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For those who don’t know, I am a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, so congrats fellow Buc fans, you get a more in-depth and passionate analysis on this one. The Bucs shocked the world in 2023 making the playoffs with Baker Mayfield at the helm, winning the NFC South. I was one of the few to actually predict this, as I thought they were massively underrated coming off a 2022 season where the offense under Tom Brady and Byron Leftwich left a lot to be desired. Following the departure of offensive coordinator Dave Canales to division rival Carolina, the Bucs look to build on their success in 2023 with yet another good draft class.
R1: Graham Barton - A
The Graham Barton pick was the correct pick. My dream for the Bucs was Laiatu Latu since day 1, but obviously that might have been a little far-fetched. My number two option was far and away Graham Barton. The interior offensive line was not great in 2023, and with Baker Mayfield at the helm, getting and maintaining a strong offensive line is very important. Barton will be a plug-and-play guy and instantly become their best interior offensive lineman.
R2: Chris Braswell - B-
Chris Braswell was a guy I knew the Bucs would have their eye on, but the second round was rich for me. They needed an edge, and Braswell is undoubtedly an amazing fit with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. The vibes on this pick are actually pretty high for me considering I wasn’t the absolute biggest fan of Braswell, but kind of like the Dallas Turner to Minnesota pick in the first round, the player-to-team/coordinator fit is hard not to like. I feel good about the chances of tapping into some upside here so I was fairly lenient on this one.
R3: Tykee Smith - A+
The Bucs probably had the best 3rd round possible for my liking, as Tykee Smith was a guy that I actually compared to Antoine Winfield, so it's fitting that he lands with Tampa Bay. Tykee was one of my favorite players in the entire draft. He has great versatility, but I think he will end up as this team's starting nickel corner, and was an extremely fun watch on tape.
R3: Jalen McMillan - A+
Jalen McMillan was a bit overshadowed by Rome Odunze and ultimately Ja’Lynn Polk at Washington, even though he is a better player than Polk. He missed a lot of time due to injury but his tape showed me clearly that he was a second-round caliber receiver, even in this great receiver class. He should immediately come in and beat out Trey Palmer for the third wide receiver spot to be this team's starting slot receiver. You should also draft him in deep fantasy and dynasty leagues. Love this third round from the Bucs.
R4: Bucky Irving - C+
Then, uh, they drafted Bucky Irving who I did not like. He is a fine player, but he got a lot of hype for someone who is not a great athlete and is undersized. Kind of a guy that you will know 10 touches into his career if his size and athleticism concerns are just gonna be too much for him to overcome. It’s a shame because they really could have used a hard-nosed pure runner to complement Rachaad White, not another scat back. I did have a 4th rounder on him, so I guess I’m not as low as I thought, just the player profile really makes no sense to me here, but I do think he potentially could be an adequate-good RB2 for this team.
R6: Elijah Klein - A-
Elijah Klein was not a guy that I was able to watch pre-draft, but I did do a full evaluation on him after the draft since he landed with my Bucs, and I liked what I saw. Klein isn't a great athlete, but a genuinely good pass protector, an archetype that is beneficial depth for this Bucs team.
R7: Devin Culp - A-
Devin Culp was a guy that I liked, he is an undersized tight end but has serious athletic juice. Culp adds juice to a tight-end room that is otherwise pretty vanilla with Cade Otton and Payne Durham.
Overall, as a fan, I’m really happy with this class. It is a bit surprising that they didn’t add any outside corner help after trading Carlton Davis, which is slightly concerning to me but I do like Zyon McCollum. A great class nonetheless.
