The NFL Combine is days away from going live on NFL Network and the Buccaneers are in attendance like every other franchise as they hunt for their 2017 draft targets.
Before we know it it’ll be time for the NFL Draft and the Buccaneers’ 19th pick will be history for all of us to gather around the proverbial water coolers in America and speculate until our heart’s content. After all, we are football fans, it’s what we do.
Until then, we’ll just have to settle for arguing back-and-forth about who’s getting picked where and what the Bucs should do if this or that other guy is still available when they go on the clock. What is Licht going to do? We know he can be unpredictable, see Roberto Aguayo. Time will tell us what holes he will fill and when.
The combine will clear some of this picture up, and free agency looms large as this real-life drama unfolds, but in the meantime let’s make some early assumptions and predict some landing spots for the most talented young football names in the country.
It’s mock draft time, and we’re doing the entire first round!
I’d love to go a different direction here, but the Browns need – well – everything, so how do they not take the player just about everyone is saying is the best guy out there.
Not only can Myles Garrett from Texas A&M come in and make an instant impact for the Browns on the field, but he can become the center of the ongoing re-build and be the beginning of a stud defensive front.
Cleveland needs this pick so I truly hope they don’t trade out of the top spot.
This won’t be like the last time this franchise drafted an Aggie, as Garrett looks to have long, long-term staying power and instant playmaking ability.
Jersey’s should fly off the shelves after this one.
His interviews at the combine should be filled with some interesting questions, so keep an ear out for what transpires in the next week with this year’s Laremy Tunsil.
First off, congratulations to the great John Lynch for landing the general manager job here. I just became a hopeful person this team can find some success quickly even if it’s just so he doesn’t get fired before he really fields his team.
What better selection to bring in for a Hall of Fame worthy safety than one of two home run safeties in this class.
Considering one is injured and won’t be ready until camp barring setbacks, the pick here has to be the safer option in Jamal Adams from Louisiana State University.
Must Read: AP or Charles for Tampa?
His style of play brings a dimension to the 49ers defense they sorely missed last season, and he puts the cap on opposing offenses which will be important to helping keep their offense in the game.
If the Ohio State prospect is healthy then this is a tighter race than some realize, but here, GM Lynch goes for the guy he knows will suit up on day one.
He should flash his ball skills at the combine, and is expected to do nothing but cement his status as a top-prospect in this year’s class.
I don’t know how smart letting Alshon Jeffrey walk into free-agency is for the Chicago Bears, but taking Marshon Lattimore from Ohio State to bolster their outside coverage could begin to make up for it.
While some will point to a receiver as the logical target here, I don’t see the Bears going in this direction in the first-round given the experience they’re currently having with wide receiver Kevin White.
It’s a pass-happy league and they’re in a division with Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Sam Bradford, who are all capable of exploiting weak coverages.
This team doesn’t have the greatest success with first-round corners lately either, but Lattimore is an elite talent who should sooth some of those worries.
I’m very interested to see this young man run, and keep a close eye on his movements and foot work during the defensive back drills in Indianapolis.
On paper, Jacksonville looked like an up and coming contender. On the field they looked less than adequate to put it nicely.
Offensive line is their biggest need, but unless they’re going to reach about half a rounds worth of picks they aren’t getting help here.
Trading back is an option, but so is Jonathan Allen from Alabama.
Put this Crimson Tide product next to Malik Jackson and even if the offense isn’t clicking right away, the Jags front line should be able to create enough early chaos to afford them some time to figure it out.
There’s less depth at this area of need than many, many others, and for that reason alone this move is the smartest one to make.
It ensure the defense can absorb some drives, and keeps this team from panicking with the fourth overall selection.
Pick acquired from the Los Angeles Rams.
While Jared Goff is still trying to figure out how to be an NFL quarterback, the Tennessee Titans
More from The Pewter Plank
- Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
- ESPN predicts surprising outcome to Devin White trade saga
- Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
- Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
- The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023
are about to give theirs a brand new weapon to go along with Demarco Murray, Travis Henry and the oh-so-promising Tajae Sharpe.
When writing about Clemson receiver Mike Williams, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network wrote,
"“Overall, his combination of size, physicality, and nasty temperament is unique. He should be a true No. 1 receiver very early in his NFL career.”"
Seems to be just what the doctor ordered for the Titans and young Marcus Mariota as he continues to build what seems to be a promising future.
If Jeremiah’s words ring true – which they should – then this may be the last time we see Tennessee in the Top-10 for a while.
The second Baton Rouge Tiger may be the most popular nationwide as the powerful Leonard Fournette lasts to pick number six and goes from the bayou to the Big Apple.
Gang Green will love this young man’s running style and his willingness – and dare I say – passion for the physicality of football.
Personally, I prefer the faster Florida State prospect to Fournette because of durability concerns and the smaller Seminoles’ ability to play out of the backfield, but this running back fits what the Jets identity seems to be.
Getting a year behind Matt Forte will help him immensely, and if his body can withstand the beating, he should give the Jets a bell-cow for the better part of a decade if not more.
At the combine, I’m going to be especially interested to see his 40-yard dash times and see him in the cone drills.
We all know he’s powerful, but can he be light on his feet and shiftier than most think he is?
If you believe Philip Rivers is the future in L.A. then I’d like to show you to the exit.
The Chargers need a guy in the wings they know can come in and keep the offense going when it’s time for Rivers to hang up the cleats and open up a car dealership or real-estate business.
If the team needed a quarterback to come in right away I wouldn’t go this direction in the slightest, but they need a kid to come in and learn for a year or – maybe – two.
Mitch Trubisky lacks some key experience, but he’s got potential for days, and given 365 or so days to grow into an NFL quarterback behind a true on-field general like Rivers will only accelerate his learning curve.
I like seeing teams get year one impact players in the early part of the first round as much as the next guy, but Trubisky’s impact will be in securing the future of Los Angeles Chargers football from the offensive side of the ball.
The Panthers dismantled the defense which helped them to the Super Bowl and found out the hard way that even Cam Newton couldn’t will them to wins.
I’m not sure Kelvin Benjamin will ever get back on track to where he was before his big injury, but the defense is hurting more than the offense is in Charlotte. Which is why the pick has to be Solomon Thomas from Stanford at number eight.
What Carolina’s defense lacked in 2016 Thomas has oozing out of him before he even steps on the field: versatility.
Must Read: Walking the Plank Debut!
This prospect can play inside or out and be effective. Matching him up with the right offensive lineman against opponents will be key, and if they get it right then the Stanford defender will become a quick fan-favorite.
After placing the franchise tag on Kawaan Short, I can only imagine how fun to see these two playing on the same line, and I still have high hopes for Vernon Butler too.
Of course, Bucs fans will hope he’s a bust, but Thomas has stud written all over him.
The Bengals defense likes to play fast and they like to play aggressive – especially when playing against the Steelers.
Reuben Foster is a Top-5 talent landing in Cincy’s lap here and if they even took half the clock to turn in a card I’d be surprised.
True, they need help on offense, but it isn’t as dire as some might think looking at a team with a six win record in 2016.
There’s talent in the later rounds to fill other holes, so grabbing Alabama’s best defender in this spot will take some of the sting out of their fall from grace after looking like a team on the edge of a Super Bowl push.
His interviews should confirm what we basically already know. This is a good young prospect with big leadership potential who could really help tie together this defense.
Call me crazy, but I never really felt like Tyrod Taylor was the long-term solution in Buffalo, and it seems the franchise may be leaning the same way.
If they’re looking for a young quarterback with talent and some star-power to help warm up their AFC East outlook, then Deshaun Watson is a name every northern New Yorker should get used to fast.
He has an uncanny ability to simply light it up on the big stage and as a young passer coming into the NFL it won’t get much bigger than facing Tom Brady twice a year to start your career.
Pair him with Sammy Watkins, LeSean McCoy (maybe), and a few players to be drafted later, and the Bills may be on the verge of contending for the first time in too long.
Everyone will be looking at his mechanics more than some other quarterbacks, and accuracy will be paramount for Watson to really grab hold of his draft destiny.
Sidney Jones from Washington has drawn comparisons to Marcus Peters of the Kansas City Chiefs, and let’s be honest Saints fans, you know you want a Peters clone on your squad.
New Orleans couldn’t stop a bead thrower on defense last year, which is part of what led to former top safety Jairus Byrd’s expected and reported releases upcoming.
Vonn Bell is waiting in the wings to grab his spot, so the defense would take another step forward by bringing in a cornerback who can secure one half of the field while a hopefully healthy Delvin Breaux tries to secure the other.
Must Read: How to Watch the NFL Combine
Drew Brees, Michael Thomas and Brandin Cooks can put up points in bunches, now they just need a defense who doesn’t give them up in bushels.
Ball skills, speed, hip flexibility and of course footwork will all be keys to watch between now and the draft for Jones.
He’s about as secure in his slot as the second best corner in this class as you can get, so I wouldn’t expect too much movement here.
Pick acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles.
I’m not completely convinced the Robert Griffin III experiment is over in Cleveland, and with Watson of the board it’s going to be hard to justify bringing in any of the other quarterbacks in at number twelve.
Corey Davis’ arrival should just about signal the finally final bell toll for Josh Gordon’s existence as a Browns name holder, and if the team brings back Terrelle Pryor then these two will combine nicely with last year’s top pick Brandon Coleman.
You can argue any number of names in this spot, but the fact Davis can work in the short and intermediate passing games from day one will make him more attractive than any other as they need a guy their quarterback can find early and often if he’s going to stay healthy.
Nursing an ankle injury hurts NFL Network’s ratings more than it hurts Davis’ draft stock, and his potential “slide” to twelve is more about the dominance of defensive talent this year and perhaps a surprise quarterback pick or two.
While the Cardinals will be crossing every finger in the war room hoping for Corey Davis to slip past Cleveland, it just didn’t happen in this scenario, so what’s the team to do?
Well they could take the next best receiving threat in the draft who can also block and play in-line or split wide as a tight end.
O.J. Howard had a great national showing in the championship game, followed it up with a great Senior Bowl week and is an impressive combine away from becoming a legitimate Top-15 threat.
Imagine Larry Fitzgerald in the slot with Howard coming into the field from an in-line stance as a receiver on the same side. Who do you cover and with whom?
Then, put Howard in the slot on one side and run David Johnson through the gap that the Alabama prospect will secure with his blocking acumen.
It’s too good to pass up at this juncture, and there’s wide receiver talent to be had in later rounds.
Ok, James Yarcho and I discussed this pick a bit in the preview episode of our new podcast: Walking the Plank.
If the Buccaneers are going to move on Dalvin Cook out of Florida State they’re going to either have to make a deal with the Colts, or move ahead of them with Arizona.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If not, this is where the Seminoles’ playmaker is headed and Bucs fans will be none too pleased according to social media rumblings.
With Indianapolis essentially wasting what once presumed to be a Hall of Fame career in the making for Andrew Luck, they need to ensure he can at least have a somewhat reliable running back behind him.
Frank Gore has performed admirably, but it’s time to think young and Cook can not only run but turn himself into a legitimate receiving threat out of the backfield.
With defenders having to watch him leaking out, things should open for T.Y. Hilton and company a bit more downfield, and might even negate some of the pass rush which feasted on the Colts’ turnstile offensive line in 2016.
Alright, we’ve got to stop the madness here. Malik Hooker is a top talent without a doubt and even though he won’t be doing anything public between now and training camp, I just can’t let him get past number 15.
The Eagles aren’t just my spot to throw a name in though, this is a team who could definitely use a guy like Hooker who can make plays against the pass all over the field and come up in run support with the best of them.
He’s drawing comparisons to Eric Berry, and you can’t be mad about that if you’re the junior from Ohio State.
I’ve made no secret about the party I’d throw if Hooker got to the Buccaneers somehow, but if he does it’ll be via trade-up by Jason Licht for sure.
Seeing one of my favorite players in this draft going to the Eagles over the Bucs hurts a little, but I’ll sleep well knowing this is a mock draft and not THE draft.
The loss of Steve Smith will hurt the Baltimore offense, and there’s just not a wide receiver worthy of a Top-20 pick as we sit today left on this mock board.
Tight end David Njoku is the next best thing as he represents a receiving threat over the middle and down the seams which Joe Flacco should find early and often against Ravens opponents.
He’s not much of a blocker, which is why he falls in behind O.J. Howard from Alabama, but his athleticism from the tight end position is still top-shelf and he has the tools to help any offense he joins here.
I want to see if his blocking technique has gotten any better since last seeing him lay down some film, but unfortunately blocking pads won’t be enough to really close the gap between him and the other first-round tight end prospect.
The Kirk Cousins and Redskins dance continues, but their offensive line woes don’t have to.
If they draft Forrest Lamp here out of Western Kentucky he’ll most likely end up at guard, but I have a feeling the team would give him a try at center in rookie or even training camp for a bit.
Washington should be a prime trade down candidate however as they have many needs to fill despite picking near the post-season contenders.
Must Read: Vegas Says TB for AP
Adding picks and still getting a good player in a pretty stacked first-round group would help this franchise raise their game to the levels of Dallas and the Giants who seem on paper to have them outnumbered pretty well in the talent pool.
After having to miss out on the Senior Bowl game it’ll be interesting to see what Lamp can do here to maintain his rise into the first round of this year’s draft.
There are three cornerbacks here who could all grab the eye of the Titans at number 18, but my prediction as of now is Tre’Davious White ahead of a pair of Gators.
With Tennessee adding some ammo to their passing attack, this pick is aimed at stifling others’ and they can’t go wrong with the aggressive corner from Louisiana State University.
This might be one of the deepest cornerback groups in the early round area, so for a team to be in the late teens and be able to grab a defender of White’s caliber will certainly have the team feeling fortunate.
The Titans seem to be right on schedule as they are just one pick behind the Buccaneers who of course had the pleasure of picking back-to-back with them previously in 2015.
This time the Titans go first, and get some much needed secondary help while they’re at it.
It’s funny every year how certain players fall and rise up draft boards after every game has been completed and nobody is competing.
As scouts, media and experts get more time to really analyze film they start to realize things they didn’t see before in players.
Budda Baker is one of the risers who started the off-season as a mid-late second round prediction and has steadily been creeping into the first-round talks.
If he has a solid combine then he will really get his momentum going, and the Buccaneers could be just the team to pull the trigger on taking him day one.
While the Bucs’ secondary certainly improved as the year went on, let’s not pretend like this is a done deal and nothing further needs to happen.
Baker is a multi-talented safety who can do just about anything the team will need him to, and makes this pick a very fruitful one.
Denver could use a shiny new left tackle, and Garett Bolles from Utah is one of the better ones.
Despite his lack of experience, the offensive lineman should prove to be a quick study and will significantly improve his side’s pass protection and run-blocking ability.
Whether it’s Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch back there taking the snaps, it’s going to be important they feel like they have a clean pocket to work with.
Must Read: Brooks Advising Winston
Bolles will make rookie mistakes, sure, but he’s an upgrade over what they have now and could pair with a young quarterback for quite some time.
There’s a bit of a race to see who the first offensive tackle taken will be too, so the combine should help sort some of it out.
Offensive line drills are never the most exciting, but they could have the biggest impact as several teams look to boost theirs this draft season.
Honestly, Derek Barnett looks like a Detroit Lion. I don’t know how to fully explain it, but it is what it is. He just seems to fit.
The Lions will be happy with this though as they have a need which he fills as he can bring a pass rush to their defense they desperately needed last season.
The Volunteer defensive lineman is one of the players in this year’s combine who can show some good things, but can’t really overcome his shortcomings as they workout in shorts and no pads.
When they finally get him to Detroit and in pads the team is going to want to see very quickly if he has the speed to exploit NFL offensive linemen or the strength to at least try and impact run-stopping.
He’ll be a situational player at first, but if he works enough and gets some solid coaching, he could be a regular on the field in no time.
I honestly haven’t seen enough of this young man to make a solid opinion of my own, so I’m going off of what I do know and what I’ve read from others around the evaluating community.
McKinley is listed as a defensive end, but he could stand up and play off the edge if asked too with some effectiveness.
It’ll be interesting to see his balance as he bends around the pads at the combine and his pro day will be one to watch as well.
Again, without pads and contact it’ll be hard to for him to raise his stock too much higher, but I’m looking forward to seeing what else I can find when I turn on some more film later in the process.
The Giants took steps to improve their defense last year and they ended up in the post-season, just not as deep as they’d like to have gone.
Adding Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt does more than bring in another little brother of an NFL great, it adds more talent to perhaps the biggest unit in need of it.
He should be able to slide into a starting role on the Giants defense by the end of the pre-season and make the occasional splash play as he gets his NFL legs under him.
He’ll always get compared to big bro J.J., but T.J. Watt is definitely his own player, yet still one who could be a good addition to the G-Men and develop into a very good outside linebacker.
I’m interested to see if the intensity the older Watt plays with on defense runs in the family when this Badger takes the field in Indianapolis.
One of two possible first-round Gator cornerbacks, Quincy Wilson is the more physical and therefore the more Raider-like of the two.
Whether they’re playing Oakland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Antonio, etc. the Raiders brand will always be synonymous with physical defenses and fast offense.
It was a hard call between this prospect and the speed receiver from Washington, and I’m pretty sure if Al were still here I’d be going with the speed over the defensive stud.
In his Top-50, Daniel Jeremiah mentions Wilson’s hips tightness, so watch for this during the combine to see if he displays more of the same or appears to have figured it out.
Even if he has some tightness in his hips, Wilson is a first-round prospect and a guy the Raiders would love to have join the family.
Putting him in the secondary with Karl Joseph and Sean Smith should really help this team reach the heights they nearly got to before losing Derek Carr late in the 2016 season.
Are we really talking about a playoff team drafting a quarterback in the first round? Apparently, we are.
Last off-season some – not all – people thought Brock Osweiler was going to be a football savior in Houston and he landed a big payday as John Elway said farewell to yet another former Arizona State quarterback.
At the time, the debate was about whether Elway was crazy smart or crazy crazy. Turns out he was the first, and now the Texans are quarterback shopping despite hitting the post-season.
You almost feel bad for Mr. Osweiler, but then you don’t.
DeShone Kizer unfortunately is a guy who’s going to need some time before truly stepping in and taking the reins I think.
I wouldn’t call him pro-ready, so it’ll be interesting to see if names like Matt Schaub surface in free-agency as possible bridges between the current Houston quarterback problem and the future Golden Domed solution.
The Seattle Seahawks seemed to blame their running woes on the running backs – or a running back – more than their offensive line.
I feel they were mistaken, and should instantly grab up Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk here at 26th Overall if they find him still sitting there.
It’s no secret the Seahawks O-Line isn’t the greatest, and Russell Wilson can only run around so much before he’s going to start getting trigger happy as most quarterbacks do when they’re constantly harassed by defensive players twice their size.
This pick won’t instantly fix things in Seattle on the line, but it will be a good step in the right direction, and I’m sure #3 will appreciate it.
The Chiefs are keeping Eric Berry in case you haven’t heard, but they may not keep Dontari Poe now. Either way, even if they do keep both, they’ll need some help on the defensive line when it comes to pass rushing especially.
Charles Harris from Missouri is not only capable of coming in and getting to the quarterback in this defense, but he’s from a school which will make many of their in-state fans very happy.
With Jamaal Charles headed for another team this off-season, the Kansas City offense will have some holes to fill themselves, but looking at the board currently it only makes sense for the Chiefs to add more talent to a defense which will have to carry a heavy burden in 2017.
If this team wants to return to the playoffs, they’ll need to hit big in later rounds again for some running backs or receivers, but they can go to bed after day one knowing they got an impact rookie with their top pick this season.
Dallas had so much success drafting a Buckeye in the first-round last year, who could blame them for going back to the talent pool again in this one?
Gareon Conley is the third defensive back from his school drafted here, but don’t undersell his abilities with that label.
Throughout the playoffs, the concern for Dallas was whether or not their defense could contain opposing offenses, not the fact they had rookie starters at quarterback and running back.
Think about that, that’s bad.
Conley can come in and match-up well against most of the receivers he’ll face in the NFC East, and will allow his coordinator a bit of flexibility in his scheme as he finally finds someone he can trust on the outside.
Add a legitimate pass rusher later on and a speed threat to stretch the field on offense, and the Cowboys are primed for another trip to the post-season.
John Ross from Washington isn’t going to get drafted and come in to be a team’s number one option the first time he steps onto the field.
Good thing for him, the Packers don’t need him to be.
Joining guys like Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams, Ross can come in and contribute on special teams while giving his offense some insurance in case they lost one of the other three.
Must Read: NFC Veteran Targets for the Bucs
Bringing him in on passing downs as a slot receiver to begin with would force defenses to open up and allow some of the more veteran receivers room to operate in.
Then of course, there’s the all-mighty arm of Aaron Rodgers who could easily throw a down-field bomb for Ross to fly under and take to the house.
It just makes sense.
I’ll be interested to see how many – if any – passes he lets into his body during the gauntlet, which may be one of my favorite drills to watch at the combine.
If the greatest ability is availability, then Le’Veon Bell certainly isn’t the best running back in the NFL. Having played in all 16 games just once since getting drafted out of Michigan State, Bell certainly is great when he’s in there, he simply just not in there too often.
Christian McCaffrey is a first-round prospect who provides the Steelers with the best of both worlds. When Bell is healthy or not suspended, the rookie can not only serve as a return specialist, but he can be worked in as a dual threat guy that can take a screen, run a route or take a hand-off and make big plays.
If Bell were to get hurt, like he sometimes does, then the Steelers would have a young back who can do a lot of what their starter can do is lesser doses to come in and carry the load.
Defense is a need here of course, but McCaffrey’s skill set is too much to be ignored at this point in the draft.
I’m not as high on Taco Charlton out of Michigan as some are, but I still recognize that he’s a good talent with potential to be really good.
Atlanta’s defense didn’t carry them to the Super Bowl, but they impressed in key moments and certainly helped in their way to get the team there.
Second half meltdown aside, the young Falcons defense has a lot of potential, and Charlton could be another piece added to the likes of Keanu Neal and Deion Jones as they continue their youth movement.
I’ll have to get into some more tape of this prospect after the combine, but I’ll be paying attention to his performance.
If he proves all of the experts right, then Atlanta would find a steal in the first-round at this point picking up the Wolverines lineman.
Alan Branch played splendidly for the Patriots when he was needed, and even if the team brings him back, he’s not the future.
New England has some good youthful talent at the position already, but they aren’t likely to rest on those assessments when presented the opportunity to add depth and the potential to spot another future bargaining chip.
Malik McDowell out of Michigan State possesses a good set of skills and could certainly enter the game in key situations to become an impact specialty player.
With any luck, McDowell could be a full-time player in two years, and if their other young talent develops well then we could see another trade similar to the one pulled off with the Browns earlier in 2016.
Plenty of upside for the Pats with very little downside, and looking at the names on the board, there aren’t many options better for the Super Bowl Champs.
So there you have my first mock draft of the year. Of course, this is just round one as we prepare to get into the Combine followed by Pro Days.
Where did I miss in your opinion, and where are my hits? Better yet, which first-round snub are you most bothered by and are there any names here you absolutely despise as day one selections.
Next: Bucs Seven Round Mock Version 3.0
Let me know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter.
Thanks for reading as always, and Go Bucs!