Every year New Era Scouting does a great job covering various aspects of the NFL Draft - whether it be player profiles, mock drafts, player rankings, etc. The most interesting feature they have has to be the NFL Team Interest section. Within this section the fellas at New Era Scouting declare who NFL Teams are rumored to be interested in. I’m not sure where their sources come from, but based on their in-depth draft coverage, I tend to believe/trust them. With that said, here’s a look at who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently interested in:
…UPDATE…
Joe Burnett, CB, Central Florida – 5’10", 185 lbs. – He doesn’t have much size, but appears to be rock solid and has the quicks to handle the bump and run coverage Jim Bates wants to implement. He projects to be a second day pick. I don’t know much more about him, but you can see his athleticism in the video below:
Cody Brown, DE, UConn - 6’2, 248 lbs. – You have to think we’ll get at least one DE in the Draft. A three-year starter for Connecticut, Brown was highly productive. He finished his career with 45.5 tackles for a loss and 24 sacks. He did mostly from the end position, although he stood up at times. In the pros, he's almost strictly a 3-4 rush linebacker, which limits his opportunities. He's not as complete a player as Clint Sintim or Clay Matthews III either. Projected to be a 3rd round pick. Per Mocking the Draft.
Jason Williams, OLB, Western Illinois - 6’1, 241 lbs. – LB’s Coach Joe Barry was at Williams Pro Day where’s its been reported he ran between a 4.42 and a 4.48. He’s expected to make a formal visit with the Bucs prior to the draft. The video below details the type of player Williams is:
***** Info below published 2/17/09*****
Phil Loadholt, LT, Oklahoma – 6’7", 350 lbs. – He could fill the void at left tackle should Donald Penn not be re-signed. He’s projected as a 1st Round Pick (Top 15). JUCO Transfer, started immediately. As good as: Jonathan Ogden – Ravens, Worst Case as: Marcus McNeil – Chargers per New Era Scouting.
Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly – 6’6", 227 lbs. – After having looked at his videos he appears to be a Plaxico Burress type of receiver. Not necessarily a red zone only type threat as I’ve labeled one Greg Carr (FSU). He’s from a small school and so that scares me in terms of his ability to adjust to NFL Level defenders. I’m not sure about his bio and so I provide you with this video:
Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Oregon – 5’10", 205 lbs. – I don’t have a bio for Jeremiah either, but it appears he didn’t carry the load until his senior year of college. The video I’ve seen has him excelling in space, usually receiving the ball out of the shotgun formation. He appears to have great speed and a football players mindset and reminds me of KR/RB Clifton Smith.
Dan from Mocking the Draft provides the following info on Jeremiah Johnson: "He's really similar to Justin Forsett (Seattle Seahawks) who came out of California last year. Undersized and not especially as fast as you'd expect. He is quick and has good vision. He'd be best as a third-down back mostly due to his ability as a receiver. Played his whole career in a rotation, first with Jonathan Stewart then LaGarrette Blount. Also returned kicks and punts."
Kyle Moore, DE, USC – 6’6", 270 lbs. – I have absolutely no information on this cat other than his ’07 stats which consisted of 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 5 deflections, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. He has mammoth size, maybe a USC fan can educate us on this guy…
Dan from Mocking the Draft comes through again with this info on Moore: "You're certainly right, he is a mammoth end. Unfortunately, the downside to his size is a lack of quickness and athleticism. He might actually be better in the NFL at tackle. He is a perfect fit as an end in the 3-4. He has good pass rush moves and is a hard worker. Still, he never really seemed all that tenacious, but maybe he was being overshadowed by Maualuga, Cushing, Moala, Matthews, et al. His Combine is going to be huge. If he happens to run in the 4.7 range and show good agility, he could jump into the third round. Senior stats: 30 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, 5 sacks."
Max Unger, C, Oregon – 6’5", 305 lbs. – Would provide depth at the center position currently held by Jeff Faine. Considered a 2nd Round Draft Pick. Picks up blitzes nicely per New Era Scouting.
William Moore FS, Missouri – 6’1", 226 lbs. – Would provide depth behind Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli, might become a need should Jermaine Phillips not be re-signed. Projected as a 1st Round Pick (Top 15). He’s a hard hitter and aggressive. As good as: Ed Reed – Ravens, Worst Case as: Donte Whitner – Bills per New Era Scouting.
B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College – 6’1", 323 lbs. – His size may scare off potential bidders, though there’s no real shot of him falling to us. Projected to be a 1st Round Pick (Top 10). An ideal nose tackle. As good as: Casey Hampton – Steelers, Worst Case as: Dewayne Robertson – Broncos per New Era Scouting.
I realize the prospects above don’t exactly get your energetic juices flowing, but they do represent some quality players and a window into what type of player the Bucs may or may not attempt to select in the NFL Draft come April. Do you have any knowledge of these guys? If so, educate us in the comments section…
