Under the radar draft picks the Buccaneers need to make
By Rob Leeds
Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri
There is a genuine chance that the Buccaneers decide to move on from O.J. Howard before the 2020 NFL Draft. There are pros and cons to this move, but regardless the Bucs will need to find a replacement for their freakishly talented tight end.
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The apparent options to replace Howard are current backups, Tanner Hudson and Antony Auclair. Auclair is a better blocker than he is a receiver, and Hudson has shown the opposite strengths in his limited time in game situations.
If the Buccaneers decided to move Auclair to the other starting spot alongside Cameron Brate and then keep Hudson and a rookie as depth pieces, Albert Okwuegbunam would be a perfect fit.
The Class of 2020 is short in terms of tight end talent, but Okwuegbunam has the athleticism to have a high ceiling. This may sound a lot like O.J. Howard because it is a similar situation.
Large size and surprising speed allowed Okwuegbunam to showcase impressive receiving ability and a semi-solid foundation to build on as a blocker while at Missouri.
It would seem foolish for the Buccaneers to move on from Howard to a player so similar. Still, if Bruce Arians’ mind is made up or the Bucs can get some value for Howard in a trade, the best scenario is to try to find a replacement that possesses a similar skill set.
Okwuegbunam may not blow anyone away for the Bucs in 2020, but his outlook for the future is bright, and he could stand to learn a lot from Brate as the starter.