Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Re-drafting the historically bad 2016 NFL Draft
By Cory Kinnan
Round 4, Pick 108: De’Vondre Campbell, LB, Minnesota
Original Selection: Ryan Smith, CB, North Carolina Central
Licht drafted his second cornerback in Ryan Smith out of North Carolina Central with the Buccaneers’ fourth round pick. Like Hargreaves, Smith has tallied just one pick in his time in Tampa Bay and defended just 11 passes; PFF graded Smith out at an average 63.8 for his performance in 2018.
Smith, like Spence, is entering his contract year, and given the amount of defensive backs added to the roster over the last two years, may have a hard time even making the 53-man roster in 2019. Meanwhile the Falcons were still able to add outside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who has gone on to start 39 games for them at a high level.
Over the past two years, Campbell has bordered on 100 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and nine hits on the quarterback over that span; he has also recorded three-and-a-half sacks as an off-ball linebacker. Campbell has graded out as an average starter according to PFF in 2018 as well.
Smith has been a bit productive, more than most of the players in this class, but overall has not been a solid contributor for the Buccaneers. While Smith may be on his way out the door and may not make the roster this year, Campbell has become a piece of the young core of the Falcons’ defense.