Buccaneers: Senior Bowl standouts the Bucs should have their eye on

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Ito Smith #25 of the South team is tackled by Greg Gilmore #94 of the South team and Isaac Yiadom #20 during the second half of the Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Ito Smith #25 of the South team is tackled by Greg Gilmore #94 of the South team and Isaac Yiadom #20 during the second half of the Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Wide Receiver, DaeSean Hamilton – Penn State

Hamilton currently sits 15th on Draftwire’s ranking of prospects at his position.

He certainly would have liked to have come away from the experience with more than one catch for five yards. But, his off-season has been a success to this point.

Following a solid outing at the East-West Shrine game, a solid week of practices in Mobile will only support his potential even if the Senior Bowl contest didn’t necessarily showcase it.

Wide receiver is not labeled as much of a need for the Buccaneers at this point, but don’t discount a player with Hamilton’s upside when we get into the later rounds.

In the NFL.com comments linked on the first page of this posting, Bucky Brooks compared Hamilton to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Zay Jones.

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Jones used his practices and performance in the Senior Bowl last season to help jump his draft stock, resulting in his being selected in the fifth round.

Tampa’s receiving group looks solid on paper, but with DeSean Jackson struggling last year to connect with quarterback Jameis Winston, it’s not a bad idea to start planning for the future as well.

If last year’s rookie standout, Chris Godwin, can truly develop into a number-two receiver to play opposite Mike Evans in two or three years then the team will need a reliable fourth to round out the rotation.

Hamilton isn’t a day-one starter, but a fifth round pick spent on one of the better route runners available gives the Buccaneers a project to bring along with the benefit of talent ahead of him.