Which current Buccaneers benefit the most from the 2017 draft class?
Judging by the draft class, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht is fixing to have a lethal offense in 2017. It was already a talented group with Mike Evans, Cameron Brate, the addition of DeSean Jackson, and Jameis Winston running the show. With the addition of a top tight end, a wide receiver, and a potential steal at running back, the offense has the potential to be absolutely deadly.
He didn’t forget about the defense though. Licht added a thumper at safety, a linebacker that could be an interesting depth piece, and a defensive tackle that has the potential to really make noise this summer. This young man drafted in the seventh round is a guy that can’t be pushed off of his spot, but he has the speed to catch up to a ball carrier. Make no mistake, good things happened on the defensive side of the football in the draft as well.
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The draft class will be given every chance to succeed as they enter the NFL with an up and coming franchise. The Bucs are on the verge of something special and they are getting in while the team is on the rise.
But they aren’t the only ones that will benefit, however. Bringing in talented players also helps incumbent players. Players that are here can receive the benefits of others that will take attention away from them. Some will play their respective positions better because of the new players.
Today we are isolating four players that will benefit greatly from the 2017 draft class. These are players that should see immediate positive impacts based on the selections that Jason Licht made in April.
Mike Evans
Mike Evans, the perennial 1,000 yard receiver that doesn’t get the credit he deserves. In the current offense, he will be noticed. Beginning in 2017, the tide will start to turn and Evans will finally be noticed for the talent that we were all aware of since day one.
If we are going to be honest, it had already been a good off-season for Evans. The signing of DeSean Jackson was just what the doctor ordered. With Vincent Jackson not able to stay on the field, Jackson is the number two man that the Bucs desperately needed. Evans was targeted 173 times in 2016 to lead the NFL (per Sporting Charts). That number had to come down, and bringing Jackson in will help the Bucs achieve that goal.
But it didn’t stop with Jackson. They drafted O.J. Howard and Chris Godwin. One was highly regarded as the best tight end in the draft, and the other put up big numbers with bad quarterbacks while at Penn State. This team can now send out Evans, Jackson, Godwin, Howard and Brate on pass routes. There is no way to pay special attention to ANYBODY, much less on Evans. He could see more single coverage than he has seen in his entire life.
And that is an exciting prospect.
Vernon Hargreaves
As a high first round pick, Vernon Hargreaves entered the NFL with a great deal of expectations. We all know how bad the 2015 Bucs secondary was. They basically couldn’t stop a nosebleed. Quarterbacks completed 70% of their passes against the Bucs that year. In response, Licht signed Brent Grimes and drafted Hargreaves.
Well, Hargreaves went through the growing pains of a rookie. Per Pro Football Focus, the Bucs secondary was ranked 15th overall in the league. Hargreaves was the only cornerback to allow more than 1,000 yards receiving. With Grimes on the other side, clearly the attention was going to be put on “VHIII”, to the tune of 113 targets and 80 receptions allowed. He did manage one interception and nine passes defended (per Sporting Charts), but he will be looking to step things up in 2017.
The selection of Justin Evans will help. Help was already coming in the form of J.J. Wilcox, but Evans will make things even better. The safety play for the Bucs has been uneven, to say the least. Bradley McDougald and Chris Conte have had flashes of good play, but have been inconsistent. Conte is here while McDougald is gone, but the position simply had to improve.
A guy like Evans will give Hargreaves the ability to guard more closely and take more chances. Knowing he has competent help behind him will help Hargreaves ability as a cover corner to blossom into what we expect from a high first round pick.
Cameron Brate
Let’s face it, Brate is already carving out quite the niche for himself on this team. In 2016, Brate very quietly posted a great season. He emerged to catch 57 passes for 660 yards and eight touchdowns. The eight touchdowns tied Brate for the league lead at tight end with Hunter Henry. 70.2% of his receptions were good for first downs, proving him to be ultra-reliable when the Bucs needed him most.
So how do you take a guy that’s good and make him even better? You give him a partner. Much like Evans, Brate was given an ultra-talented teammate when O.J. Howard fell to number 19 in the draft. Regarded as the top tight end in the class, Howard can get down the seam and cause trouble both down field and in the red zone. I understand that his statistics were a bit understated in college, but that has more to do with the offense he was in than him underperforming.
Imaging putting this guy on the field with Howard? Defenses won’t be able to lean on one or the other. Howard also has ability as a blocker. If the Bucs can hone that skill, he can take focus away from the other guys when he is staying on the line to block. Attention will be drawn his way, leaving room for Brate, even when Howard isn’t out in the pass pattern.
Thanks to Howard, look for Brate to have a real shot at the Pro Bowl in 2017.
Jacquizz Rodgers
This slide could really be titled “Bucs starting running back”, but Rodgers is the most likely to be that back when week one arrives, so he gets the nod. Even if Doug Martin is still here, he will be suspended for the first three games, and it will take a lot of Rodgers to be supplanted by one of the younger guys. Based on performance last year, Rodgers deserves the first carry of the season.
Rodgers did have modest success in 2016, posting back-to-back 100 yard games and leading the team in rushing with 560 yards. He was by far the best Bucs running back last year, showing speed through the holes and the ability to finish runs.
Now, add the additional weapons on the outside. With Evans, Jackson, Godwin, Howard, Brate, Humphries, and others, more defenders will be pulled away from the box. If the defense puts eight guys in the box, Winston will beat them all day in the passing game. There will be no point where the Bucs pass offense can be ignored. Just because of numbers, Rodgers will receive the benefit of more open lanes than he had last year, and that will translate into strong numbers.
Next: Which UDFAs will make the roster?
Who else might benefit from this draft class? Who did I miss? What do you think of the guys I chose? Sound off in the comments.