More Bang For The Buc(k)s?
April 29th, 2021
North Carolina RB Michael Carter.
If running back Travis Etienne is on the board when the Bucs draft at No. 32, someone would have to tackle Joe to stop Joe from ordering NFL strongman Roger Goodell to call Etienne’s name.
But could the Bucs get a better bargain by waiting on another ACC running back?
Sure, Joe would be cool if Javonte Williams of North Carolina was a Tampa Bay running back. But how about Williams’ teammate Michael Carter?
Carter may be a more complete back. Run inside, run outside, catch passes. He can just about do it all.
Carter is a home run hitter. He led college football with runs of 15-or-more yards. He was also seventh in both forced missed tackles and yards after contact (702).
Catching the ball? Carter had one drop.
Bob McGinn of The Athletic has Carter ranked as his No. 4 running back based on speaking with several unnamed NFL scouts.
“He’s going to be Ray Rice,” said one scout. “Tough as nails. He’s a starter. He can play a little bit of slot receiver, too.”
Overcame a major knee injury as a junior in high school. “He can run inside,” said a second scout. “He can turn the corner and take it down the sideline. But I wouldn’t take him until the fourth. At (5-foot-7 and 7/8), you’re not pass-blocking anybody. They’ll take you and throw you into the quarterback. That’s just a fact of life.”
Carried 514 times for 3,404 yards (6.6) and 22 TDs while catching 82 passes. “He’s a complete player,” said a fourth scout. “He wins because he has really good vision and footwork. Really good athlete.”
Dinging a guy until the fourth round because he’s short? That’s awfully narrow-minded.
Let’s see: Carter can make people miss, consistently have long runs, catch, and get plenty of yards after contact and make tacklers miss.
Joe is fully confident Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians would find a way to get this guy on the field.
April 29th, 2021 at 5:35 am
Finally, people are catching on to this guy!
He’s my favorite back not name Travis Etienne and I don’t have him very far behind Harris. I’d actually take him at pick number 64 (essentially a 2nd-3rd round pick. He’s an all-around, 3-down back.
Also led the nation at 8.0 yards a pop. He’s actually good in pass pro. And totally agree dinging him for being short is very narrow minded. Plenty of examples (heck he mentioned one) of guys who were short that could do it and weren’t as polished at it coming out of College). He’s well built. And his play speed on the field in pads is much faster than his 4.5 40…which still ain’t shabby.
His movement and fluidity in changing directions and cutting is legit AF too. He’s silky smooth w/ the ball in his hands and it stands out clear as day. He offers a style of RB we don’t currently have. I’d love to come out of the draft w/ this guy.
April 29th, 2021 at 5:45 am
JGhotier I completely agree. Etienne is the ultimate offensive prize IMO, but Carter isn’t that far off and targeting him would allow us to build depth at edge or in the secondary with our first rounder.
April 29th, 2021 at 5:45 am
The cutting, and first step explosion and acceleration. This guy is remarkable. He could help on special teams.
As for him not pass blocking, remember Warrick Dunn? Not big. But one of the best at blocking rushers on pass plays.
April 29th, 2021 at 5:53 am
Nothing against the RB talent in the draft, but imagine blowing up the Bucs chemistry by adding another RB to the room. As it is people aren’t happy with the touches they get. It’ll be a dysfunctional group if we mess up the touches across the board.
Our running game sets up the pass, you don’t need 5 guys to do that. We will get either Rojo or Lenny signed long term next year. There’s no way we let both of them walk. Gio is going to surprise people with his ability to run behind our OL. He will end up being the most complete back when it comes to pass pro, pass catching, and running. Rojo and Lenny weren’t atrocious at pass catching, but they weren’t automatic either. I expect that to improve.
The first pick has to be trenches. RB is a luxury pick. We have enough depth at that position. We don’t need a sexy pick. We need a cog to help in places where we’re thin on depth.
Staying healthy will be our biggest adversity in the season, it’s not going to be the competition with the 4th easiest schedule.
April 29th, 2021 at 5:54 am
I meant to say, RB is a luxury pick entirely for us in the draft, not just 1st Rd.
April 29th, 2021 at 6:06 am
I just want the Bucs to draft good players. The only positional preference I have is for the Bucs to take an edge rusher in the first 3 rounds.
April 29th, 2021 at 6:25 am
That would be fine reading up in the second round. Maybe dealing rjII and a late pick.
April 29th, 2021 at 6:32 am
Well, draft day is here and AB has been signed. Blaine Goobert has not.
I am a BAP person, with options to trade down for 2022 premium picks or trade 2021 late pick to move up for a key contributor. Just don’t reach for a 3rd rounder at #32. Wild card is Toney because of his return game potential and x-factor in the offfense (wildcat QB, utility backfield guy). But he’s not a bona fide first rounder really, either.
Some of the LBs like Jamin, JOK, Bolton all look like 2nd rounders to me.
Swampbuc Jr has been touting Ian Book of Notre Dame as this year’s Tom Brady, and he has been right about a lot of players so leaving Goobert to move on, with Griff on contract and picking up Book in the 6th or 7th or UDA, would be an ok QB play.
April 29th, 2021 at 6:33 am
Is it too early to star drinking?
April 29th, 2021 at 6:56 am
Everything the Bucs drafted RoJo to be
April 29th, 2021 at 7:19 am
Yah. He wont make it until 4th
But if he did …thats a no brainer.
April 29th, 2021 at 8:09 am
Stop the madness!!!! No RBs this weekend! My god, you want a 5th!!!!! RB?? What the hell is going on here?
April 29th, 2021 at 8:18 am
I’d consider him in the 6th or 7th. That’s the value a running back has in today’s game.
April 29th, 2021 at 8:32 am
Im with you Joe in Mich. Edge Rusher all the way. Then ILB. Tea leaves also say a Center to eventually replace Jensen
April 29th, 2021 at 8:38 am
If he is there at #64 and that small school Center is no longer on the board yes take him. The Bucs may have Carter ranked over that Center or already taking one of the two positions.
Carter is just not a 1st round Rb not even at#32. Trade back into the 50s for a couple of day two or picks and grab him. I’d be fine with that too.
April 29th, 2021 at 9:12 am
Joe’s argument for the 1st pick to be a talented RB seems to be that 1) Bucs were not that good at RB explosive plays and RB receiving plays last year and 2) RoJo, Fournette and Bernard are on last year of their contract.
Re: 2) You could make same arguments for DLine, DB’s and OLine.
Re: 1) With AB now signed, and great TE’s, Bucs have the most talented receiving group in the NFL – do you think targeting a rookie RB more and targeting this receiving group less will lead to more effective offensive drives?
Do you think RoJo, Fournette and Vaughn are not capable of improving their receiving skills? Do you think Bernard was signed as insurance for a rookie?
April 29th, 2021 at 9:21 am
swamp
nope…im 3 beers in!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
April 29th, 2021 at 9:22 am
rakeem boyd is an RB worth taking in the 3rd or 4th round….watch him…
GO BUCS!!!
April 29th, 2021 at 9:30 am
Hey “one scout,” maybe find a different comparison than a guy who cold cocked a broad in an elevator on camera. Warwick Dunn? Maurice Jones Drew?
April 29th, 2021 at 9:52 am
Would love to see the Bucs draft a complete back.
April 29th, 2021 at 9:55 am
We’ve got Rojo, Fournette, Bernard….I wouldn’t waste a high pick on another RB. Instead, I’d go for a guy like Stevenson from Oklahoma…6 feet, 247lbs, decent hands. He’s a bit 1 dimensional as a power runner, but he’d be a great short yardage addition to the team, and he will most likely be available on Day 3.
April 29th, 2021 at 11:53 am
I’m pretty sure every highlight film features the Syracuse defense.
Syracuse is the Washington Generals of college football.
April 29th, 2021 at 12:01 pm
IF and it’s a big IF we come away with a RB this draft and not in the 1st round I want a defensive player with our 1st pick. I’d love to come away with this kid later in the draft. For some reason I don’t believe this staff is sold on RoJo not sure if it’s a maturity thing or what but the talk that we heard regarding them having to keep his confidence up might be an issue as well. I like RoJo but Carter brings a dimension that our current backs don’t(except Gio) and with all of them on 1yr deals BA has made it clear that he’ll never over pay for the RB position don’t be surprised if we pick one sometime during this draft.
April 29th, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Gotta go o-line or d-line/edge in the first round. If this is a luxury pick, then you build up where the game is won, in the trenchs. As far as RB, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Gainwell kid out of Memphis in the 3rd or 4th round.
April 29th, 2021 at 6:00 pm
Hey @Kalind,
I agree with the overall madness of wanting an RB, but we do have to note that 3 of those 4 we have are only one 1 yr deals or coming up to the end of their rookie contract (ROJO) and KV hasn’t had too much playing time to show his meddle. The fact is that there is a lot of uncertainties in football, injuries can deplete a roster real quick. I would say that even though we have 4 RB’s having a developmental guy behind KV wouldn’t be a bad call if we can get him in the 3 or 4th following an edge rusher and DT to develop behind Barrett and Suh respectively.