SEC Defenders On Daniel Jeremiah’s Radar For Bucs At No. 19
February 21st, 2025
NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
OK, you know we are approaching draft season if Daniel Jeremiah holds a press conference about draft prospects.
With the combine next week in Indianapolis, Jeremiah, the popular NFL Network draft analyst and former NFL scout, gave his annual pre-combine press conference. He will have another one when the combine wraps up a week from tomorrow.
(Before you hit Joe with: “But Joe, the combine is still going on after Saturday… ” There is a difference between the combine the media attends and cares about and the combine the TV show seen on NFL Network. The combine the media attends is all the frontroom and backroom dealings centered in downtown Indianapolis with the beehive being the Indiana Convention Center, which used to be the Hoosier Dome. It is packed with (some) NFL owners, NFL suits of all sorts, scouts aplenty, most head coaches and their assistants, plus heavy hitter agents including but not limited to Tom Condon, oily Drew Rosenhaus and Bob LaMonte. Also, NFL media of all sorts is there. And yes, the players. It’s sort of like the NFL’s winter festival. The combine the TV show that fans see from home is the underwear Olympics at Lucas Oil Stadium. “This Joe” has been to the last, oh, dozen combines and he has still yet to witness one iota of the glorified indoor track practice at Lucas Oil.)
Jeremiah yesterday was asked specifically about the Bucs possibly looking for defense at No. 19. Joe knows the last time the Bucs picked at No. 19 was two years ago and it sure looks like Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht found a good one in Calijah Kancey.
Jeremiah seems to believe the Bucs are going defense in the first round (which directly mocks his very different Bucs pick in his latest mock draft). And he thinks the Bucs may just grab one of two SEC defenders.
Jeremiah likes the Bucs selecting linebacker Jihaad Campbell of Alabama as a no-brainer pick for Todd Bowles.
“Well, aggressive guys that can blitz from anywhere,” is how Jeremiah described what Bowles and the Bucs may be looking for.
Jihaad Campbell would be sure as heck fun to watch there just with all the different things he can do, and fast and explosive and smart.
“That’s a good combination for Coach Bowles to be able to play with there. That’s the first thing that jumped off the top of my head here when I’m thinking about those types of players.”
But wait, there’s more. If the Bucs decided to go after an edge rusher instead, Mykel Williams from Georgia is a guy to watch Jeremiah believes.
“You can do a lot of different things with him in terms of rushing him inside, rushing him outside,” Jeremiah said. “He’s athletic enough if you want to drop him. He can do a lot of those things as well.”
Jeremiah said Campbell and Williams are “dynamic.”
Joe loved Campbell last season.
Williams? Dude didn’t have any more sacks than Campbell, a linebacker. Both had five. Nah man, five sacks playing against children doesn’t impress Joe.
If the Bucs want to go defensive end (Joe hopes not only because name the last rookie edge rusher this coaching staff has developed?), Joe would much rather see the Bucs get Marshall’s Mike Greene, who absolutely dominated Senior Bowl practices.
Greene last year had 17 sacks in 13 games in 2024 — 17! That, boys and girls, is production!
Joe would have to find out exactly why Williams only had five sacks in 12 games if he is supposed to be such an otherworldly edge rusher.
As far as Campbell coming in, Joe would fully embrace it.
throwback to when Jihaad Campbell knocked Jaxson Dart’s helmet off week 4 🥷 pic.twitter.com/VqDlyjrqto
— Ethan 🐘 (@TideOnTop_) January 21, 2024
“God doesn’t make many human beings that … are athletically gifted like him.”
Mykel Williams is a raw prospect at 20 years old, but McShay think he’s just built different. BET ON HIS TRAITS.@McShay13 @yougoodmuench pic.twitter.com/Xd4R5OqI6h
— The Ringer (@ringer) February 18, 2025
February 21st, 2025 at 10:34 am
Fully with Joe on this one.
February 21st, 2025 at 10:36 am
pass rush from the edge is 100x more important than a linebacker…
February 21st, 2025 at 10:43 am
Draft edge again? So Braswell is a bust already?
February 21st, 2025 at 10:45 am
Well, until Braswell (or someone else) demonstrates they are a top-shelp pass rusher, they aren’t.
Joe’s not giving up on him but the Bucs need production now. Not maybe three years down the line when this team and its chances to win will be far different than now.
Of course, the chances of a rookie edge rusher dominating are not good.
February 21st, 2025 at 10:49 am
Draft the thundering turd, Mike Greene! Or draft a big sexy of the OL and collect and brute force the line of scrimmage every down. Win-win
February 21st, 2025 at 10:51 am
Bucky Buc, are you Undercover Joe? Seriously though if we could get Campbell I believe we might have hit a home run. ILB is more of a need right now than any other position. Sorry DR but even more important than corner. And Joe don’t worry about OLB or defensive end. Our coaching staff can’t develop those guys anyway.
February 21st, 2025 at 10:51 am
Campbell or Williams would be fantastic to get. One of them should still be there at pick 19…, hopefully. Licht could do some moving and grooving on that.
February 21st, 2025 at 10:57 am
I hope they only draft an edge with no less than double digit sacks…this past season. No projects and pls keep him at his natural position.
February 21st, 2025 at 10:58 am
WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE?
JTS, Yaya, Braz … or … Rice, JPP, Shaq
Draft vs FA. One method doesn’t work for the Bucs. One method does. Go with what works.
February 21st, 2025 at 11:00 am
Agree with Kenton edge need to come from FA ilb need to be a first in the draft
February 21st, 2025 at 11:22 am
I don’t mind if they grab an edge rusher in the draft, but not in the first round and not as an alternative to picking up a proven player in FA. We don’t need to be developing someone, or hoping we have found the next Myles Garrett, when we can get the actual Myles Garrett. I’m would hope our first rounder would be either ILB or CB.
February 21st, 2025 at 11:57 am
I’m not in favor of drafting edge at 19. Bowles hasn’t proved he can develop one, plus Bowles rotates his edges so an edge at 19 would only play half the snaps! I still like CB at 19, and ILB in rnd 2. Campbell is considered head and shoulders above the other ILB’s and none of the boards are in agreement with the next group of ILB’s. Campbell is usually mocked to go early rd2 or very late in rd1.
I don’t have a good feel about CB’s so I’m waiting on the combine. Revel looks good on paper but is coming off a 9/24 ACL tear. Morrison had both hip and shoulder injuries so I’m ruling him out – don’t need another Dean!
February 21st, 2025 at 12:01 pm
Bucs are in dire need of an edge rusher who gets there most of the time. Bowles and Licht need to aggressively go after one in free agency.
February 21st, 2025 at 12:13 pm
I keep seeing Campbell projected for early second round. I guess that would entail trading down
February 21st, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Greene played against crappy schools, what do you expect. Different in major conferences especially sec and big 10
February 21st, 2025 at 12:54 pm
Kenton Smith, no im not. I dont agree with everything he says, i just dont think a ILB is a first round option, overrated.
February 21st, 2025 at 12:57 pm
I say Campbell in the first.
Then go trade for Hendrickson with our second and corner with our 3rd.
Try to get Ward Murphy or Douglas in free agency.
February 21st, 2025 at 1:07 pm
Really torn whether I’d rather see us draft a CB or an ILB in Rnd 1. Campbell strikes me as a no-brainer in Rnd 1 … but there’ll be a good chance that he’ll be gone by the time we pick. Most of the CBs in this year’s draft are too friggin light (185 lbs or so) and that’s not what Todd Bowles looks for (C Davis 6’1″ & 206; J Dean 6’1″ & 206; McCollum 6’2″ & 199; B Hall 6’1″ & 202).
Two CBs intrigue me in the draft. Will Johnson (Michigan) goes 6’2″ & 202 lbs, and runs a 4.47 40 (he’s listed as the #2 CB on Walter Football). And then Jahdae Barron (Texas) goes 5’11” & 200 lbs, and runs a 4.48 40 (he’s listed as the #5 CB on Walter Football). The only other one in the Top-10 who catches my eye is Trey Amos (Old Miss) who goes 6’1″ & 190 lbs, and runs a 4.45 40 (he’s listed as the #7 CB on Walter Football). The rest are all lightweights who I don’t think fit Bowles’ mold.
Still would like to see us grab a productive veteran Edge in free agency, then draft a beastly NT/DT in Rnd 3 to complement Vea (more pressure from the inside is a valuable commodity).
February 21st, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Licht should draft edge first or second round every year until he hits. Edge corner and linebacker, it’s going to be interesting to see what takes up the most resources in free agency and draft this year
February 21st, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Bengals just released DT Sheldon Rankins might make a good back up for the Bucs.
February 21st, 2025 at 1:33 pm
The good news for the Bucs is that about 12 or 13 of the top 20 players in the draft are on the defensive side of the ball. And we do know that some QBs and OL should be taken before the Bucs pick. The question should be whether the 1 RB and a couple of WR’s are taken.
If so, we will probably get someone on defense that should immediately make an impact for us not just this year but for years to come.
February 21st, 2025 at 1:40 pm
The Bama lad looks like a stud. If he can stop the run, cover wide receivers, do multi-dimensional simultaneous differential equations, cook French cuisine and play the accordion in addition to rushing the passer, he’s a perfect fit for this defense.
February 21st, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Draft Campbell trade for Maxx Crosby( provided the raiders don’t want a kings ransom) problems solved.
February 21st, 2025 at 2:01 pm
As long as Bowles and his tired predictable scheme are tormenting fans I do not see the defense improving
February 21st, 2025 at 2:23 pm
Jeremiah likes the Bucs selecting linebacker Jihaad Campbell of Alabama as a no-brainer pick for Todd Bowles. “Well, aggressive guys that can blitz from anywhere,” is how Jeremiah described what Bowles and the Bucs may be looking for.
———–
Like Devin White, who was great at bringing pressure and creating havoc … and Bowles decided after his ALL-PRO 2020 season to use nearly exclusively in zone where he was completely worthless.
February 21st, 2025 at 2:24 pm
Don’t F around-sign Khalil Mack to a 2 year deal.
February 21st, 2025 at 2:42 pm
Rod Munch Says:
February 21st, 2025 at 2:23 pm
Jeremiah likes the Bucs selecting linebacker Jihaad Campbell of Alabama as a no-brainer pick for Todd Bowles. “Well, aggressive guys that can blitz from anywhere,” is how Jeremiah described what Bowles and the Bucs may be looking for.
———–
Like Devin White, who was great at bringing pressure and creating havoc … and Bowles decided after his ALL-PRO 2020 season to use nearly exclusively in zone where he was completely worthless.
———–
Just bc Campbell has scheme versatility and is gigantic for a modern ILB doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the movement, speed, etc. to succeed in coverage. Watching him on tape will reveal he’s very capable of recognizing concepts. Also, are we seriously still equating college production to success in the league??? It means nothing to anyone who actually scouts in the league. No one is going to pick Pearce over Mykel because of their sack numbers.
February 21st, 2025 at 3:03 pm
the bucs need to use jihaad vs opposing qbs
February 21st, 2025 at 3:09 pm
Looks like a lot of Bengals are wanting to jump ship. Apparently MLB Germaine Pratt (6’3″ & 250 lbs, age 28) wants to be traded also. Only missed 4 games in 6 years. Not big on producing sacks (only 3.5 in his career), but he’s a tackling machine (143 tackles last year with 80 of them solo), and is also quite good in coverage … 73% completions allowed over 6 years.
Pratt’s entering the last year of his contract ($8.2 mil CAP hit), that’d save the Bengals $5.9 mil. His $5.3 mil base salary (plus incentives) seems quite reasonable for a MLB with his experience. Seems like a trade for a 4th Rnd pick would be more than worth it IF Pratt fits what TB is looking for in his MLB.
February 22nd, 2025 at 12:04 am
Jihad has Allpro written all over him, get him with David for a year with Dennis rotating in and we are set, most rookie edges take awhile to develop unless hes a top 10 talent, and even those guys are hit or miss
February 22nd, 2025 at 6:55 pm
I’m good with Greene on the edge, but prefer Stewart, if he were to be there at 19. Go back to the Texas A&M well.