The Bucs have done good work on Day 3, we’ll see if that continues.
Day 3 of the NFL Draft is all about two things: depth and lotto tickets.
The players left, for one reason or another, have questions about their floors, ceilings, and general fits. There are gems to be found though, look no further than last year when the Bucs found Bucky Irving in the fourth round, or a couple years ago in the same range with Cade Otton.
They found Sir’Vocea Dennis in Round 5, as well as Zyon McCollum. So Tampa is one of the better teams in the league at this sort of exercise. Let’s look at a few names across the spectrum who might be of interest.
Running Back
LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
If the Bucs are hunting for a budget Rachaad White replacement, either in short- or long-term, Allen is easily the most analogous player left. He’s not the best pure runner but talented as a receiver and pass protector.
Woody Marks, Southern California
In the vein of a pure pass catcher, Marks majored in that area at both Mississippi State and USC. He’s not especially toolsy, and he’ll be 25 years old as a rookie, but he’s well-built with soft hands and good contact balance.
Tight End
Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
The Bucs aren’t really hurting at tight end, but Gadsden offers competition for Payne Durham or Devin Culp, who looked alright as a 7th rounder last year in limited snaps. Gadsden (6-foot-4) is a QB-friendly target with long arms and concentration at the catch point — he’s a contested catch savant who can bully anyone on the field. He’s raw as a route runner and offers little as a blocker, but he’s got some intriguing downfield capability.
Offensive Line
Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
The Bucs could use more interior line depth, especially at center, and Webb fits really well. A former top recruit at Georgia, he’s got the core strength, athleticism, and coordination to be a high-quality backup at the next level at either guard or center. He’s got some balance and technique issues to work through, but he wouldn’t be called upon to start anytime soon so he’s got a lot of time to learn under a top-tier coaching staff.
Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
If Jason Licht wants to scratch his persistent small-school lineman itch, Slater is a good bet for it. A three-time All-Big Sky first-teamer, Slater dominated for the Hornets at the FCS level and didn’t look out of place at the Senior Bowl. A freaky athlete, Slater has the necessary profile to transition smoothly to the pros but will need time to adjust.
Defensive Line
C.J. West, Indiana
The Bucs could use some added juice from the backup nose tackle spot, where Greg Gaines is the epitome of a placeholder. Enter West, who’s smaller (6-foot-1, 316) but similarly sized to Gaines. West is burly and juiced up, as he smashes and pinballs into defenders to make consistent plays in the backfield. He’s more motor than technique right now, but he’s got the goods.
Edge Rusher
Bradyn Swinson, LSU
There may be some maturity concerns, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, but reportedly nothing major. Jason Licht spoke pre-draft about how he feels confident in team’s cultural infrastructure to take bets on people. The 4th round would be a good such spot for a long, bendy rusher like Swinson who’s on the upswing.
Que Robinson, Alabama
Robinson was buried in a deep Alabama edge room for several years, but he’s flashed quickness to go along with plus athleticism. Defensively, he’s got a long way to go but has tons of special teams experience with notable impact there (15 ST tackles in 43 games).
Linebacker
Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
The Bucs should be on the hunt for one of the best linebackers remain, and Bassa is arguably the top name on the board. Undersized but tough, Bassa is a coordinated mover who showed out in coverage routinely. Given that was such a weakness for Tampa in the last few years, he’d be a welcome addition.
Smael Mondon, Georgia
Mondon is another coverage-first linebacker but with slightly better size and athleticism than Bassa. He’s arguably the easiest mover in space of any linebacker in the whole class, but he’s suffered from persistent health issues in his lower body that the team would need to weigh.
Safety
Billy Bowman, Oklahoma
If the Bucs want to go all-in on remaking their secondary, a third safety / nickel back like Bowman on early Day 3 would be a fun investment. Bowman is diminutive (a shade under 5-foot-10, 192 pounds with sub 30” arms), even smaller than 3rd round pick Jacob Parrish, but the former All-American is opportunistic and savvy (11 career interceptions) with the tenacity to make plays all over the field.
Dante Trader, Maryland
If the Bucs want to keep reinforcing depth in the secondary, Trader would be a good fit in the 6th or 7th round. Scheme-versatile with good athletic traits, Trader won’t “wow” anyone but he was a dual-sport athlete in college (nationally recruited lacrosse player) so full focus on football might unlock the next level of play for him.