The 2017 NFL Draft is now about two weeks away. Rumors are swirling about who the Buccaneers will select at number nineteen. As far as offensive and defensive picks go, will this be the most balanced draft in the tenure of general manager Jason Licht?
In the last few years, the Buccaneers haven’t exactly had balanced draft classes. General manager Jason Licht has gone offense-heavy or defense-heavy in his three years with the team. There are big needs on both sides of the ball this year, so it seems plausible to think the upcoming draft could be Licht’s most balanced yet.
In 2014, there was Mike Evans, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Charles Sims, Kadeem Edwards, Kevin Pamphile and Robert Herron. All of those were on the offensive side of the ball. In 2015, the Bucs took Jameis Winston, Donovan Smith, Ali Marpet, Kenny Bell, Kaelin Clay and Joey Iosefa on offense. Kwon Alexander was the team’s only new defender. Things went in a different direction last year, with four defensive selections (Vernon Hargreaves, Noah Spence, Ryan Smith and Devante Bond). There were also two offensive picks (Caleb Benenoch and Dan Vitale) and a special teams player (Roberto Aguayo).
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The 2016 draft was the only one in Licht’s tenure that could be deemed fairly balanced. But this year, it could be even more so.
Tampa Bay has seven picks this year. Will we see four selections on one side of the ball and three on the other? It’s highly possible. When examining the team’s needs, there seem to be a fair amount of them on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, the Bucs appear to have needs at running back, wide receiver, tight end (maybe) and offensive line. Running back seems to be the most obvious need. Luckily, this draft class is loaded with talent at the position. Tampa Bay could also look for a wide receiver to pair with Evans and the newly acquired DeSean Jackson. And, despite the 2016 emergence of Cameron Brate, the team has been frequently linked to tight end prospects. Finally, regardless of how content the front office says it is with the current offensive line, the position may need to be addressed. Unfortunately, talent is thin up front with this class.
On defense, depth is needed. The Bucs would definitely benefit from another edge rusher. Some mock drafts have them going there in the first round, but it seems more likely to be a later-round need. With the departure of veteran Daryl Smith, the team could use another linebacker, while secondary is a pretty major need as well. Safety could be a big priority, despite the re-signing of Chris Conte and the arrival of J.J. Wilcox. The defensive unit needs an overhaul at the safety position, which is why a young talent like Washington’s Budda Baker is such an intriguing option in the first or second round. Hargreaves and Brent Grimes are set as the starting cornerbacks, but a day two or three pick could be spent on depth at the position.
There is a lot of unpredictability at this time of the year regarding draft plans. Could Licht once again go heavy on one side of the ball? Sure. Maybe the Bucs go with the best player available. But if they go based on their needs, it would make a lot of sense to go with a little more balance.
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The good news is, we’re only about two weeks away from seeing what Licht has in mind. Do you think the Bucs are in a position to draft based on their needs, or should they just go with the best player available? Let us know what you think in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.