Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Grades and reactions for day-two selections
By Cory Kinnan
Jamel Dean, CB, Auburn
Here is where the draft starts to get dicey for Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht. After drafting M.J. Stewart and Carlton Davis, both cornerbacks, in the second round last year, and Bunting in the second round, Licht proceeds to take another cornerback in Dean.
Dean could very well turn out to be a good player, and he certainly has the athleticism to compete at the next level, but it must be asked: how is Licht prioritizing team needs, his draft board, and the current players available in the draft? With plenty of edge rushers and defensive tackles still left on the board, such as Old Dominion’s Oshane Ximines and Texas’s Charles Omenihu, the Buccaneers take another cornerback.
At 6’1 and 206 pounds, Dean is a physical cornerback who also happens to run a 4.3 second 40 yard dash. While his lateral quickness and agility could be better, running just a 7.02 3-cone drill, Dean will have the ability to hang with Mike Thomas and Julio Jones twice per year. Not to mention he has a 41 inch vertical jump and a 10’10 foot broad jump.
The grade of this pick has nothing to do with the player Dean could turn into being, as he has the potential to be a great lockdown cornerback in this league. However, with desperate need on the defensive line and off the edge, can the Buccaneers afford to address those needs with day-three flyers?