Bucs Get Georgia DB Tykee Smith
April 26th, 2024
Bucs DB Tykee Smith.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network said Bucs third-round pick Tykee Smith of Georgia is a plug-and-play nickel corner.
We will see.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart is the best defensive coach in college not named “Nick Saban.” So if this guy can play for Smart, Joe believes he can play for Todd Bowles.
Besides, Bowles had good intel. Bowles’ son plays linebacker for Georgia.
Smith was listed on the Georgia roster as a safety. Unless he is in some rotation he won’t get many snaps at safety. Smith had four picks for the Bulldogs last year.
Here is Dane Brugler’s breakdown of Smith in his draft guide “The Beast” for The Athletic.
SUMMARY: A one-year starter at Georgia, Smith played the “STAR” nickel position in head coach Kirby Smart’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After playing middle-field safety at West Virginia for two seasons, he transitioned to a nickel role at Georgia and overcame multiple injuries to put together his best season in 2023 — he the Bulldogs in tackles (70), tackles for loss (8.5) and interceptions (four). Smith plays with a quick trigger in the run game, the physical ity to work off blocks and the keen
understanding of angles to fit up his run-defense responsibilities. His lack of a true make-up burst will be tougher to hide versus NFL athletes, but he anticipates well in coverage to react quickly on throws. Overall, Smith lacks desired size, but he is a balanced mover and relies on his combination of football instincts, toughness and physicality to make plays. He projects as a rookie special teamer who can grow into a No. 3 safety or nickel role.
This Smith makes the Bucs all that deeper at defensive back.
Welcome to Tampa, Tykee Smith. How about you be the next Ronde. pic.twitter.com/97gDzy2r1o
— JC Cornell (@CornellNFL) April 27, 2024
April 26th, 2024 at 11:03 pm
Called it!
April 26th, 2024 at 11:05 pm
A DB that can catch the ball.
I am all for it!
April 26th, 2024 at 11:06 pm
Keith Tandyesq
April 26th, 2024 at 11:07 pm
You know Licht makes his bones by making magic in the mid round but….2 pics and it’s .. a nickel maybe and wr4 maybe? I dunno…
April 26th, 2024 at 11:09 pm
He can hit, tackle, and pick. Nice!
April 26th, 2024 at 11:11 pm
I didn see a safety coming but figure Bowles sees him in a way that fits his scheme.
Some were crying for an R but I get the impression the Bucs might feel they are fine with their #1 RB ( dunno about that myself) as long as they improved the line.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:14 pm
Graham Barton and Tykee Smith feel’s a lot like Wirfs and Winfield Jr. think we just got at least two studs! I honestly don’t know much about the other two.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:14 pm
This is a Bowles pick. Wants a joker for his string-theory defensive schemes where everyone runs to a random spot to surprise the opponent.
But the kid has good bones and Jason drafted him so I’m down.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:16 pm
Your new nickel.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:18 pm
Biggest need was to fix NFL worst run game…aside from Barton can’t say I like any of our other picks…
April 26th, 2024 at 11:31 pm
I don’t know if he moves Izien off nickel but he’s the third safety ala Mike Edwards all day
April 26th, 2024 at 11:42 pm
Hopefully he’s a good depth guy, maybe works into a starting role down the road.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:42 pm
Smith was listed as a safety BUT the nickel is a safety for Georgia. The star position is usually the BEST safety on Kirby smarts defence so for that reason I think he’s a Nickel for the bucs and he has a good chance to start.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:51 pm
Most of his snaps were from the nickel. He is great in run support can blitz and had 4 picks last year.
Think this pick is under the radar very good.
April 26th, 2024 at 11:52 pm
Fills a need at slot and can also back up S. Better than the CBs left on the board. Good pick!
April 26th, 2024 at 11:55 pm
This is the player that will allow the Bucs to have three players that can disguise who is the nickel and who are the safeties. Bucs/Bowles D was nasty start of the 2022 campaign when they had 3 safeties that could play either position.
April 27th, 2024 at 12:06 am
Bowles always looking for new pieces in his safety games
April 27th, 2024 at 12:11 am
just watched some Tykee highlights–wow–lots TFL and lotsa PB and lotsa int’s good tackler. Immediately on the person and they slam the turf. He looks good!!!
April 27th, 2024 at 12:48 am
Im not sure he can replace Idzien who was pretty solid at nickel. Also was solid in run defense
April 27th, 2024 at 12:57 am
Thank God . Love this dudes tape so glad izen won’t have to start he will be great depth but that’s all he should be.
April 27th, 2024 at 1:09 am
Tony Dungy Pick
Watch the tape. As Dungy would say, “He makes football plays.” He looks like Barber.
I like this pick. Nickel-Safety. He’ll play.
April 27th, 2024 at 2:02 am
Was fine with Barton & Tykee but kind of iffy on Braswell. Just seemed like they could’ve picked somebody else. Dude seems like he might get called for quite a bit of penalties in the NFL. I can see him maybe getting called for some roughing the passer & helmet to helmet & some stuff like that. If they were gonna take a WR I thought they could’ve taken either Ed McCaffrey’s son & Christian’s brother Luke or Jerry Rice’s son Brenden. Still need at least another CB probably another LB & another RB & this is why it’s important for them to trade down as much as possible because they’re still not gonna be able to fill all their needs.
April 27th, 2024 at 2:04 am
Led the team in tackles and had 4 picks?! I had to check that stat, a safety who led the team in tackles. Sure as shît he did. I think this may just be the steal of the draft for Jason Licht.
April 27th, 2024 at 3:17 am
Buchen61 … ‘Biggest need was to fix NFL worst run game…aside from Barton can’t say I like any of our other picks’.
Like you, I’m concerned that we didn’t address our need for a beastly running back to help fix our pathetic run game. On looking at the Rnd 1-3 results though, only 3 RBs were taken out of the 100 picks (all in Rnd 3) … Trey Benson (Cards), Blake Corum (Rams) & MarShawn Lloyd (Packers). So that still leaves beasts like Audric Estime & Braelon Allen, as well as several others like Ray Davis & Kendall Milton. Bucs next pick though isn’t until #125 (Rnd 4) and I’m sure several will be gone by then.
Also concerns me that we haven’t yet addressed our need for another MLB to replace Devin White (we lack LB depth & I guess I don’t have as much confidence in KJ Britt as some do). Edgerrin Cooper & Payton Wilson both went in Rnd 3 last night, but there are still several good candidates available. Our problem now is that after our Rnd 4 (#125) pick, we don’t have any more until Rnd 6 (#220). Bummer.
April 27th, 2024 at 4:02 am
Tony says,
Was fine with Barton & Tykee but kind of iffy on Braswell.
Just seemed like they could’ve picked somebody else. Dude seems like he might get called for quite a bit of penalties in the NFL
I’ll take Braswell’s over aggressiveness any day. Penalties can be cleaned up as long as he doesn’t lose his violent and nastiness style of play contrary to JTS n JDean’s lack of effort n passive tackling. Braswell is not as big but he has traits of Ndamogun Suh in him. We need a Suh, Sapp, Hardy Nickerson type player on this team.
April 27th, 2024 at 6:48 am
I think we have adequate people on the team NOW to replace DW, prolly need one more for depth tho
April 27th, 2024 at 6:55 am
@dmatt
Yeah I understand I agree but yeah I just hope he’s not a penalty machine that’s gonna kill the team. Yeah I never even wanted Tryon or Dean when they were coming out.
April 27th, 2024 at 7:10 am
Needed to fix pathetic run game and basically ignored the position again…maybe we will be treated to another after the draft free agents like last year
Should have fixed the damn run game… terrible draft just terrible
April 27th, 2024 at 7:39 am
Keep crying. Licht doesn’t care if you like his moves or not. He will do as he sees fit to build the team.
April 27th, 2024 at 7:53 am
Horrible pick.
Bucs need G, RB and LB but instead select someone for depth in the secondary. This pick has Bowles written all over it. I blame JL for not standing up to him on this one.
Love the other 3 picks in the draft.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:10 am
This works for the people on this board who determine who plays what by what they look like.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:33 am
Firethecannons EVERYONE looks good on highlight videos! That’s WHY they’re called HIGHlights… That said, I like the pic. I definitely thought we needed another slot, &/or S, &/or CB. Now we still need a CB, also a RB, & probably another WR. Payton Wilson would have been nice. I Loved Legette and Sainristil in the 2nd, but not surprised Carolina traded up into the 1st to take him. Liked Marshawn Lloyd too, but he went 1 pick ahead of Bucs Tykee to the cheesy Packers… Idk if Jaylen Wright went yet, but I like him, Ithen saac Guerendo, & Audric Estime later, Also Milton, Allen a bit at 21yo and Bucky Irving plus a few others.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:36 am
Watching hightlights of Tykee Smith, not sure he is going to work out at all. Looks like he actually tries to get in the way of the receiver getting the ball instead of just being there to tackle him after he catches it, which seems to be our preferred style. Lol, obviously kidding. Looks like a great pick.
April 27th, 2024 at 9:51 am
He wasn’t on my radar, but we shall see. Tell ya the truth, once ya get past the second round I usually won’t be familiar with any of them.