There are many directions that the Buccaneers can go with their first-round, 14th overall draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Here are their overall rankings.
While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will fill a hole on their team regardless of who is taken with their first-round pick, there are certainly some picks that would be better than others.
While obvious picks like Joe Burrow or Chase Young would be the most preferable, these rankings are mostly tempered by reality and are only options that have the potential of being available at the 14th overall pick.
1. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
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It is almost a foregone conclusion that at least two offensive tackles will be off the board before the 14th pick, and the smart money is on more than that being unavailable.
Jedrick Wills is the consensus best tackle but the field gets hazy after that. Of the three remaining tackles, Mehki Becton is the perfect combination of footwork and massive size to be an anchor on the Buccaneer offensive line for years to come.
2. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
If Becton and Wills are off the board by the 14th pick, which is an extreme likelihood, the next best tackle for the Bucs to take is Andrew Thomas. Thomas is often a little lower on most draft boards and occasionally rounds out the group of four behind Tristan Wirfs.
Thomas lacks the impressive speed that Wirfs showcased at the combine but Thomas makes up for that in footwork and overall ability making him a slightly better prospect in most ways.
3. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
The final tackle on this list is Tristan Wirfs. Let it be clear that the Bucs would be extremely lucky to have Wirfs on their team, but his skillset falls short in several areas that should be more important to the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneer offensive line would immediately improve with Wirfs on the field and this would allow Tampa Bay to address the most glaring need on the team with a top-10-caliber talent.
4. Javon Kinlaw, IDL, South Carolina
If all of the offensive tackles are off the board by the 14th pick, the Bucs would find themselves in the lucky position to draft another incredibly talented player to fill their second-biggest position of need.
Javon Kinlaw has shown that he is a top-end talent and would fit with the Buccaneers like a glove. Kinlaw would also save the Bucs a king’s ransom in free agency in year one-freeing up some cap space for important free agents.
5. K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
If the previously-mentioned players are all off the board, K’Lavon Chaisson would be a great pick for the Buccaneers if they are looking at replacing Jason Pierre-Paul with a player that they can sign to a long-term deal.
Chaisson is a talented pass-rusher that would serve as a perfect compliment to Shaquil Barrett, especially when Barrett gets signed for the foreseeable future.