Opinion: It’s Wide Receiver or Bust for the Buccaneers in Round One
Option 5: My Favorite
So, when you write the column, you get to say which idea is the best and this one is it!
If this team doesn’t go with Davis or Ross because they’re either gone or the team scouts simply aren’t willing to put their names on them, then this team needs to trade back to the second round, stock pile some picks and select safety Budda Baker (Washington) and wide receiver Dede Westbrook (Oklahoma) in the second round.
Following this, they could theoretically pick up Florida State tackle Roderick Johnson in the third-round, although they may have to trade back up to pull this off.
Let’s look at this and take off the Madden glasses for a minute though.
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If the Buccaneers trade their top pick to say, the Bengals who are looking to re-load their roster and get back into the post-season after a disappointing 2016, then Cincinnati can take either receiver the Bucs pass on or (if neither is available, which is the likely scenario in this daydream) they collect cornerback Gareon Conley from Ohio State to go with the Easterling predicted selection of Solomon Thomas on the edge.
Who cares what the Bengals do with their pick though? With the 41st pick, Jason Licht takes Westbrook which gives his head coach the speed he’s looking for on offense. Then with the 51st pick, they secure Baker to give Smith at worst a top back-up to play behind the new force duo of Tandy and McDougald.
If I get my wish, then the Bengals also give up their 73rd overall where the Buccaneers take Roderick Johnson who may just be able to take over full-time duties on the right side by the end of his rookie season.
That’s not a bad haul, and barring the Bengals forcing a swap thirds type of scenario, the front office would still have a third in their pocket to go and take Jake Butt from Michigan if his injury sinks him to the late-third, or running back Jamaal Williams from BYU who is building an underground fan base as this year’s potential Jordan Howard.