CB M.J. Stewart (Rd. 2, Pick 53)
At the time, selecting M.J. Stewart in the second round made sense for the Buccaneers. They were in desperate need of a cornerback. The problem was, his skill set fit the mold of a slot cornerback, something that the Bucs already had in Vernon Hargreaves.
It made even less sense when Licht nabbed the big-bodied Davis just 10 picks later. Stewart didn’t have a path to get meaningful snaps unless injuries occurred, which they, unfortunately, did for Hargreaves.
During the Bucs Week 1 win over New Orleans, Hargreaves suffered a season-ending injury. Stewart got his chance.
Stewart struggled in the slot for most of the season. Even Mitchell Trubisky had a field day when he targeted Stewart. According to PFF, Stewart allowed a catch on every five snaps, the worst mark of any cornerback that played at least 20 percent of a team’s snaps.
Stewart’s lack of speed became far too obvious, and a position change may be necessary next season.