Act Like The Champs
February 20th, 2015
The Super Bowl champion New England Schianos always seem to land a stud offensive lineman late in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Perhaps that’s a big reason they always pick late in the first round?
The barbecue master himself, Logan Mankins, was the last pick of the first round in 2005. And he was a stud before the Patriots dumped him on the Bucs.
With the second pick in the second round this year, 34 overall, the Bucs surely will have a shot to trade up a couple of slots to get back into the first round and score a hog.
Joe’s friend, draft guru and former scout Daniel Jeremiah, of NFL Network, has the Seahawks and Patriots picking O-linemen with picks 31 and 32, respectively, in his latest mock draft.
PICK NO. 31: La’El Collins, OT, LSU, Seattle is getting ready to pay Russell Wilson a ton of money, and upgrading the offensive line needs to be a priority
PICK NO. 32: Cameron Erving, C, Florida State, Erving had some struggles at tackle, but he excelled once he moved inside to play center. He could play any of the three interior positions for the Patriots.
Collins played left tackle and left guard at LSU, and he measured 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine yesterday. He’s known for being nasty and aggressive, but some say his arms are a little short to be an NFL left tackle.
Erving, is a former tackle who thrived as a gargantuan center (6-5, 313 pounds). He put on feats of strength yesterday on the bench press. Joe would be very pleased to have him replace Evan Dietrich-Smith, and what a nice fit that would be with quarterback Jameis Winston.
Trading up back into the first round likely (at most) only costs the Bucs their second-round pick and a fourth-rounder, like the deal the Vikings make last year to move up for Teddy Bridgewater.
The Bucs need a beastly young promising cog on their O-line. Joe won’t rest until that happens. And if the Bucs insist on keeping Mankins, in part because he’s such a team-first leader of men, then what a waste it would be to not put a rookie alongside him.
February 20th, 2015 at 7:15 am
I wonder how Erving is going to feel snapping it to Mariota.
February 20th, 2015 at 7:32 am
Why trade up?
Examples:
Projections
LG/LT (Swing Tackle Options) ←Value Picks
• Donovan Smith 6’5″ 335 Penn St. (Top 3rd)
• Arie Kouandjio 6’5″ 315 Alabama (2nd)
• Jamon Brown 6’6″ 326 Louisville (Bottom 4th)
Center
• B.J. Finney 6’4″ 303 Kansas St. (Top 4th)
• Max Garcia 6’4″ 307 Florida
Right Guard
• Tre’ Jackson 6’4″ 330 Florida St.(Mid 2nd )
• Laken Tomlinson 6’3″ 330 Duke (Mid 2nd )
• John Miller 6’2″ 312 Louisville (3rd)
• Shaq Mason 6’1″ 300 Georgia Tech (4th )
Right Tackles
• Rob Havenstein 6’8″ 333 Wisconsin (top 3rd )
February 20th, 2015 at 7:33 am
Trade Up for a Guard-( La’El Collins)?????
February 20th, 2015 at 7:50 am
Go ask your good friend DJ -about Donovan Smith’s (PSU) ability to play LG at the next level. Young athletic beast LG, that could eventually play LT.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:00 am
The Bucs simply can not afford to TRADE UP….
February 20th, 2015 at 8:01 am
I don’t think we will need to trade up unless it’s to get the MLB that Lovie wants….There should be several choices there at 34 and if not there at 65…..but we absolutely must pick an Olineman with one of those two picks.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:03 am
DO NOT EFFING TRADE UP A COUPLE OF SPOTS! That is freaking ridiculous and is exactly what stupid teams do. Give up a 4th round pick to move up three spots because somebody MIGHT select your guy? First of all, whomever’s mock that is is one of the very few I’ve seen with Erving in round 1.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:05 am
C’mon brotha, last year you wanted us to trade for Johnny. This year you want us to trade for a guard or center. We’ve got waaaaaaaay to many holes for that brotha.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:18 am
Two to Super Bowl Champions-Just said they wouldn’t pick neither one of these quarterbacks.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:21 am
A kid to grab if he falls is Shaq Thompson. Versitle athlete that could play and has played ILB, OLB, RB, and Safety.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:26 am
@Brandon
Using Erving allowed Joe to mention Winston….he even found a way to mention hinmn in a Zuttah article earlier…
February 20th, 2015 at 8:52 am
I think the Bucs are going to do whatever they want to regardless of what fans think, but i’m sure they hold your opinions in high regard.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:57 am
No Joe, they should not trade up for an additional 1st round pick. If anything, they should be looking to trade back 10 or so spots to pick up an additional 4th or 5th round pick.
February 20th, 2015 at 8:59 am
What ? No that’s a bad idea.
Instead trade back to the middle of the 2nd round.
Last year Washington traded their #34 to Dallas for their second #47 and third #78.
With mid 2nd round pick select : Ty Sambrailo (good left tackle, stud guard or right tackle in the pros).
Trade pick #65 to middle of the 3rd round and get and extra 4th rounder.
With 1st mid 3rd round picks select : Guard AJ Cann/ Tre Jackson/ Laken Tomlinson BPA at guard.
With 2nd mid 3rd round pick select : Ifo Ekpre Olomu/ Steve Nelson/ Ronald Darby slot CB BPA.
With mid 4th sound pick select : Andy Gallik/ BJ Finney center BPA.
So you just turned 2 picks into 4. Filled a hole at LG once Mankins retires, at RG, at C, and slot CB. This is what smart organisations do.
February 20th, 2015 at 9:09 am
This draft and free agency will either make or brake the GM and Lovie period. No one has ALL PROS at every position so you go with the best you can get that WILL play together and WIN.
So unless the player is way beyond everyone else, why trade up and lose a slot? Doesn’t make sense unless that player will make a portion of your team work.
February 20th, 2015 at 9:18 am
Trade back if anything.
We have so many holes it’s not even funny
C’mon Joe, it all starts in the trenches.
Our Bucs lack trenches and depth. We are a good two/three years from competing.
February 20th, 2015 at 9:29 am
LUVMYBUCS
and I cant stop saying brotha….brotha.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:03 am
If Cam Erving is on the board at 34 – Bucs should absolutely take him. But Trading up and give up a valuable and needed 4th rd pick to do so?? HELL NO!! What a stupid idea. We have many holes and need many bodies to try filling them. There are supposed to be a # of good Olinemen available into the 3rd and 4th round. I would be very pleased for the Bucs to take the best OLine players on their board with picks 2, 3 and 4. I know we have other needs like MLB and DE etc – but if L&L don’t bring in some young talent to get this Oline fixed the right way – we are dead in the water with a crappy line – AGAIN.
Trying to fill holes up front through FA again is just a bad idea. Bucs HAVE to use at least 2 decent picks on OLine this year – anything less would just be flat out negligence.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:52 am
Any Collins is better than the one Lovie & lapdog exhaulted last season. Joan Collins, Tom Collins, any effing Collins except the one we have now!
February 20th, 2015 at 10:57 am
1. What’s the difference between 32 n 34 really?
2. If I’m trading down I’m going to get Perryman. Fck the bullchit. Guards are 3rd rnd buys cough cough Charles Simms cough cough
February 20th, 2015 at 11:28 am
Follow the way the elite franchises do things (Patriots, Ravens, perhaps Seahawks now?)…they consistently prove you don’t need to draft high to be successful you need to be able to identify value in players that fit your scheme and aren’t going to cause more drama than they’re worth. Losers like the Raiders, Jaguars, and sadly our beloved Bucs keep hoping they won’t be drafting in the top 10 yet find themselves there every year. Trade back out of the #1 spot and grab players that Lovie and Licht feel will fit their scheme (whatever that may be).
February 20th, 2015 at 11:39 am
Lets get our MLB in round 2, OL in 3rd, can either trade back or trade Glennon and score a pair. Trading away picks to move up makes no good sense.