Tampa Bay Buccaneers: What they really got in this draft class

Fifth Round (144): Justin Watson, Wide Receiver

With receivers Adam Humphries on a one-year deal and an expensive DeSean Jackson contract that the Buccaneers can get out of next season if they chose. The Buccaneers chose to use their fifth round selection on an offensive weapon who was very productive against FCS level completion and with the seventh pick in the fifth round selected Justin Watson.

Playing in 40 games while starting 33 during his college career at the University of Pennsylvania he totaled 286 catches for 3777 yards and 33 touchdowns with IVY league records for consecutive games with a touchdown (10), consecutive games with a catch (40), and most 100 yard games (19). Voted a member of the First Team All Ivy League his last two season and an FCS First Team All American his senior season where he caught a touchdown every game, and amounted to 47.6% of his team receptions in 2017. A member of the North team in the Senior Bowl but was not invited to the NFL Combine. At the U of Penn’s pro day, he shined measuring in at 6’2” 215 pounds he ran a 4.44 forty, with a 40” vertical, a 124” broad jump, and 20 reps on the bench press.

Watson catches everything that is thrown in his direction, and is a natural receiver using his 40” vertical to get the ball at the highest point. Has good field awareness and is able to run any route in the route tree and has the versatility to play inside and outside. Has good NFL receiver size even though he played in lower level of competition. Has a clean character and is a work horse as he prepares for his craft.

In Watson, the Buccaneers are getting a good NFL sized receiver who catches everything (47.6% of teams receptions) and has the size and speed and skills to play any receiver position and run any routes. He steps up his skills in the red zone as he caught a touchdown in every game of his senior season. With Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin, and Adam Humphries on the roster he may have a hard time seeing the field but he will definitely make the roster and could compete with Humphries and he will earn plenty of playing time.