Tampa Bay Buccaneers: NFL.com has Bucs taking defensive back in round one
Draft season is in full swing, and mock drafts everywhere are speculating about what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and other teams might be doing. Three such mock drafters at NFL.com are thinking along the same line when it comes to the Bucs.
Chad Reuter, Bucky Brooks, and Charles Davis all have mock drafts up on NFL.com right now, and all three have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting defensive backs. Reuter has a five-round version you should all definitely check out.
With new additions to the offensive and defensive lines, its no surprise to see defensive backs coming to the forefront of speculation for the Bucs draft targets.
Two of the three have the same prospect heading to Tampa. But each got there following different paths, and fans of the franchise may not be happy to see who they predict the team passing on to get there.
Bucky Brooks
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The top of his mock draft doesn’t shock and awe much but pick two certainly would disappoint fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers if it comes true.
With the second overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Brooks has the New York Giants taking Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson.
Two more popular names for the Bucs get taken off the board at four and six as the Browns take Saquon Barkley and the Colts nab Bradley Chubb.
A popular question has been: Who do the Bucs choose if Chubb, Barkley and Nelson aren’t available?
Brooks’ answer? Minkah Fitzpatrick, defensive back from the Alabama Crimson Tide.
In this mock, only two quarterbacks are taken before Jason Licht gets on the board. Five are taken in the entire first half, for those who care.
Charles Davis
Your favorite Madden voice talent is up next, and he too takes a defensive back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ok, you already knew that by now.
His first pick isn’t a quarterback, instead it’s Barkley to the Browns.
After that, it’s three straight passers off the board with the Giants taking the most NFL ready, the Jets taking the most daring, and the Browns still landing Sam Darnold at pick four.
In this simulation the Colts still get Bradley Chubb while Tampa walks away from day one with Florida State safety Derwin James.
Pick eight? Well, that was made by the Chicago Bears, and they took Quenton Nelson.
I’m not sure how Bucs fans will feel seeing Nelson slide past their team, but there’s no denying James gives the team a player they need at a position of need.
Next: Could the Bucs still find safety help?
Chad Reuter
I saved this one for last because it might be the most interesting.
In it, things get rolling the way many think it will. With three straight quarterbacks off the board. However, after the Browns add Barkley to the mix, the Broncos surprise a lot of folks and draft defensive end Bradley Chubb.
Fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not be happy to see this turn of events, but hey at pick six the Indianapolis Colts trade back and the Bills move up to get Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield.
So with Quenton Nelson on the board in yet another mock draft the Bucs select…..Derwin James.
Once again Nelson is with the Bears, and I’m not sure how the team’s fan base will react to this if it happens in real-time.
In Reuter’s five-round mock, Tampa does eventually land an interior lineman, a pass rusher, and a running back. The mock does allow for trades as well.
"Listen to the Locked on Bucs podcast react to the news that the Buccaneers traded for defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul!"
These mock drafts were interesting in their execution, and since they’re all co-located, they’re easy to navigate.
What do you think of how these three see the NFL Draft unfolding for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Reach out in the comments or on Twitter and let your opinion be heard!