Jalen McMillan Has An Influential Fan
April 13th, 2025
Todd Bowles likes.
Two weeks ago at the owners meetings in Palm Beach, Bucs coach Todd Bowles admitted that even though he is a defensive guy, he has learned that in the NFL you have to score points.
To do that, he said, you have to have weapons. So if a beastly receiver slides to the Bucs at No. 19 overall in the draft next week, Bowles said he’d likely take the receiver over a defensive player.
Tectonic plates rumbled deep in the Earth’s core upon this declaration.
At this same media availability, Bowles also raved about wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who Bowles expects big things in his second season.
“I think when he got hurt early [in the season], kind of set him back a little bit,” Bowles said. “So he’s [then] behind mentally when he got back. Once he caught up mentally, he really started to show himself and become a true leader over there.”
Bowles especially liked the way McMillan tried to lead the offense when both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin went down.
“He became one of our guys,” Bowles said. “And you know, he blossomed from there. He’s a heck of a football player. As long as he takes care of his body, we expect from he will even be better this year.”
So that brings Joe back to drafting a receiver at No. 19. It’s not a crazy thought, but certainly not a need. This is one reason why Joe is so intrigued by Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka. The guy is a total Chris Godwin clone and Bowles also admitted in Palm Beach he’s uncertain about Godwin’s availability Week 1.
Joe guesses the Bucs would have to be really in love with Egbuka and still guessing about Godwin’s readiness for AC/DC-loving Bucs general manager Jason Licht to pull the trigger on a receiver in the first round.
(If the video of Egbuka doesn’t appear below, click here.)
Ohio State – WR – Emeka Egbuka#BuildingTheBoard #NFLDraft
✅ Technical slot WR with good quickness, speed, and burst
✅ Smart player who understands leverage and how to manipulate defenders
❌ Doesn't have any elite traits; Jack of all trades, but master of none pic.twitter.com/96MU8dWkfa— Quinten Krzysko (@ButkusStats) April 12, 2025
April 13th, 2025 at 12:42 am
Bowles will go DT before WR this year….
April 13th, 2025 at 12:48 am
“Teutonic plates rumbled deep in the Earth’s core upon this declaration from Bowles.”
Um – its tectonic plates…. comprising earth’s outer shell….
Bucs have the best 1, 2 & 3 WR group in the league – meanwhile, we lost multiple games last year because the pass rush was inconsistent and the pass defense was POOR…..
1st round pick needs to be Edge, CB or DT
April 13th, 2025 at 1:35 am
I would love that pick but NO! We need depth in the trenches. Take best DT available.
April 13th, 2025 at 3:02 am
If the Bucs get ILB Jalón Walker or Jihaad Campbell, in the first round, Tre Harris from Ole Miss would be a great fit in the second round. 6’2”, 205, 38.5 vertical, 4.54. Creates separation with great route running and changes of pace, natural hands, breaks tackles and fights for yards after catch. Lining up across the field from Evans with Godwin in the slot and White in motion from flanker to RB, it would just be too much to defend.
Egbuka would be a fine replacement for Godwin, but we just committed to Godwin for a new contract. Better to add someone who gives us more of what we don’t have rather than just more of what we have.
April 13th, 2025 at 3:19 am
Todd is a whole lot of talk lately. Most of which is very calculated me thinks.
Jalen looked very promising late last year. Improvement would be awesome imagine three scary dudes for defenses to have to deal with.
However we gotta start looking at a future without Evans and Godwin.
Go Bucs!
April 13th, 2025 at 3:49 am
Gbobucsfan … ‘Bowles will go DT before WR this year….’
I certainly hope so. The Bucs have a very light Front except for Vita Vea. If he goes down for any period of time, our Super Bowl hopes disappear with him.
Last year, with Vea playing over 700 def snaps (2nd most of his career), Bucs’ defense allowed 22.6 PPG average to rank #16. Of significance, in our 7 losses our defense allowed an average of 30.4 PPG (but only 17.2 PPG average in our 10 wins). We had a lot of issues defensively, but probably the biggest one was that we were inconsistent (everywhere … pass rush, pass coverage, tackling, etc).
Bucs NEED that other interior beast to anchor the DLine when Vea’s on the bench, and to act as his replacement should he get hurt. The cream of the DT/NT crop this year lies at the very top. There we can get BOTH a great run-stopper AND a giant who can command double-teams & still apply interior pressure.
One of the Top-3 will be there when the Bucs pick at #19: Grant (6’4″ & 331 lbs), Collins (6’6″ & 332 lbs) and Williams (6’3″ & 334 lbs). There are certainly other highly qualified DTs/NTs in this year’s draft, but those are the giants … the beasts. Bucs need to snag one in Rnd 1 to be a true contender this year.
April 13th, 2025 at 3:58 am
Listen to Pickgrin.
Send the D in waves.
April 13th, 2025 at 4:45 am
Bowles won’t be choosing Anything! He doesn’t have a say. He can beg and plead to THE BOSS ~ Jason Licht, but that’s about it.
April 13th, 2025 at 6:04 am
Jalen is one of the guys now. Believing he will only get better.
Pickgrin, Mac, DR, and others commenting are correct. Defense is first and most important. Happy we got Reddick!
I really like Egbuka, and he may still be available at the 19th pick. Going by other Joe’s posts, Licht has mentioned about the future. If Egbuka is still there at 19, the Bucs may draft him, and then go for defense with the other picks. Hey, I am trying to chill, but as it gets closer it is getting a little edgy!
April 13th, 2025 at 6:04 am
I think you all are missing the point. The Bucs will draft a receiver. They’ll draft edge, DT, corner, safety, ILB too. When is the question. Why would anyone be bummed if we get a stud DT in the second round, compared to the first? Maybe we pass on Golden in the first, but get a good receiver in the third. Not so much worried about what we pick first as compared to who we pick in any round.
April 13th, 2025 at 6:57 am
In the last 1/2 of last season, including playoffs, Bucs D gave up the following points:
23, 7, 23, 13, 17, 26, 14, 19 and 23.
Average of about 18.5 per game over last 9 games -not too shabby and much improved over 1st half of season.
The D obviously needs some pieces, but is not as bad as fans’ perception.
A stud receiver is always a premium on any NFL roster.
April 13th, 2025 at 7:07 am
If Tetairoa McMillan Is available at 19, and Lichts scouts agree with the media scouts, then he might be the pick.
April 13th, 2025 at 7:16 am
Shmoke….
and a pancake?
Bong and a blinz?
April 13th, 2025 at 7:25 am
LB3 @19
April 13th, 2025 at 7:33 am
The Teutonic Order, officially founded in March 1198 CE, was a Catholic Germanic military society established to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals.
You meant “tectonic” but at least you used a real word.
I’d love a new 1B type WR, but too many needs on defense.
April 13th, 2025 at 7:34 am
Needs to catch with his hands not with his body.
April 13th, 2025 at 8:56 am
Worse comes to worst, and Godwin is not available week 1, they’ll be just fine starting Evans, McMillan and Shepard. That’s still a much better 3 WR set than most teams have.
April 13th, 2025 at 9:19 am
A real head coach would have had Macmillan mentally prepared for the playoff game, instead of the deer in the headlights he put on tape. Drops an easy and critical pass that would have been a big gainer and I believe it was on 3rd down. Then the fumble everyone blames on Baker – Macmillan ran wide and deep and wasn’t even expecting the ball. I don’t know what he thought he was doing on that play. So he sucked in the most important game of the year.
Coaching matters, including the mental part.
April 13th, 2025 at 11:07 am
So Licht & Co has said “yeah, we could” but didn’t finish with “no we won’t”, why would he say anything different? Like Xmas with all the lights and tinsel. The deepest part of this draft is the DL with guys that are big run stuffers AND can get after the QB, that is what I hope they are looking for first. Those first few guys are the cream of the crop which is why they are drafted high. Some “edge” guys, LB’s, there are a couple but none who really jump out at you after Campbell and Walker but others who could turn out to great ball players same with any other position in this draft.
April 13th, 2025 at 11:37 am
This! Gi with the strongest part of this year’s draft DT
“allwasher61 Says:
April 13th, 2025 at 11:07 am
So Licht & Co has said “yeah, we could” but didn’t finish with “no we won’t”, why would he say anything different? Like Xmas with all the lights and tinsel. The deepest part of this draft is the DL with guys that are big run stuffers AND can get after the QB, that is what I hope they are looking for first”
April 13th, 2025 at 11:38 am
This! Go with the strongest part of this year’s draft DT
“allwasher61 Says:
April 13th, 2025 at 11:07 am
So Licht & Co has said “yeah, we could” but didn’t finish with “no we won’t”, why would he say anything different? Like Xmas with all the lights and tinsel. The deepest part of this draft is the DL with guys that are big run stuffers AND can get after the QB, that is what I hope they are looking for first”
April 13th, 2025 at 1:11 pm
As usual agree with Pickgrin, D.R. and Jude.
I’m the anti “this is the year guy”. I want every year to at least contain a possibility of a very good to great team and let the playoff luck chips fall where they may.
Having said that people are gripping to soon over ME and CG’s age and vulnerability.
The run game and OL are both solid. That means there will be opportunities in the passing game.
IMHO the passing game includes ALL possible targets not just the WR’s. The Bucs are set at WR but they are really blessed if you look in terms of targets and not just WR’s.
The Bucs are flush! All THREE RB’s have great hands. Again IMHO White could actually spell CG in the slot if they simply cross trained him, he has the skill set.
Otton showed his a good to very good TE, Culp suprised as well and may have upside. Bottom line is Baker will not be at a loss for targets if the Bucs don’t draft a single WR or TE or RB. The offense is ready to roll and is showing some signs of balance.
I’m largely with D.R. on the need for another interior beast to pair and to spell VV. As the late Keith Jackson used to say, “gotta have the “big uglies”!!!
April 13th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
Seems there are questions about Tetairoa McMillan’s love and desire for football. Might be a red flag for Bud Licht.
April 13th, 2025 at 1:33 pm
Prefer a pass rusher at 19, dline or on the edge. But if one of the WRs from Texas, MO, Arizona or Ohio State is head and shoulders above any of the defensive players there’s no reason not to pull the trigger. That’s especially the case given that we signed the Hassan and with the age and injury history of our WRs.
April 13th, 2025 at 7:13 pm
If one of the two great TE’s slides, that could be the pick as well. They are also pass catchers of course.
April 13th, 2025 at 9:04 pm
I like the way this kid flashes his hand at the last second to make the catch when he’s covered. Looks like a stud. That’s all I want, a stud. Be it at ILB, CB, S, DL, or WR. Just make the right pick