Buccaneers: Expert Reactions to the Last Two Picks

Experts provide their thoughts on the Buccaneers’ selections of Ryan Smith and Caleb Benenoch.

The Buccaneers have been filling need positions so far on day three of the draft, selecting Ryan Smith for their defensive backfield, and offensive tackle Caleb Benenoch. Here are some thoughts from the draftnicks:

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First is Steve Muench on Smith and what he brings:

"A four-year starter, Smith is a fluid corner with the quickness and balance to mirror in man coverage. He shows above-average instincts and a good feel for route concepts as well. The downside is he’s undersized. He doesn’t match up well with bigger receivers and he graded out as a below-average run-stopper. There are also concerns about the level of competition Smith faced in the FCS and to a lesser degree a nagging knee injury that hindered him last season."

Here are the thoughts from CBS Sports:

"Three-year starter in college with experience at CB and S though a bit lacking in his ball skills."

Here are some words from Ryan Smith himself, reported in USA Today:

"“I do feel like a lot of schools missed out on me, being as I only played one year of high school football,” Smith said. “A lot of people doubted me and didn’t want to take a chance on me. It still happens to this day. People doubt me just because of the school I played at, not by my talent. But everything happens for a reason. I’m just blessed to be in this position.”"

Now to Benenoch, here is Muench again:

"A versatile player with experience at tackle and guard, Benenoch gets good initial surge as a run blocker and he’s tough to beat when his technique is sound in pass protection. He also flashes the nasty disposition that teams covet in their offensive linemen. That said, Benenoch hasn’t realized his potential, as he needs to do a better job of sinking his hips and consistently shooting his hands inside."

The guys at SB Nation talked about what he has done at UCLA:

"UCLA had their offensive line woes in previous seasons, but in part thanks to Benenoch’s emergence, the Bruins massively improved this year to be one of the best units in the country. Benenoch started all 13 games along the offensive line, switching to play multiple positions, including nine at offensive tackle and four at offensive guard. Benenoch led the team with 35 consecutive starts, as UCLA surrendered just 14 quarterback sacks in 2015, the second-lowest total in Bruins history."

Next: Bucs Select Caleb Benenoch with the 148th Pick

So, we have the experts thoughts. If you haven’t already, let us now your thoughts!

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Expert Reactions to Buccaneers’ Selection of Smith and Benenoch

By Alan Schechter | Apr 30, 2016

Experts provide their thoughts on the Buccaneers’ selections of Ryan Smith and Caleb Benenoch.