2021 NFL Draft: Demetric Felton still an option for Buccaneers on Day 3?

Demetric Felton may still be a fit with the Buccaneers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Demetric Felton has experienced a whirlwind on draft boards, specifically with a team like the Buccaneers in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Bucs had a dramatic need for a third-down back with hands before the signing of Giovani Bernard, but the Felton conversation will continue.

At first, this pick looked like a great bargain option for the Bucs in one of the later rounds. As a less-athletic version of Kenneth Gainwell with a smaller body of work, Felton has the experience and the performances to make him an interesting option for a team that has little on the front of running backs with hands.

Tampa Bay would have plenty of options for Felton in the backfield or lined up out wide based on his college production at UCLA, but there are concerns with his outlook at the NFL level as well.

While the on-field production is also extremely important, another area to evaluate is athleticism. Felton falls very flat in this area.

According to Felton’s RAS (raw athletic score), which is based on a variety of measurable characteristics from height and weight to 40-yard dash time, he is one of the least athletic wide receivers in the class, and this score is only marginally better when compared to running backs.

This score is not the end-all for a player at the NFL, especially when Tom Brady is one of the most successful players in league history, but it is damning for Felton’s evaluation. You have to be an athlete at the NFL, and any deficiencies in this category make it that much harder to succeed at the next level.

In the end, the Bucs have plenty of opportunities to get creative with their evaluation of Felton. The RAS should cause them to take some concern with using a high-value pick, but anything in a later round could be worth taking the chance.

With Bernard on the roster, the Buccaneers don’t have many needs in this area, but Felton could give them another gadget option to play around with in 2021 if the price is right.

Want to write about the Buccaneers? Apply below!