Our next draft profile takes a look at a popular day two solution to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back problem.
It’s weird to think that we’re barely a week away from the NFL draft yet we have more questions than we’ve had in recent memory. With the myriad of directions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could go in, there’s numerous options for Tampa Bay in the first two days.
It seems as if running back is one of the positions that must be addressed within the first two days – and given that the Buccaneers only have two picks in those first two days, we’re looking at a running back at seven or thirty-eight, barring a trade down scenario.
Nick Chubb, the running back out of Georgia, is one of those options at thirty-eight.
Nick Chubb’s Collegiate Career
The 5’10” 225 lb senior from Georgia had an impressive career in his four years with the Bulldogs. Finishing with 758 rushing attempts for 4,769 yards – a 6.3 yards per carry average – and 44 touchdowns. He had double digit touchdowns to bookend his career with fourteen as a freshman and fifteen in 2017. He wasn’t a major part of the passing game – those responsibilities laid more with teammate Sony Michel – finishing with 31 receptions for 361 yards and four touchdowns.
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Some worry about the work load Chubb had in college, using the ever popular draft term “not a lot of tread left on the tires,” but there is no denying the production Chubb had in one of the toughest conferences in the NCAA.
His college career is even more impressive when you take into account that he missed most of his sophomore season with a vicious knee injury that some believed to be career ending. Chubb dislocated his knee and tore some ligaments and cartilage but had no damage to his ACL which was promising at the time. Chubb bounced back his junior year with 1,100 yards, a five yard per carry average, and eight touchdowns.
Pros
Chubb has absolutely no reservations about finding a path through an opposing defender if a path hasn’t already been cleared for him. Despite his small stature, he isn’t afraid of contact and appears to have the mentality that he’s never met a linebacker he can’t bowl over.
Chubb also became used to a committee style backfield, sharing time with fellow draft class member Michel meaning he isn’t going to have an ego or attitude about splitting carries with fellow backs. Some guys come in believing they are the man and get a rude awakening when they’re placed into a time share in the backfield.
Not Chubb.
This bodes well for the Buccaneers, of course, as they still have Peyton Barber on the roster who played well last season, earning more playing time in 2018. There’s also the strong possibility the Bucs draft two running backs to add to the 2018 team.
Cons
Well, there’s the whole “makes a path when one isn’t there” that I listed in the pros. It’s both, honestly. Running backs have the shortest shelf life in the NFL and for a running back that already had a significant injury to his knee, the contact that he initiates can make you wince. Of course, that doesn’t mean you want a running back to avoid all contact or go down without a fight, but there’s a happy middle ground somewhere.
The other issue with Chubb as far as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are concerned is how vastly similar the styles are between Chubb and Barber. With the Bucs’ pick at running back, you would hope they would draft someone who is more of a contrast so they compliment each other. In this case, it would essentially be two very similar backs with no real “change of pace” guy.
Why The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Need Him
The glaring need at running back has been stated over and over again. Chubb is certainly a viable option if the Buccaneers have to rely on a second round selection in order to address the glaring need. Again, it seems like an odd combination to have Chubb and Barber as the two primary backs, but Barber is only under contract for the 2018 season so there is always the possibility the two won’t be the running back tag team for very long.
Chubb adds an element to the offense that is desperately lacking and would open up the passing game via play action, which we all know Jameis Winston is very good at doing. He’s not Saquon Barkely or Derrius Guice, but Nick Chubb will make an NFL team very happy moving forward.
Next: Draft Profile: CB Mike Hughes
Will It Happen?
This is one of the more likely scenarios as far as the running back position is concerned. Barkley is the option for the Bucs at seven should he fall to them, whereas Guice is projected to be a mid-first round pick and Michel is seeing his name climb up the boards into the late first. Chubb at thirty-eight has a solid chance of happening and if running back hasn’t been addressed to that point, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to pull the trigger.
Be sure to follow along with all our draft profiles leading all the way up to the NFL draft.