No Grades From Ian Beckles
May 2nd, 2020
“I just don’t have the stomach for it.”
You will get no draft grades from Ian Beckles.
The former Bucs guard and current popular local sports radio personality took to his podcast “In the Trenches” to break down the Bucs’ recent draft and to throw serious shade at those who call themselves draft “experts.”
Beckles used the term “experts” several times, his voice dripping with disdain.
“I just don’t have the stomach for it: I’m not going to give the Buccaneers a grade on their draft class,” Beckles said. “I think that is just stupid. Go back and look at past grades and you will see how wrong everybody is. All the time. Alright?
“In 1990 when I was in the draft Keith McCants was our first pick. I think he was the fourth pick in the draft. So right away that’s a busted draft because Keith McCants never really developed into anything.
“And then you look and, well, you know, in the second round we got Reggie Cobb. He had a nice career. We had Tony Mayberry. So now all of a sudden the draft looks different. So it’s not only about that first-round pick. It’s about the whole thing and how [players] fits into your team and what you have to accomplish from the year before.”
Then, Beckles began his rant about draft “egg-spurts
“‘Well, Ronald Jones is a great pick.’ Why?” Beckles asked. “Why has he been a great pick? Has he been a great pick? If he has, I missed all the games.”
Beckles did talk about some picks but would not offer a grade.
“I like the first pick [Tristan Wirfs] from what I’ve seen and what I have heard,” Beckles said. “I see him maybe going down to guard, but not right away. I’m hearing from other scouts, it sounds like he’s a guard.”
Beckles added if Wirfs can establish himself as a right tackle, he might be there for a long, long time and said he could carve out a name for himself like Jon Runyan.
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:10 am
I don’t get this talk of Wirfs moving to guard, why? He’s played tackle for a very good O line program at a high level since his freshman year, three years at RT. I was so happy when we finally drafted an O lineman who played the position we need RT, instead of guys like Cappa, and Marpet who had to learn a new position coming into the league. Now the eggspert Beckles thinks he might be a better guard. We needed a RT, we used #13 on a RT, the kids a RT, he’s playing RT. Beckles, you’re as dumb as the rest of the eggsperts.
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:11 am
You can’t really judge a draft until 4-5 years later. How many of that particular year’s picks got a second contract with the team? So let’s grade the 2016 draft instead. I go with an F.
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:25 am
If I want to listen a guy who is gonna try way too hard to be edgy, I prefer Stephen White. At least he watches tape and gives an actual evaluation of players.
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:29 am
Wirfs will be a guard if and when we find a RT that is better……..if that day comes, our Oline will be in great shape.
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:43 am
Folks are correct in that drafts cannot be accurately assessed until a few (2-4) years have passed. But it is fun to speculate (guess.) My guess is that this draft is a very good one.
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:52 am
Im out?
No bet?
May 2nd, 2020 at 8:54 am
I can’t stand when Ian does that. He’s so enjoyable and then puts on his condescending hat and thinks he’s better than everything mainstream. Same with Joe #2 and mock drafts. Who cares? Its fun. Stop telling kids to get off your lawn and enjoy things.
May 2nd, 2020 at 9:01 am
Moving him to guard will maximize his full potential. Could be on Quentin Nelson level or lesser which is still good. I
May 2nd, 2020 at 9:02 am
Coaches have tremendous input into a draft. Looking at some of the older drafts I would say Dirk Koetter was pretty good and Mike Smith was terrible.
May 2nd, 2020 at 9:38 am
Eyen is correct. Just like the the tv gameday broadcasts, the draft is nothing but pomp and circumstance for ratings. It’s all a joke
May 2nd, 2020 at 10:16 am
I would have liked Ian to comment on Tristan’s footwork. Ian has said in the past that he could evaluate an offensive lineman by studying his footwork.
Wurf’s performance at the combine blew everyone away. Becton was the popular pick and everyone raved about his 5.11 40 time but Tristan blew him away at 4.85.
Tell us Ian, will those flashy combine numbers translate to a quick footed tackle?
Will his backboard breaking jumping ability translate to an explosive road grader?
May 2nd, 2020 at 10:34 am
As an offensive lineman, incredible how 1 inch in height or 1 inch in arms length can downgrade a player. In think Tristan Wirfs, is 1/4 shy of 6’5″ with only an average wingspan. Although he had an outstanding career in college as a Tackle, because doesn’t fit the prototype frame of a Tackle (by 1/4 inch), all of suddenly he would be better as a guard. I think this is hogwash. There as been several outstanding pro-bowl tackles in the leagues at 6’4″. Wirfs breaks almost all the combine records of a tackle (40 time, broadjump) and to think he needs to move to guard, blows my mind.
May 2nd, 2020 at 10:38 am
My guess is that the Bucs brass doesn’t agree with Polians (yes Polian is the only one I’ve heard say he could be guard and Joe keeps referring to it over and over again) assessment. I don’t think they would have been willing to trade with San Fran if the honestly felt he was more of a guard than a right tackle.
May 2nd, 2020 at 10:40 am
Trading up in the first who might not cut it at right tackle to become a guard would be a huge failure!!!!!!!!!!!! And actually trading up for a RT in the first is a questionable move!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 2nd, 2020 at 12:33 pm
I would like to wait and see how the top 4 OT’s look 4 years from now. Then we can give them and honest rating. Also I don’t see wirf’s at Guard in the next few years. Who gives a crap about what the so called experts say. They been wrong numerous times.
May 2nd, 2020 at 12:53 pm
Smart move. If you don’t grade it you can’t be wrong and you can point out all the others that were wrong.
May 2nd, 2020 at 1:31 pm
People…or “eggsperts” as Ian might call them, have suggested that Wirf’s short arms qualify him more for guard than tackle. Measurables..smeasurables.
May 2nd, 2020 at 1:41 pm
@TheBradyBunch Says:
May 2nd, 2020 at 10:38 am
I am a huge Wirfs fan. But Polian is not the only one that mentions Wirfs as a guard. Bob McGinn of the Athletic did a 9 part series this year and a big part of it was his talking with scouts/personnel directors of teams. He has done that draft series with his contacts for 36 years.
For the offensive line, he said that he talked with 17 personnel people.
Some cool tidbits from him:
“There’s no consensus with these guys,” an NFC personnel director said. “We have different orders between scouts, coaches. It’s kind of your flavor. You probably will get six tackles (in the first round) but there’s only four you feel good about. Then it falls off.”
An AFC personnel director rated Wills No. 1 because he sees him as a complete player. As for the others, he said, “Wirfs has unbelievable athleticism but needs to finish a little better.
Wirfs is a third-year junior from Mount Vernon, Iowa (pop. 4,000). “All-state wrestler,” said one scout. “May be a better guard. Strong, physical run blocker. Has enough size and strength not to get bull-rushed. Strong hips. You may start him at right tackle, but eventually you’ll move him inside to guard.” Made 29 starts at RT, four at LT. “After he tested at the combine people started saying, ‘He can play left tackle,’” said another scout. “There’s no verifiable evidence of that. He was not good at left tackle for Iowa.” He blew out the combine with guard-bests in the 40, vertical jump (36 ½) and broad jump (10-1). “You can play him anywhere you want,” a third scout said. “He’s really good. He had great numbers at the combine but other than blocking the inside power move all he needs is technique. He’ll be a star.” He posted a Wonderlic of 23. “He’s a better athlete than football player at this point,” said a fourth scout. “He isn’t your typical polished Iowa NFL-ready guy from a technique and awareness standpoint. He’s not ready to play. Where you draft him you’re going to have to plug him in and start him, and he’s going to lose you some games next year. But he’s obviously a phenomenal test athlete so some team will get enamored with that. The tape is really up and down.”
Also guys from Athlon, Lindy, and CBS Sports questioned whether he would stay at Tackle.
May 2nd, 2020 at 1:46 pm
The talk about Wirfs moving to guard is cause they say his footwork sucks. The hell if I know anything about that…….But if it don’t get corrected we’ll see it in the form of edge rushers blowing by him……..If that happens and they can’t correct it then that’s why you move him to guard where he has to deal with more size/strength and not so much speed.
Of course the Bucs traded up for him so they probably don’t think it’ll be a issue. They think he can play Tackle and they might if give a look to see if he can play a LT in the future.
Either way he should be a he k of a run blocker for us or he’s a absolute bust. Let’s hope and see if he can become a dominate pass blocker.
May 2nd, 2020 at 1:51 pm
Want an idea of how useless draft grades are especially before a down of football is played read this:
By PFF.com
Apr 27, 2018
With the 38th selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected Ronald Jones II. The former USC star was selected 38th overall after finishing the 2017 season with an 92.4 overall grade – the highest grade of any running back in the class this year by some margin (3.4 grade points.
May 2nd, 2020 at 3:00 pm
I like Ian Beckles, but I have come to associate him more with Food.
In fact, just looking at him, makes me hungry.
May 2nd, 2020 at 3:31 pm
Yes realist, trading up in the first to get a rt is dumb… smh. I mean, why not go get your man that could be a bookend for years to come. And to only use a 4th! What a stupid move! Just stick to your narcissistic posts that stroke your ego, cool?
BY THE WAY, HIT US WITH ANOTHER NARCISSISTIC REPOST!!!
If the kid excels at guard, move him there after this year unless that dude the Bucs signed from Indy can handle the rt position.
May 2nd, 2020 at 7:45 pm
I like I Wirfs but I’m starting to see why he dropped so low now. I said it in the beginning time we drafted him that he’s versatile to a fault. He can play any position on the offensive line at a high level and maybe can also do it as he rotates position on the offensive line during the course of a season or game for that matter. Folks the guy is a wrestler on a team with a wrestler he’s 6’5″ and runs a 4.7 and can block better than any guard or tackle in the draft since he was 17 years old. I think it’s safe to say he fits into everything we are trying to do here. He will suit up at RT though so his athleticism can be utilized but at the same time they should use to push D. Smith for starting LT and if D. Smith isn’t willing to be a team guy and move to RT or RG then Arians should move on from him as well. TBH at this point they might want to move on from as much dead weight from the last regime as they can now that they have given up on Winston. D. Smith I feel is apart of that and he’s showed with his minimum wage work ethic. He’s not as athletic as Wirfs either from a talent standpoint. D. Smith would be worth his money if he were willing to change positions. I just feel if Wirfs isn’t our starting LT from day one it will be a huge mistake imho. Moving D. Smith or moving on from him would be another going into the season. The guy made Cam Jordan a all decade guy by himself with his slow blocking style and Cam Jordan calls Smith out regularly on social media for it too. Wirfs is our new LT obviously why not make the move now and really pump some accountability in the locker room
May 2nd, 2020 at 9:34 pm
Dot was not a prototypical right tackle . How long did he hold down the position? We can’t have all pro guys all along the line. Any team that could we be a rare exception.
Let’s see what kind of offensive line we can be fielding by mid season and where they will be at regular season’s end.
May 3rd, 2020 at 2:50 am
In 1990 everyone had the Bucs drafting a RB out of Florida that was the local fan favorite, a guy named Emmitt Smith. Then just before the draft the Bucs traded for former Tampa Bay Bandits RB Gary Anderson, who had rushed for over a 1000 yards with the Chargers then sat out a year in a contract dispute. I think the Bucs gave up two 3rd rounders, if my memory is correct. So now the Bucs had their RB and skipped on Smith. The next guy on the board for the Bucs, according to the news before the draft, was Junior Seau, but apparently he told the Bucs if they drafted him he wouldn’t sign and would sit out the year (this is only 5 years after Bo Jackson said the same thing, and the Bucs drafted him anyways and he sat out the year). So finally they settled on Keith McCants — and when you look at who everyone had going to the Bucs — two 1st ballot HOF’ers, well it can legitimately be claimed that McCants is the biggest bust in team history.
May 3rd, 2020 at 7:50 am
Itz a fact that 4 other teams needing tackles chose 3 others before Wirfs, and SF elected not to draft him. WHY because Wirfs is this years combine darling. He runs fast but his play on the field shows otherwise against decent passrushers. This is despite him gettng the best O line coach he will ever have so its not a matter of coachng him up. This why most smart evaluators belive he cant play tackle and should move to guard. He will be a guard he will get killed playing tackle. Should have traded down, Licht got Trubisky’d.
May 3rd, 2020 at 10:01 am
Ian is correct you know. How do you judge a draft? What would you grade the 2015 draft now?
Production and tenure. You can’t measure these based on college achievements.