In their latest 2014 NFL mock draft, Mocking the Draft has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting wide receiver Mike Evans in the first round -- passing on every single quarterback, as none of them were selected ahead of the Bucs. No Bridgewater, no Manziel, no Bortles, but a wide receiver.
That certainly makes some sense. Evans is a terrific talent, would step right into a starting role for the Bucs and fill a major need. There's no receiver of his quality the Bucs could get later in the draft, while none of the available quarterbacks look like slam-dunk selections. This mock draft gets a little more interesting later on, though.
In the second round, though, the Buccaneers get the chance to select
The Buccaneers added Josh McCown in free agency and drafted Mike Glennon in the third round a year ago, but based on who they are bringing in for team visits, it's clear that quarterback is still a position they could draft in the first round. Derek Carr's connection to Jeff Tedford could certainly help his chances of being drafted to Tampa Bay. He's also the last quarterback on the board worth this high of a pick.
In a lot of ways, Carr reminds me of Mike Glennon -- with slightly worse pocket presence, and more mobility and arm strength. Whether he'd represent an upgrade in the end remains to be seen, but he does fit what the Bucs want (as far as we can tell what they want, anyway). Carr has a quick release, mobility and a strong arm -- the question is whether he can function in a pro style offense, after spending the past two years as a shotgun, spread quarterback.
If the Bucs think they can mold Carr into a productive NFL quarterback, this selection would make a lot of sense. He has the physical talent to do well, at least.