Catching, Blocking Key For Charles Sims
May 9th, 2014
Bucs GM Jason Licht said new RB Charles Sims of West Virginia had the best receiving hands of any running back in the draft.
Joe had heard about the speed-in-space mantra of new offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford. It seems we have a better idea now of what that may entail.
The third-round pick of the Bucs this evening, running back Charles Sims of West Virginia is that. Bucs general manager Jason Licht said the Bucs rated Sims as having the best receiving hands of any running back in the draft.
Sims began his college days in Houston with the throw-first-ask-questions-later Cougars with record-setting quarterback Case Keenum, now with the Houston Texans. Sims transferred to West Virginia primarily, he said, because his goal in life growing up in Texas was to play in the Big XII Conference. Sims had a relationship with Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen when the West Virginia coach was at Houston.
When Holgorsen took the job at Morgantown, Sims later followed, having graduated from Houston with a year of eligibility remaining.
“I had a great feel for how I would land [with the Bucs],” Sims said. He worked out for Bucs coaches in Houston this offseason and Sims said he hit it off with them.
“I like to do more than one thing. I like to line up as a receiver. I was a receiver in high school. That is where being comfortable catching the ball came from.
“I can be on the field all the time. Pass blocking, I think I improved on that a lot this past year. I think I would be a great three-down back.”
Sims, 6-0, 214, has breakaway speed, clocked at 4.48 in the 40-yard dash.
In his three years with Houston, Sims averaged over 10 yards a catch. Last year in West Virginia, Sims cracked the 1,000-plateau rushing for the first time with 1,095 yards.
May 9th, 2014 at 10:43 pm
Not what I expected but I like it
May 9th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
Now we have it Joe..that is what I was trying to say on the last thread…admittedly I first thought WTH. But when I researched the guy, what you said in this thread makes good sense. Good job, If I may say so.
May 9th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
The more I research…the more I like this pick. Need some OL help but I have faith.
May 9th, 2014 at 10:49 pm
He may be “a great three-down back” but we already have one of those and there are much more pressing needs. I hate this pick unless he is immediately converted to a slot receiver and balls out.
May 9th, 2014 at 10:50 pm
There is your slot receiver.
May 9th, 2014 at 10:50 pm
Phew so he can block …. All is right in buc nation
May 9th, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Is this the end for Doug Martin???no way you can have this amount of talent unless your the…patriots???
May 9th, 2014 at 10:52 pm
OK I’ve stepped off the ledge. Maybe Sims will be our Percy Harvin!
May 9th, 2014 at 10:54 pm
Aha…so he is a convert…or perhaps a hybrid so to speak–lining up as a receiver in a new Tedford offense. With so many burner WRs gone this pick made sense afterall.
May 9th, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Yeah, didn’t see this coming, but he will definitely be an asset to us, that;s for sure. I think they will find ways to use both Sims and Martin at the same time.
Don’t forget that he is one of the top running backs of his class, so he has some skills- probably enough to actually push Martin, which is great! Unless of course they trade Doug tomorrow for picks…
May 9th, 2014 at 10:59 pm
They can always trade for an OL.It seems like they have a plan.Maybe it is QB next year.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Here’s my thought:
1. Yeah
2. OK?
3. WTH
5?
May 9th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
The kid has an amazing ‘stop-and-go’. His first step appears to be at full speed.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:07 pm
Thank you for posting Joe because the pitchforks were coming out for L & L already lol. 3 players who increases the 32 ranked offense is great to me. I’m seeing a lot of bucs fans hating on the picks like we had a powerhouse offense. OL is a pressing need and I believe Licht will get some.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:07 pm
Seven tightends and six running backs…
May 9th, 2014 at 11:10 pm
You know at first I didn’t like this draft, but now that we’re seeing more of what the offense looks like, I’m likin’ it. Every one of these guys has good hands to help take the pressure off the quarterback. Instead of hoping for a great quarterback, put a decent one in there with great pass-catchers and let them do their thing. I also love the big bodies in Evans, Jenkins, (and Jackson)! Hard to tackle, can jump the for the ball, big targets – very cool. I definitely didn’t see this, but I’m excited for our offence next year!
May 9th, 2014 at 11:11 pm
hmmm….now I get it….a poor man’s version of Watkins…holy he!! we’ve got weapons galore for McCown/Glennon.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:16 pm
He can block.. seems all of are skill players can block.. but can are line is the question that will make or brake the offense this season.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:23 pm
This is our Sproles. I can see players lining up all over the place on offense this season. Sims with a LB covering him, ASF on a safety, VJax and Evans on the CBs…. there will be mismatches to be had.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:31 pm
Lets just hope nicks is a full go.. we are set at skill positions.. next 3 picks on OL please!
May 9th, 2014 at 11:50 pm
possible return man??????????????
May 9th, 2014 at 11:54 pm
I love these picks so far. I would rather an O-lineman in the 3rd but this kid looks great on tape for the most part. He hits the line to high, but other than that, he looks great. Fast, shifty and catches the ball well. I can’t find any tape with him blocking, but at that size, I doubt it’s a problem. None of his scout sheets mention a problem in that department.
May 10th, 2014 at 12:02 am
Can you say speed in space? I have to applaud their ability to think outside the box, hated the pick at first but 6 feet tall. 4.4 speed, wide receiver in high school so he’s a more durable version of percy harvin and Jeff demps. Who knows if demps will finally take a productive step forward and i think this guy has a higher ceiling than demps and a one sport guy
May 10th, 2014 at 6:02 am
A running back? Really? Don’t we have enough of them with Martin, James, Rainey, Smith ? No quarterback yet, or it looks like at all?! So we’re going with a frail baby giraffe who trips over his own two feet and a guy who’s not even a has been, he’s a never was. This sucks!
May 10th, 2014 at 6:37 am
I see this offense more like the Packers….the QB gets the ball out of his hands rather quickly in most cases. The line doesn’t have to sustain blocks that long…get the ball in the hands of a skilled playmaker and let them work. Not that we don’t need good blocking, but in an offense more passing oriented, which this one will obviously be, sometimes you can develop later round O linemen to the point where they are extremely serviceable in the scheme. Look at how many high draft picks the Packers use on O line players. Not too many.
May 10th, 2014 at 7:11 am
There is a reason the pros at this say “draft best player available, not by need”. Your not going to fill every position, no one can in one draft. But we went from 1 great starter and two very good backups to two great starters ans 2 great backups. Maybe Rainey on trade block for 4th rd pick?
May 10th, 2014 at 9:04 am
How can any Bucs fan complain about the obvious improvement on the offensive side of the ball? This is just what our team needed. As the dust settles the fans will come around to love these picks. More and better upgrades to what was lacking, offensive production. McCown and Glennon are smiling today.
May 10th, 2014 at 9:05 am
he was a WR in high school
May 10th, 2014 at 10:06 am
Great draft so far. Looks like we’ll be drafting in the top five next year. Way to go L&L.
May 10th, 2014 at 10:23 am
He is 24 years old – a man that played against kids in college. Will be interesting to see how he does against men and how long he can be effective in the pros. Running backs have short careers!
May 10th, 2014 at 10:25 am
Sims gives us versatile play-maker that can line up in the slot, backfield, etc…
he’s our speed in space guy…I’m happy with the pick; the plan seems to be to stock pile guys that can get in the endzone…I’m all for that…with that said I do think we need to find a OLineman or 2 on day 3…
remember guys we’ll be running a zone blocking scheme up front and those type of lineman traditionally are available in later rounds…
May 10th, 2014 at 11:12 am
Don’t care how good he is I think this is a wasted pick if you have ANY faith in our current stable of running backs. What about some O-line depth? What about a complimentary defensive lineman? It may work out but would have liked to see some development on both lines. Are we ready to kick Martin and James to the curb? Liked the movements in FA but figured we’d do a little long term development with the draft. Just sayin’.
May 10th, 2014 at 11:55 am
Hopefully this will cure our teams need to have our 5’4 RB ruining wheel routes in the future
May 10th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
3 new recieving targets? When we had maybe 2 last season? Sounds like lovie knows exactly what this team was lacking last season. And he’s making a previous weakness into a major strength. I don’t like what lovie is doing, I LOVE it! O lineman can be found anywhere. If nothing else we are slightly better than last seasons o line. So idk what the fuss there is. And McCown will actually throw the ball instead of hold on to it for 8 seconds and get sacked every other play.