by Gus Rightmyer
The 2016 NFL Draft, a crucial year for the rising Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The struggling team acquired what many believe to be their franchise quarterback Jameis Winston, out of Florida State, the previous draft year. Jameis led the team to their most prolific offensive season in at least five years. He was not without help from stars such as wideout Mike Evans and running back Doug Martin, both being tops of their positions. The young team was not without it flaws, being in its weak secondary and its lack of rushing the passer on the defensive line. Special teams was a major area of concern for the team having weak return yardages, short punts, and barely making field goals. In order to lead the team to that next level some skilled players would be needed in the 2016 draft to help Jameis' squad make a playoff push.
The Bucs began the draft with the 9th overall pick, one where they could add a key positional player to positively affect an area of need. They were projected to the pick star defensive back out of Florida, Vernon Hargreaves. When their pick was on the clock they traded two picks down and added an extra 4th round pick, Hargreaves was still on the draft board. Once they were up to choose a player once more they selected Vernon Hargreaves, whom they wanted all along. Hargreaves will add a new layer of physicality and technique that the secondary was lacking and desperately needed. Hargreaves is also from Tampa and played college ball in Florida. He is one of the top athletes coming out of college this year and looks to make an instant impact to the team. I give Tampa Bay's first round an A+.
Noah Spence, out of Eastern Carolina, was the selection in the second round. Spence was a top 15 projected player that fell to the bucs early in the second round. Spence was a player coming out of college with the quickest speed off the edge at the defensive end position. Tampa was in need for applying pressure to the quarter back and they got just that with Noah Spence, I give Tampa's second round pick an A.
Before the beginning of the third round the Bucs traded back into the middle of the second round. They traded their 3rd round pick and one of their two 4th rounders. Roberto Aguayo, kicker out of Florida State, was the selection. The selection of a kicker in the second is a terrible decision at first glance, but if you dive into the selection it is easy to see the impact of the pick. First off Aguayo was a super star in college making every kick inside 40 yards and having an 88.46% kicking percentage in total. Second a kicker is a quarterback's best friend, helping him cash in on drives where he might not have gotten close enough for the six points. Having a solid kicker is especially important when your franchise is starting a young quarterback, like Jameis Winston. Even though many "renown" analysts believe that taking a kicker in the second round is pure foolishness i give the pick a B, due purely on the fact that the team traded up to make the selection at the expense of a fourth round pick.
The last four selections from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were purely fillers for areas that they felt needed more depth. The fourth round pick was Ryann Smith from North Carolina Central will be a solid return man fro the team. The fifth round selection, Caleb Benenoch from UCLA, will be looked on to play at starting tackle for team. The first sixth round pick, Devante Bond from Oklahoma, will provide more depth at the linebacker position. The second sixth round pick, Dan Vitale from North Western, will play a starting role at fullback and flex tight-end. I give the last four picks for the bucs draft a B.
I give the full draft of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers an A minus.
For another draft grade for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers click here.
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