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NFL Draft: Best available players and potential targets for Buccaneers on Day 2

By Josh Hill

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 29: Josh Downs #11 of the North Carolina Tar Heels makes a touchdown catch against Erick Hallett II #31 of the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 42-24. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 29: Josh Downs #11 of the North Carolina Tar Heels makes a touchdown catch against Erick Hallett II #31 of the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 42-24. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 05: Brian Branch #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide in action against the LSU Tigers during a game at Tiger Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 05: Brian Branch #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide in action against the LSU Tigers during a game at Tiger Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

NFL Draft best available defensive players after Round 1

Just because the Buccaneers used the No. 19 pick on Calijah Kancey doesn’t rule out the chance they can take another defensive player with one of their Day 2 picks.

Kancey fills a hole up front with Vita Vea but there are other areas the Bucs need to take care of around the defense.

The NFC South welcomed both Bryce Young and Bijan Robinson to the division on draft night, and Derek Carr makes the New Orleans Saints better the second he walked through the door. With a shaky quarterback situation, the Bucs best bet to be competitive is to beat up offenses and revive a defense that carried it to a Super Bowl just three seasons ago.

NFL Draft Best Available Defensive Tackles

  • Keeanu Benton, DT/Wisconsin
  • Kobie Turner, DT/Wake Forest
  • Siaki Ika, DT/Baylor
  • Moro Ojomo, DT/Texas
  • Zacch Pickens, DT/South Carolina
  • Gervon Exter, DT/Florida

NFL Draft Best Available Defensive Ends

  • Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE/USC
  • Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE/Northwestern
  • BJ Ojulari, EDGE/LSU
  • Nick Herbig, EDGE/Wisconsin
  • Isaiah Foskey, EDGE/Notre Dame
  • Derick Hall, EDGE/Auburn
  • Isaiah McGuire/Missouri

The defensive secondary needs some attention at some point during the remainder of the draft. If the Bucs want to dip into the talent pools on Day 2, there are some great prospects to fill the shoes of guys like Mike Edwards, Sean Murphy-Bunting, and others who left in free agency.

There’s also the Devin White situation to keep an eye on moving forward, although this year’s linebacker class isn’t being talked about as one that the Bucs might find a replacement in.

NFL Draft Best Available Linebackers

  • Drew Sanders, LB/Arkansas
  • Daiyan Henley, LB/Washington State
  • Trenton Simpson, LB/Clemson
  • Demarvion Overshown, LB/Texas
  • Dorian Williams, LB/Tulane

NFL Draft Best Available Cornerbacks

  • Joey Porter Jr., CB/Penn State
  • Cam Smith, CB/South Carolina
  • Tyrique Stevenson, CB/Miami (FL)
  • DJ Turner, CB/Michigan
  • Clark Phillips III, CB/Utah
  • Kelee Ringo, CB/Georgia

NFL Draft Best Available Safeties

  • Brian Branch, S/Alabama
  • Antonio Johnson, S/Texas A&M
  • Sydney Brown, S/Illinois
  • Jordan Battle, S/Alabama
  • Jammie Robinson, S/Florida State
  • Anthony Johnson, S/Iowa State
  • Marte Mapu, S/Sacramento State

Keep an eye on the safeties. Tampa Bay managed to wrangle Ryan Neal away from the Seahawks last year, and he has the chance to be a sleeper star on defense. But the safety situation is just Neal and Antonie WInfield Jr., which means the front office could look to add a guy like Jordan Battle, Sydney Brown, or Jammie Robinson to help add depth there.

NFL Draft: 10 players Bucs should target on Day 2. dark. Next

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