The Buccaneers had one of the top rookie classes in the NFL, according to ESPN. That promising youth will help propel the organization.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the best rookie classes in the league during the 2019 season.
According to USA Today’s Bucs Wire, Tampa Bay had the No. 7-ranked rookie class in the NFL ranked by ESPN. The network used advanced metrics to rank all 32 teams on the value of their rookie class.
Here’s what ESPN had to say about the Buccaneers’ rookie class:
"“The Buccaneers have made the secondary a priority in recent drafts, and they have hit on some of those picks. Both Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean showed promise as rookies, particularly Dean. He played like one of the better cornerbacks in the league over the second half of the season,” the rankings said."
Thoughts:
Drafting LB Devin White with the No. 5 overall pick certainly paid off for Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers saw a heavy return on investment as White developed over the course of the season. He showed the potential for becoming one of the top linebackers in the league and it should be expected that we see a big jump in his production in year two inside the Bucs’ system.
In addition to White’s production, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting came into his own and is set to join fellow rookie CB Jamel Dean as the two look to take the next step in their second season following a productive year. Mike Edwards also showed promise with his versatility on the back-end of that secondary.
Kicker Matt Gay showed ability, but struggled with consistency and will be tasked with improving before the 2020 season begins.
Overall, you have to be impressed with the job the Buccaneers did in the 2019 NFL Draft. Tampa Bay focused on the defensive side of the ball and it paid off with some talented players who have shown potential as the organization looks to move forward and compete in the NFC South.
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