It won't be long before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcome in a new draft class, and given how well that's gone over the last few seasons, it's not hard to see why there's so much excitement.
Tampa Bay has managed to nail the draft in the post-Tom Brady era, something that has directly led to back-to-back NFC South titles. A third straight division championship -- and potentially more -- could be in the cards if the Bucs play things right in the NFL Draft this year.
Jason Licht has managed to play his cards close to the chest in recent drafts, which is why it's been difficult to get a read on where the team might lean next week. A handful of names and scenarios have been tossed around recently, but it seems the field is starting to narrow with the focus zeroing in on two specific targets.
Buccaneers linked to two top defensive players with No. 19 pick in NFL Draft
According to ESPN NFL Draft insider Jordan Reid, two names are quickly emerging as players the Bucs are expected to pick at No. 19 if they're still on the board.
"Defense is a priority for the Bucs, and two names that have been linked to them the most are linebacker Jihaad Campbell (Alabama) and edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College)," Reid said. "Campbell is viewed as a potential eventual successor to Lavonte David and a long-term centerpiece of Bowles’ defense. And Ezeiruaku has become a hot name in league circles and could be drafted much higher than originally expected."
Jihaad Campbell is a familiar name to Bucs fans, as he's been someone linked to the team going as far back as January. The Alabama linebacker seemingly has all the tools to develop into Lavonte David's successor, but some questions about his health have dinged his stock a bit.
That's why a dream scenario in which the Bucs trade down and still land him isn't as much of a reach as it might seem.
Our friends over at JoeBucsFan noted that four out of seven draft analysts have linked Campbell to the Bucs, which seems to be a pretty significant indication of where things are heading. That's why the mention of Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku is notable, as it's the sort of zag we've seen Licht make in the past.
Two years ago, the Bucs were expected to trade up for a quarterback after Tom Brady retired, but instead, they stayed put at No. 19 overall and drafted Calijah Kancey. How cool would it be to see the team do the same thing by not trading back from the same slot and end up with another bruising edge rusher?
Nobody knows what the Bucs will do other than Licht, and it's worth arguing that right now not even he knows what the firm plan is. A ton of scenarios have been kicked around and they all make sense, but it's starting to sound like things are narrowing down and fans should love where the path is leading.
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