The Buccaneers need a “new era” back
Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey are the two most effective running backs in the NFL. Before them, Le’Veon Bell and David Johnson were unstoppable threats through the air as well. Kamara and McCaffrey have taken their predecessors’ skills one step forward, and their prowess as receivers opens plenty of doors for their respective offenses.
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Moving forward with this evolution, Memphis, which will forever be known as RBU from this point forward, continues to pump out agile running backs that can still get it done between the tackles, but they can also catch the ball as well as a receiver. Just look at Tony Pollard, Antonio Gibson, and Kenneth Gainwell in college. If you want to be a successful running back in the modern NFL, go to Memphis.
Instead of using a premium pick on a player like Williams with a young Vaughn already on the roster, the Buccaneers would be much better off taking Gainwell or Felton in the mid to late rounds.
These players may be less prevalent in the mock draft society and aren’t as flashy, but their skills are much better suited for this offense and the direction the NFL is going. Imagine what Brady could do with a faster, better hands version of James White.
The Bucs could catch some flak for passing on a running back early with so few needs on their roster at the moment, but in the end, holding off on Williams for a different position early and then taking a hybrid player later would set the Buccaneers up at the running back position far better than anything else.
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