Will the Bucs Target a Cornerback in the First Round? | Road to the Draft

it wrong every year. So the combine is always a really fun time to start talking about this now that it's in the books, because it always leads to some shakeups after you see the way that the guys performed there. So based on the combine, what are some maybe the positions you felt like we're being discussed as a good

idea for the Buccaneers. Well, I've been tracking mock drafts since the Bucks got eliminated from the playoffs, because it's kind of like when your team no longer can win the Super Bowl, then the next thing, your next super Bowl is the draft, right, That's what all the fans start to care about. So a lot of prognosticator us out there, I think, for good reason, have paired the

Bucks with a cornerback. For one thing. The cornerback group is pretty deep this year, and also the Buccaneers have Jamal Dean Sean Murfy Bunting, both potential free agency losses, so there's definitely a chance that there's a need there and we'll know by the draft. Of course. The thing about it is before the combine you saw a lot

of different orders of how those guys were going. At the combine, a guy like Christian Gonzales of Oregon sort of cemented his stats status as the top cornerback, and a lot of it looked like it fell into place

a little bit more. And the funny thing is Brianna Dick's team reporter and I have been alternating drafts and we've done four of them mock drafts, and each time we landed on a cornerback, but each time was a different guy at this point, like one time one of us chose Devon a Witherspoon, one time one of us close Christian Zalz. We think both those people are going to be gone now. We think Joey Parter will be gone by nineteen and the guy that's rising as Maryland's

Dionte Banks, who had a great combine. He was productive at Maryland. He ran a four three five forty, was in the ninety nine percent Island athleticism. So I think he's moved up to the point where where he would be in play at pick number nineteen. Yeah, that's going to be interesting to see. And then I know another position that's going to be intriguing maybe for the Bucks is an edge rusher. I mean, we know that Shack Barrett's coming off the injury. You never know what that's

gonna look like. And again with the free agents, not a lot of people that we know for a factor on this roster right now. Is there anybody that you feel like people are mocking saying, you know what, this could be a really good person to add. Yeah, And Todd Bull said at the combine that we have to get more edge rush. He said it was weird to have your nose tackle V to V a B year leader in sacks. You really can't have that in a three four defense. So he made it clear we need

more pressure from the edges. So I definitely think that's in play, no matter how well Shack comes back or Anthony resigns. And a guy that was sort of at the back end of the first round for most of the mock drafts in February. Is on the rise is George's Nolan Smith, who just blew up the combine, just

incredible numbers. He's only two hundred thirty eight pounds, which is a little small for an edge, but he actually played the run really well at Georgia, as you see right there, and he ran a four three nine wow at two hundred and thirty eight pounds, just blew away the vertical and the broad jump. And he didn't have a ton of pretend production at Georgia. But last year Travon Walker same thing, didn't have a ton of sacks,

blew up the combine, ended up going first overall. Guy from Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith's numbers to the combine were better than Trayvon Walker. So I think he's on the rise. He may not be available at nineteen, but I think he's a the guy that is much more in play at that part of the draft than he was a month ago. Yeah, this is where some of the people that you think might be mocked to the bucks.

You're like, could you do a little worse? Yeah, yeah, stop telling everybody how great you are right now, and then of course we know that the Bucks recently announced releasing Donovan Smith, and so now here we are just like last year, talking about some changes on the offensive line. How do you fill some of those holes? Do you move people? Do you add people? So do you feel like now this makes it where offensive tackle could be a position the Bucks are looking at. Yeah, and an

offensive tackle is reasonably deep this year. It's not like when we the EUREI drafted Tristan Morris of are like four blue chip prospects that literally could have gone in the top ten. They went in the top thirteen. But it's still a pretty deep group of pretty good prospects and a guy that's that you know. I don't think the Bucks would be in play for Peter Scosky or Paris Johnson. They're probably going to be gone by then. But if they are looking forward offensive tackle Georgia again,

here we go with Georgia. Georgia's Roderick Jones could be there. At nineteen he started, He didn't have a ton of experience starter for about a year and a half for Georgia, but he played left tackle, and you could leave Tristan war right tackle and put him at left tackle, and

he had a very nice continent too. I mean, I don't know how much important forty yard dash is for offensive tackle, but he was the fastest one there and he had a real nice ten yards split, which is more about quickness in that the amount of room they're going to have to actually be involved in. Right, So he's a guy that the Buccaneers might be able to look at it pick nineteen. Yeah, based on how they've played these last few years. It does feel like when

in doubt drafted Georgia person. Even though sure all the Florida people here are not loving me saying that, but it does seem like save a lot of talent on a lot of talent. For sure, they're all right, that's going to do it for us. On this first edition of Road to the Draft again, we'll be coming to you over and over between now and the draft with any updates to things that affect all those mock drafts and who the Bucks might take. So we'll see you next time.