The Buccaneers got a guy who should become a big-time contributor when they drafted O.J. Howard in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Entering day two it was apparent the team needed to grab a safety and many agreed the Buccaneers would be drafting a running back.
With the Bucs having to wait a bit in the second round before getting their first pick of the day in, things got a bit painful.
More from Bucs Draft
- The Athletic’s early NFL Mock Draft has the Bucs taking a Top 5 QB in 2024
- Bucs front office reveals one thing the team missed during NFL Draft
- Peter King explains simple reason why Bucs passed on drafting Will Levis
- Mel Kiper Jr. hands out his official Buccaneers draft grade
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted free agents tracker 2023
Watching names like Budda Baker, Zay Jones, Marcus Maye, Dalvin Cook and Joe Mixon come off before Tampa picked, there was some anticipation when Jason Licht got on the clock.
Many probably thought Alvin Kamara or Obi Melifonwu would be the draft pick, but in the end it was Texas A&M safety Justin Evans.
Must Read: Justin Evans Analysis
We haven’t talked much about Evans unfortunately, as it seemed the Bucs would likely take a safety earlier in the proceedings than this until Howard slipped to them at 19th overall on Thursday.
However, if you put on some game tape of him you can see very clearly why NFL.com compared him to Raiders safety Karl Joseph.
Evans flies around the field with what looks at times to be reckless abandon when considering his physical health.
There will certainly be some concerns about his ability to withstand the punishment he will be receiving while he’s dishing it out.
His aggressive nature will bring some excitement to the Bucs defense, but it’s going to give some heartburn to fans at times too.
As a big-time shoulder tackler, he’ll need to become a better wrap-up defender if he’s going to have a long and solid career.
Overall, his aggressiveness and willingness to put it on the line makes him an exciting pick, and his special teams potential makes this a good value at pick 50.