to represent themselves, has an opinion that’s essentially worth nothing.
Having a pretty damn good eye for corners myself , correctly assessed that Denzel ward was worth a top 10 pick and would be a plug and play starter while most on here wanted nothing to do with him just because he’s 5’10 190, as well as correctly identifying that MJ Stewart was incapable of playing corner and would be a liability in coverage last year.
I’m here to tell you guys that SMB can flat out play corner. He is a hard hitting ball hawk with great feet, fluid hips, and phenomenal instincts reading the QB and reciever in order to make plays on the ball. In addition to having good size and elite athleticism for the position and has the ability to play outside corner and nickel proficiently. Oh and he didn’t give up a touchdown last year and was rarely thrown at. We got ourselves a stud in this kid.
I’m much less optimistic about Jamel Dean. Much stiffer of an athlete, slightly worse instincts, and more inconsistent on tape. But I think we got 3 instant starters in this draft in Devin White, SMB, Mike Edward’s, and a possible 4th in Anthony Nelson but he’ll more than likely be more of a role player to start.
Todd Bowles is going to have these boys flying all over the field creating incessant disruption. Calling it now our defense will make a jump this season. And it’s going to be scary when JPP DOES make a triumphant return around week 4-6.
Oh btw this is coming from someone who had zero faith in the coaching staff last season and knew that 2-1 start was nothing more than a fluke and that Mike Smith/ terrible ST/ no running game would would tank the season. So it’s not like I’m some kind of blind optimist like Bonzai… Go Bucs.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:50 am
Yet a clown like Adam Gase can (temporarily) be given control of a team in the largest market in the NFL.
You tell Joe which would be a worse choice.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:56 am
The Jets are a clown show what can I say Joe? But I’d still say Chris Sims would make a worse choice. His player rankings are consistently trash.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:58 am
Aah ha,we can find something to agree upon Dushty. Whitehead is indeed a gamer bro. But trust me he’s pushing Evans for his spot the other guy will Mike Edwards.
May 16th, 2019 at 11:00 am
I think Simms would make a great GM so that makes me a slack jaw…your forgot yokel …certainly better than the last 2 we’ve had and I am not counting Lovebug….Simms played the game and grew up infused with behind the scenes football at home and hanging around his dad…..as opposed to our current Peter Principle used car salesmen
May 16th, 2019 at 11:01 am
Awsh,agreed bro on SMB. His aura just reeks with “I’m that dude and I know I’m that dude”.
May 16th, 2019 at 11:02 am
Whitehead is a player and would be an all pro in another era because he is a headhunter and sure tackler. He is a faster john lynch and I am guessing he will be asked to play more in the box due to his being sure tackler and seems to have a nose for the ball and will probably be asked to blitz in bowels scheme, cover the RB and TE
May 16th, 2019 at 11:06 am
Also Awsh,let’s say we do go after Pat Pete my belief is it would be SMB on the other side of the field. Pay attention people,BA gave a few examples of veteran guys brought inn the las week before the kick off of the season. He mentioned Dwight Freeney and John Abraham. It wouldn’t surprise me seeing Pat Pete in a Bucs uniform next season. He called BA a genius. Clearly adores BA. And the first BA said was “we’re kinda young back there”.
May 16th, 2019 at 11:12 am
Yes Dushty they taken notice to Whiteheads willingness to throw his body around. They love that ish. Someone here called him small. The guy is 5’11 198 lbs ripped to shreds. That ain’t small man. In today’s game that’s perfect.
May 16th, 2019 at 11:13 am
Justin best go see a shaman or something real quick about that toe. Because like you mentioned we got him off the streets,he hungry,ready and willing.
May 16th, 2019 at 11:19 am
@Chris Simms for GM (horrible idea by the way given his resume just the last few years on his takes on draft picks)
dude where is this clip you’re talking about because it makes no sense at all.
He gave up 17 catches total in 2018 per PFF…. how in gods name is he getting picked on in any game when he gave up an average of 1.4 catches per game?
Against 17 catches allowed he had 26 solo tackles / 5 passes defended / 2 interceptions. Not sure how much better production you could want lol he basically shut down WRs all year.
And when he played good teams he had production as well. Dominated a Michigan WR who is an NFL prospect. Played against a few other NFL WRs as well and held his own.
Perfect size / speed / athletic ability / hands / etc for what you want in a modern corner. He also is extremely into preparation if you read up on him. His interception vs Michigan was because he already knew the route the WR was going to run. His mental game sounds better than probably any other CB we have
But yeah keep p1ssing in the cherios over some weird thing you heard in one clip and ignore a boatload of evidence that this guy is a very legit prospect…
I get complaining but there’s way more legit stuff to cry over than this
May 16th, 2019 at 12:09 pm
@LUV would be a better GM than chris simms…and i aint BSing!!!!!
hell, @LUV is looking better than licht right now!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 12:42 pm
Honestly I’m just hoping our cornerback coaching is superb and we end up with an out standing backfied with Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean and Sean Bunting and even clown Hargreaves
Go Bucs!
May 16th, 2019 at 12:45 pm
can we trade Licht to the jets for a 7th round pick? Please
May 16th, 2019 at 1:00 pm
This Defense can only improve over last year…
Just from the amount of coaching that they will receive this year over last…
And it doesn’t require a team full of first round picks, just guys who have heart and hustle. Guys that can execute what the coaches are telling them to do…
May 16th, 2019 at 1:16 pm
Licht likes to get cute with his picks instead of going with the obvious. Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat……. If this one does not work out, he is gone next year.
May 16th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
I’m shocked that someone would think that I would use a Juggalo as an avatar. I carefully chose an avatar immortalizing the late, great, former Buc Head Coach, the Little General…….Greg Schiano.
The Jets are considering a media guy as a GM replacement, Daniel Jeremiah.
Do you really think that one of the smartest football minds, Mike Florio, would choose a dummy to debate him on PFT?
Chris Simms is one of the smartest young minds in Pro Football. I don’t agree with all of his draft evaluations, he had Rashaad Gary ranked 2nd among edge rushers and Greedy as #1 CB. He was the only one who guaranteed the Giants would pick Jones at #6, that evaluation was genius. That Giants info would have been critical for a GM who was poised to make moves.
May 16th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Hmm. I honestly thought it was a selfie of you. And I’d wager to say no one here could tell that’s supposed to be Schiano.
And to your question of whether or not Florio would do that, yes he absolutely would. Why wouldn’t he bring in a whipping boy he coould use to massage his massive ego? Simms ranking of Rashaan* Gary as his #2 edge rusher is precisely the kind of nonsense I’m talking about. Also, Chris Sims did not have Daniel Jones rated as a 1st round QB. But rather knew The giants would pick him at 6 because of his father’s ties to the Giants organization.
Chris Simms would be Mark Dominick levels of bad if not worse given the chance. Also Jeremiah ain’t just a media guy, he had a very successful career as a Scout for the Ravens before transitioning into becoming a widely respected pundit. He’s a superior candidate to Simms in every way and it’s not even close…
May 16th, 2019 at 2:46 pm
@Simms
Answer the question on Bunting please. Explain how he got picked on in a game when he gave up 17 catches total in 2018.
“Mike Florio, would choose a dummy to debate him on PFT?”
Chris Simms isn’t a dummy necessarily but his draft evaluations have sucked the last 2 years. Too cute / creative to try and be different and even way more so than Gump.
Go look up his 2018 draft rankings for QBs – Lamar Jackson/Josh Allen over Baker Mayfield for example…
DJ SHark as his #1 WR lol… He was WAY off on positions that he should be the best at evaluating as an ex QB – and not in the mid round rankings – at the top of his draft board – it was horrifically bad. You can’t miss that bad on those rankings
May 16th, 2019 at 4:00 pm
Lamarand Allen over Baker is NO leap. Baker had a FAR better up-and-coming team with a LEGIT run game. He still played like a college qb. The nfl will bring you baker lovers back to earth…this year
May 17th, 2019 at 6:46 am
LC is exactly right. Some jobber announcer that did do his homework blurted out “they’re picking on Bunting.” Simms thinks its gospel. Good thing he didn’t say aliens were invading. Simms would have jumped off a bridge. Simms (the JBFer not the QB) neglects to mention that 2 plays after the announcer says that, Bunting intercepted the ball. That’s why they put it on his highlight reel. Bunting was on an island almost all season. That’s tough to do.
May 17th, 2019 at 8:47 am
Lord C, I respect your opinion but I’m not going to invest any more of my life researching a CB from Central Michigan. My contention was that he looked terrible on the short video I watched and he played for a crap team in a crap conference.
If Gump was in love with him, he could have waited until the 5th round. He could have selected a top rated CB from a National Champion team that played great against the very best competition available. He also received the ultimate in coaching and physical training.
If Gump can’t get his head out of Division 3, he needs to be fired. He’s only hit on one D3 guy and that’s even marginal.