Bucs 2020 NFL Draft: Final mock draft before the Combine
By Rob Leeds
Coming in at the third-round pick in this mock is Darrell Taylor.
Taylor would provide the Buccaneers with more depth for their outside linebackers if they can keep Jason Pierre-Paul or would offer a potential replacement if they Bucs can’t afford to bring JPP back.
The Buccaneer pass rush looked mostly lackluster in 2018 and took massive steps forward in 2019 behind a dominant season from Shaq Barrett. The team looked as though it had a lot of pass rushers last season but several could get lost in the free agency shuffle and Barrett needs a consistent partner for the future since it looks like he will be in Tampa for the long haul.
With such an important position in mind, the Bucs want to use any picks on a pass rusher on a player that is as proven as possible. A player that found success in college rushing the passer, like Josh Allen, can generally see that success translate to the NFL.
Darrell Taylor was consistently trending up while at Tennessee and saw his sacks increase every year. In his senior season for the Volunteers, Taylor had 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Taylor wasn’t as dominant as a player like Josh Allen but overall this pick has good value in the third round. This selection is not a complete gamble and Taylor has proven that he can produce.
Taylor won’t be at the combine due to an injury but he certainly has the potential to grow and find success in a Todd Bowles-led defense.