The excitement is in the air for football fans with the recent release of the 2016 NFL Schedule. Heading into the 2016 NFL Draft, however, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t have a lot of time to exclaim their excitement, because they have a rather lengthy to-do list. Their most important areas of concern would be the offensive line, cornerback, and safety. Adding a pass rusher and maybe even a deep threat receiver along the way would also be an area of interest throughout the draft.
Each pick could bring hope to a franchise trying to rebuild in a positive manor under a first-time head coach. In addition to fulfilling the areas of need on the team, the organization’s brass must also try and appease the coaching staff’s wishes and desires during this process. It’s a convoluted hybrid theory that changes each day. After Thursday’s news of the Los Angeles Rams trading up from pick fifteen to one with the Tennessee Titans in a blockbuster deal, there is no telling what else is in store for April 28th.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2016 NFL Draft: Top 3 Needs
Offensive Line
The Bucs were able to run the ball well in 2015, but their pass protection was lackluster at best. In order for the team to take that next step this unit must give their young and developing quarterback, Jameis Winston, more time in the pocket. Logan Mankins, at left guard, holds a fairly secure position down on the left side of the line. But drafting a player like Ole Miss’s Laremy Tunsil would be a huge upgrade over left tackle Donovan Smith. After the Titans-Rams deal, quarterbacks seem to be going one and possibly two in the draft. Which, in turn, pushes the best player on most teams’ board in Tunsil down in the order. With that being said, the Buccaneers would essentially still have to trade up to acquire Tunsil since most scouts seem sure that he won’t make it past pick six or seven. Another option early in the draft could be Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley. He still has room to grow in his giant but agile frame. Drafting either Tunsil or Stanley would bode well for quarterback Jameis Winston’s future.
Cornerback
Other than protecting their franchise quarterback in Winston, the Buccaneers biggest area of concern would be the defensive backfield as a whole. Sterling Moore is a fantastic slot-corner, but he is nobody’s “number one” guy in any secondary. Fortunately, Tampa Bay has a chance to get better by potentially adding either Jalen Ramsey (FS/CB) from Florida State, or Vernon Hargreaves from the University of Florida. Ramsey, was once involved in serious rumors linking him with the Titans and the number one overall pick, just before they traded the top pick to the Rams. He has the versatility to be a safety or corner, but projects mostly as a premier one-on-one cornerback down the road. He has since slipped down the board to the pick three or four range. But if he makes it past there it wouldn’t take much for the Bucs to trade up and snatch up their ball hawk of the future. Hargreaves is probably the most “NFL-Ready” cornerback in the draft. He profiles as the every down playmaking corner that defensive coordinators dream of. Either of these selections early in the draft would be great picks for Tampa Bay.
Safety
If the season started today, Bradley McDonald would be the Buccaneers’ starting free safety. That’s a problem. Tampa Bay absolutely needs to address their issues regarding the safeties in the secondary. With there not being a worthy safety prospect to be taken at number nine overall, though, the Bucs have been rumored to be very interested to go after several different players in the second and third rounds. Keanu Neal, a safety from the University of Florida could be a potential target. Neal is a dynamic player in his own right and even has links to teams tempted to take him late in the first round. Another interesting prospect in the second round range is West Virginia’s Karl Joseph. Joseph fits the Bucs scheme perfectly, and has even been pegged to the Bucs in the second round by several different popular mock draft websites. Either way, the Buccaneers have to understand that the back end of their secondary is a key area for the organization to address during the draft.
