Buccaneers Draft Grades 2017: O.J. Howard

The Buccaneers came into day one of the NFL Draft with plenty of positions to address. We now know the team has selected Alabama tight end O.J. Howard.

Trevor Sikkema called him a “rare talent” and the Buccaneers will now bring him onto their offense which suddenly looks ready to compete for the tag of best in the NFC South.

Cameron Brate came on strong in 2016 which led most Bucs fans to believe the franchise wouldn’t need another tight end early in this year’s draft.

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However, as we saw more and more of Howard, the love grew. It’s elevated to a marriage now.

With Howard, this team will have the NFL’s most effective “12” grouping around, and the challenges facing opposing defenses are plenty.

Jason Licht already added wide receiver DeSean Jackson to bring speed to the field, and now there is an in-line blocking tight end who can threaten as a receiver in a real legitimate way.

Enough words cannot be said about this pick, and if you aren’t loving this selection already, you’ll have all the evidence you need to change your mind once he steps onto the field.

With day two coming up, the Bucs still have plenty of areas they could address.

We’ve got one pick down, and there’s more to come. Today’s events should only serve to fuel the fire surrounding this franchise.

Grade: A+

There will undoubtedly be those who are angry the team didn’t grab running back Dalvin Cook.

After seeing this franchise pass on veteran Adrian Peterson, who eventually signed a relatively cheap deal with the rival Saints, it shouldn’t be too big a surprise.

Simply put, the Bucs don’t appear to consider the position as a high need. This doesn’t mean the team won’t get one later though.

Licht almost certainly had opportunities to trade back as well.

In a class rich with mid-round talent, I’ve been an advocate for trading back most of this off-season.

With a talent like Howard available, I’d want nothing more than for this team to bring him on board.

Next: Instant Analysis: O.J. Howard

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