Devin Culp The Next Evan Engram?
June 22nd, 2024
Potential steal?
Scrolling through stat geeky numbers last night, Joe found something to smile about.
Now Joe doesn’t expect much from seventh-round Bucs draft pick Devin Culp. Joe hopes the rookie makes the team but in the Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht era, only one seventh-round pick made the squad his rookie season.
That was linebacker Grant Stuard, who Licht traded to Indianapolis a year later. He’s still in the league,
After the Bucs drafted Culp, Joe read a comparison of him to Evan Engram, the tight end with the Jags. Joe thought that was a bit rich. But stathead Alex Laycock, who has worked in sports science with the University of Texas, ran combine numbers through his software and found that Culp’s scouting combine results compare best with… Engram.
How about that?
Joe will just go ahead and type this now: If Culp makes the team and becomes the next Engram, that will be one of Licht’s best draft picks as far as value.
In his seventh season in the NFL, now with the Jags, Engram was named to the Pro Bowl. He had 963 yards receiving, which is really good for a tight end.
In fact, Engram has but two seasons in which he had less than 570 yards receiving. He’s been a starter ever since the Giants drafted him.
Joe hasn’t been wowed by Culp yet. Joe saw two ugly Culp drops in underwear football. Of course, Joe’s not going to kill a rookie over a couple of bad drops in underwear football.
But man, if the Bucs can help Culp develop into the next Engram, what an absolute home run of a draft pick that would be.
June 22nd, 2024 at 11:37 am
This is based on height, weight, and a 40 time?
Real scientific.
June 22nd, 2024 at 11:40 am
Interesting read for sure…he has the best comp in my opinion. I notice he is the lightest te in this class at just 231 lbs…..hmmm…
June 22nd, 2024 at 12:38 pm
A pure lottery pick based on his 40 time, really. He’s a tweener at that size, will have to bulk up if he’s going to be a TE, or drop weight to be a WR.
However I think they primarily see him as someone who might help on special teams – and with that tweener size/speed, if he can tackle, that would likely be his route to making the roster.
June 22nd, 2024 at 12:43 pm
Poor AJ Barner. He got the OJ Howard comp. 😝
June 22nd, 2024 at 12:54 pm
sly pirate^^ LOL!! exactly
June 22nd, 2024 at 12:57 pm
OJ looked great before all the injuries.
Huge guy, great speed, was good enough as a blocker.
But after that first major injury he lost his burst – ruined his career.
Of course the idiots that don’t know anything about football will yell ‘bust’, but that’s what boring people do.
June 22nd, 2024 at 1:06 pm
If this guy can catch the ball, he’ll probably make the team. If he can’t, he won’t. The difference between OJ Howard, who was NOT a reliable pass catcher, and this guy is that OJ was a 1st Rounder that played like a 4th Rounder, Culp is a 7th Round pick, no biggy if he doesn’t make it.
June 22nd, 2024 at 1:44 pm
Culp will be fortunate to make the final roster, particularly if Bucs only keep 3 TEs.
June 22nd, 2024 at 1:59 pm
Culp, Evan Engram, & Darren Waller are the only TE’s in combine history to run 4.4 40’s and be over 230+ pounds.
He’s had a couple acrobatic catches in college and he said on record he doesn’t think he was used to his fullest potential as a pass catcher in the Washington offense.
June 22nd, 2024 at 2:07 pm
I’m glad at least someone is finally talking about him. 🙂
June 22nd, 2024 at 2:13 pm
I’m afraid Ko Kieft will be a kasualty.
June 22nd, 2024 at 2:42 pm
Who is going to beat him out? Ko Kieft is injured and isn’t good when he isn’t.
June 22nd, 2024 at 3:08 pm
Well that’s a false statement “a buc fan”
The complete list would be
Vernon Davis (sub 4.4)
Matt Jones (ark qb that was a TE at combine but ultimately played we and also ran sub 4.4)
James Hanna
Kyle Pitts
Ladarius Green
Rob Housler
Albert Okwuegbaum
Jared Cook
All of those listed are 230 plus but damn near everybody except for 1 is 245-258
June 22nd, 2024 at 3:12 pm
The kid is certainly fast. If I’m not mistaken Joe commented that he had bulked up to about 240 at the OTAs. I also remember reading about him dropping a few gimmes. I like the kid, though, and I hope he makes the team. I remember Grant Stuart, I think. Didn’t he have wild red curly hair?
June 22nd, 2024 at 3:23 pm
It was reported about 6 weeks ago that Culp is already up to 245 lbs from the 231 he weighed at the combine. He’s 6′-4″ – so 245-250 is probably just about right for Culp as long as the extra weight doesn’t hurt his speed much….
The speed for his size is Devin’s best attribute – but he also has to be big enough to be a semi-effective blocker if he wants to make it as a TE in the NFL.
So its a balancing act Culp may have to experiment with just a bit – to find the perfect weight which allows him to block bigger guys at the line, yet also still be able to easily run away from LBers.
June 22nd, 2024 at 3:46 pm
@Statguy tell that to the combine folks who published it.
June 22nd, 2024 at 3:52 pm
@Statguy forgive me I missed the qualifier of “the last decade.” The source was Mr. Warren Sharp on 3/1/2024 on X.
June 22nd, 2024 at 4:12 pm
Pickgrin Says:
June 22nd, 2024 at 3:23 pm
It was reported about 6 weeks ago that Culp is already up to 245 lbs from the 231 he weighed at the combine.
——–
That’s good to know, so certainly they’re going to at least give me a try at TE. I still assume he’s mainly looked at as a protentional special teams ace with his speed/size combo, but that weight will give him a chance to be an adequate blocker – and if he can at least get to that level, and still stay in the 4.5 40 range, perhaps he can be a Tim Wright like player.
June 22nd, 2024 at 4:26 pm
Culp gotta start catching the ball with more consistency. In college he was known to drop balls and in mini camp, reports say he was dropping passes there too. He’ll be on the practice squad until he can prove that he’s a reliable pass catcher.
June 22nd, 2024 at 4:36 pm
If Culp has stone hands, he’s a perfect fit for a Todd Bowels defensive backfield.
June 22nd, 2024 at 5:23 pm
Dave Pear: If you’re new to this football thing, Tight End is an offensive position.
June 22nd, 2024 at 6:16 pm
Humorless Hoe, I gave you credit for having enough intellect to recognize facetiousness. Obviously that was a false assumption.
And most football knowledgeable fans would know that Tom Brady was the goat. Not you!
In a match of wits between you and an eggplant, the money is on the eggplant.
Go back to your Barbie dolls.
June 22nd, 2024 at 6:51 pm
Regardless of Joe in Mich and Mr. Pear, one thing is clear as glass- -the TE position is the worse on the team. My attitude for NFL squads is that if you don’t have good/great player(s) at certain positions churn players until you get it. Disappointing that they haven’t spent more energy on this position since Gronk. Give this guy a chance. If he doesn’t pan out FA-time is coming up. Do something regarding TE!
June 22nd, 2024 at 7:03 pm
His tape looks good, made his QB look special? Who was his QB?
June 22nd, 2024 at 7:19 pm
Chart is not very helpful. Let’s see what he can do when the pads come on. If the guy can’t catch then we don’t need him. Sounds like practice squad at best.
June 22nd, 2024 at 8:46 pm
The biggest problem with OJ Howard is he didn’t really like football much less love it. But people who really don’t follow the Bucs don’t realize it. 19th overall and had 3 decent years. Its a shame because he had all the talent in the world. A bust is Keith McCants. OJ was just more a disappointment I would call him a bust.
June 22nd, 2024 at 10:31 pm
OJ Howard was having a breakout spell in the victory against the Chargers, as was Scotty Miller. Then OJ snapped the Achilles off the ball and that was it. Sucks, too – Brady really seemed to be working with him to develop.
June 22nd, 2024 at 11:39 pm
McMillan and Culp…both steals. I think Jason and our scouts started eyeing Penix and saw some things very worthy. Im not saying we wouldve taken Penix but the eyes were on all of that….watch.
Trust me, we got lucky they fell to us.
BET THE OVER!
June 23rd, 2024 at 6:03 am
That proves to me that Joe should get his very own compuer and progarm to run numbers… LOL
Go Bucs!
June 23rd, 2024 at 6:55 am
Dev will probably end up on the squad unless he balls out in special teams. At Washington he made splash catches but struggled with hard throws. Our TE room is very weak. We brought in a new TE coach, maybe he can work miracles…
June 23rd, 2024 at 5:21 pm
I am excited to see what TE coach Peele does with this years team’s Tight Ends.
Culp will have a good coach to start his NFL career, just ask Pitts how well he did in his rookie season with Peele as TE coach.
June 23rd, 2024 at 10:39 pm
Stanglassman Says:
A bust is Keith McCants.
———-
Yeah, agreed – now that’s a bust.
OJ just got injured, then injured again, then injured again.
As for him not having heart … In 2018 he had an MCL injury, was supposed to be out a month, and was literally back the next game. But the 2nd injury in 2018, when he fractured his foot, that was the injury that did him in – and killed his career as he clearly wasn’t the same after that.
I agree that his career was a disappointment, but again related to injuries. I never heard anything about lack of effort with him – he just got beat up and physically it took a toll.