Buccaneers’ Potential Day Two Targets

Following their trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars - where they gave up pick 27 in exchange for picks 33, 106, and 180 - the Bucs will be the ones to get things started on Friday night with the first pick in round number two.

The trade also gives them the first picks in rounds four and six, adding a pick in a round where they previously had none (sixth) as well as getting to double up in the first rounds of days two and three.

However, after the trade, we saw Devante Wyatt go to the Packers, Lewis Cine go to the Vikings, Dax Hill go to the Bengals, and George Karlaftis go to the Chiefs. So who will the Bucs be able to choose from in round two?

First and foremost, there’s Nakobe Dean - the linebacker out of Georgia. Dean was ranked as the second linebacker on Dane Brugler’s big board and many were shocked he fell out of the first round. Now, with Devin White and Lavonte David on the Bucs you may be asking yourself why a linebacker would be the choice. The answer is somewhat simple once you think about it; Both David and White have dealt with some injuries over the last few seasons, causing Kevin Minter to get some significant snaps. Minter is now a free agent and there’s no telling whether or not he will return. Dean not only fits a rotational role and injury insurance, but this is also the final year of Lavonte David’s contract. No one is advocating for the Bucs to move on, but it may be time to draft someone that can get accustomed to the defensive scheme and be the long term starter alongside Devin White.

Another name that’s really intriguing is Andrew Booth Jr. Many had him rated higher than Kaiir Elam - who went 23rd to the Buffalo Bills - and he could be the guy to come in and compete for a starting role against Jamel Deal and Sean Murphy-Bunting. Murphy-Bunting dealt with a pretty rough injury in week one last season and never seemed to return to form down the stretch. We also saw that the depth at corner was weak at best and the Bucs are not in a situation that they can afford to risk picking guys up off the street to come in and play for them. At 6’0”, Booth isn’t quite as big as you may want but he more than makes up for it with his ball skills and physicality. He’s either going to push Murphy-Bunting and Dean to increase their level of play or he’s going to steal their job. Either way, the Bucs win.

Other names to look for at 33 are Logan Hall (DL, Houston) who could be the Ndamukong Suh replacement, Jalen Pitre (DB, Baylor) who is a hybrid safety similar to what they got in Logan Ryan, and Trey McBride (TE, Colorado State) who, even if Gronk returns, fills a need with for the Bucs and is the best player in the draft at his position.

Here are other names to look for on day two with the Bucs’ original pick of 60 as well as round three (pick 91)

Perrion Winfrey - DL, Oklahoma

Jaquan Brisker - S, Penn State

Dylan Parham - IOL, Memphis

Dameon Piere - RB, Florida

John Metchie - WR, Alabama

Jeremy Ruckert - TE, Ohio State

James Cook - RB, Georgia

John Ridgeway - DL, Arkansas

Alec Pierce - WR, Cincinnati

Coby Bryant - CB, Cincinnati

Nick Cross - S, Maryland

For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!