2014 NFL Mock Draft: Austin Seferian-Jenkins for the Buccaneers

When the second round of the SB Nation bloggers mock draft rolled around, I had a bit of a problem. I had given the Bucs Sammy Watkins in the first round, but the second round left me with few good options. Xavier Su'a-Filo was off the board, and none of the available guards seemed to be worth a second-round pick. Adding another receiver was an option, but most of the really good ones were already off the board. All of the worthwhile quarterbacks had also already been selected -- within the top eight picks, even.

Left with few slam-dunk options, I went with a more risky pick. A very talented player who would (kind of) fill a need for the Buccaneers, but who had some minor concerns regarding his character: Austin Seferian-Jenkins. The kind of tight end the Buccaneers would love to have. He's a quality blocker and an explosive receiving tight end, who has the body and skills to consistently make contested catches (Josh McCown says "yaaaay").

Here's what Dan Kadar had to say about that pick.

Tampa Bay has six tight ends on its roster, and none of them are better than Seferian-Jenkins. He would add the same dimension to Lovie Smith's offense that Greg Olsen did for the Bears. He may not be a superstar Jimmy Graham-style tight end, but he's dependable and has enough athleticism to be a receiving threat. Seferian-Jenkins can work in the slot or in line and is solid blocker.

The Buccaneers already have a quality receiving tight end in Tim Wright, but he's largely useless as a blocker. I am less than convinced that new addition Brandon Myers will be a productive addition: he's neither a great blocker, nor a great receiver. He's a nice, solid starter, but Seferian-Jenkins should prove to be a quick if perhaps not immediate upgrade.

Moreover, he'd fit what the Bucs (and really any team) want out of their tight ends: a good blocker, who can also be a receiving threat. The kind of player who can help in both the run game and the pass game, and hence the kind of player who is exceedingly rare in the NFL.

The only real question is whether the Buccaneers think they can get him to play hard, consistently. I'm not too concerned about that watching the film, but there are persistent rumblings that Seferian-Jenkins may not be the most hard-working NFL player around. And that might irk Lovie Smith and company.