Gerald McCoy has been great for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it’s clear even he could benefit from a sidekick. Today, we’ll look at a player in the upcoming NFL Draft who could be the guy for the job: Vita Vea.
It’s true the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed or traded for four defensive linemen up to this point in 2018. Two of them play defensive tackle. But the presence of Beau Allen and Mitch Unrein shouldn’t dissuade Bucs general manager Jason Licht from adding even more talent to the group.
When you had one of the worst defensive fronts in the NFL last year, there’s no fill line for talent the following season.
Tampa already made it obvious they were trying to alleviate some of the workload off McCoy when they brought in Chris Baker in 2017. We all know how it worked out. So let’s take a look at the draft’s top defensive tackle, and look into just how he may or may not fit with what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to do in the year to come.
Vea’s College Career
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The American football landscape is littered with stats and it’s really hard sometimes not to get wrapped up in stat scouting. Supporters – and detractors – of the aforementioned McCoy know all about this.
If you look at Vea’s stats from three years in college, you aren’t going to be blown away.
Less than 100 tackles and nine and a half sacks. He has two forced fumbles and has been credited with five passes broken up. The most important stat there is the last one, as four of the five came in his final season.
Defensive tackles aren’t normally looked upon to be sack-masters. Breaking it down simply, they’re meant to clog and disrupt.
Vea does plenty of both. Because of it, he may be linked to more teams than any other prospect in this year’s class. Bottom line, there’s not a team out there who couldn’t benefit from adding Vea to their roster.
If you don’t believe me, as his conference. The Pac-12 named him their Defensive Player of the Year. Not bad for a guy with only 3.5 sacks.
Pros
A truly field aware player, Vea knows how to keep his eyes on the play while fighting his opponent.
Commonly faced double teams and rarely gave up ground while freeing up his teammates to make plays of their own.
Knows how to drive with his legs and angle between blockers to disrupt the offensive backfield.
Faster than he looks. Vea ran a 5.1 at the NFL Combine and looks faster than you’d expect a 300+ lbs tackle to be.
Finally, he’s a guy who knows how to find an extra gear on big plays. Often has his name called as an impact player on key third down or scoring situations.
Cons
Vea can be slow off the line at times. Not terribly, but a hair behind where you’d want him to be.
In college he got away with it because his power and speed allowed him to make up for lost time and impact the offense anyway. In the NFL, allowing his opponent to get set in their block ahead of contact will hurt him.
Didn’t play against the greatest of competition.
UCLA’s Scott Quessenberry is probably the best of the bunch.
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Why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Need Vita Vea
Jason Licht has done a lot of positive things to improve the defensive side of the trenches heading into 2018.
In fact, he’s done a good job of improving both sides of the trenches. But, you can never have too many good defensive linemen.
McCoy and Baker didn’t work out in 2017. We’re not sure yet what’s going to come of McCoy and Allen or even Unrein.
What we do know is this team has to get better in the defensive front and as many bites at the apple you can get at that, take them.
Will It Happen?
I don’t think so. Barring a trade back I feel like pick seven is too high for Vea considering the fact either Quenton Nelson or Bradley Chubb should be on the board still.
If they aren’t, and Licht is content or forced to select at seven anyway, then Denzel Ward, Derwin James or Minkah Fitzpatrick all make better sense this high in the draft versus Vea.
Considering his selection hinges on a trade back to the early teen area of the first round, it limits the likelihood of it happening.
However, it’s not impossible and if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could add picks and this defensive lineman, they’ll have won on day one of the 2018 NFL Draft.
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