Head coach Dirk Koetter’s first season in charge of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a complete disaster. On the bright side, it did net the Bucs with a high draft pick their talent alone should have kept them away from. On the not-so-bright side, ownership decided not to jettison Koetter out of the building via catapult and are letting him hang around another year.
Still, whoever takes over this team in 2019 will have a loaded roster. Here’s who should be added to it in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Round 1, Pick 7: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Safety, Alabama
2017: 60 tackles, eight for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, seven passes defended, one forced fumble (6-1, 202 pounds)
After test driving T.J. Ward for a season, the Buccaneers still need a safety and can nab one of the two best in the draft here. Fitzpatrick, along with Chris Conte, Brent Grimes and a healthy Vernon Hargreaves should give Tampa Bay one of the better defensive backfields in the NFC for Koetter to completely waste.
Round 2, Pick 38: Frank Ragnow, Center, Arkansas
6-5, 309 pounds
Tampa Bay signed Ryan Jensen to play center and will move Ali Marpet back to guard this season. That shouldn’t stop them from bulking up their line. Ragnow can play guard or center and did both with Arkansas, nabbing a second-team All-SEC nod in 2017.
Round 4, Pick 102: Levi Wallace, Cornerback, Alabama
2017: 48 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, two sacks, three interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, 15 passes defended (6-0, 183 pounds)
While the Bucs are fine with their two starting outside corners, they don’t have much behind them. Wallace should slide right into a nickle roll early and spot start if there’s an injury.
Round 5, Pick 144: Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa
2017: 252 carries, 1,109 yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 10 touchdowns, 28 receptions, 353 receiving yards, three receiving touchdowns, nine kick returns, 271 return yards, 30.1 yards per return (5-11, 191 pounds)
Tampa Bay needs to look hard at running backs available in free agency, but there’s no reason not to add a multi-talented rookie in this draft class. Wadley can contribute on special teams as well.
Round 6, Pick 180: Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State
2017: 30 tackles, three for a loss, two sacks, three passes defended, one forced fumble (6-5, 270 pounds)
Holmes should be able to enter into the Bucs’ rotation immediately at the defensive end and tackle spots. Drafting him would also allow the team to cut all their dead weight at the position at the end of the season. I’m looking at you, William Gholston and Vinny Curry.
Round 6, Pick 202: Davonte Harris, CB, Illinois State
2017: 57 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions (6-0, 200 pounds)
The defensive backfield reconstruction continues with the addition of Harris late. He’ll be a project, but at 6-0 and 200 pounds, shouldn’t be easily pushed around by NFC South receivers.
Round 7, Pick 255: John Atkins, DT, Georgia
2017: 38 tackles, one for a loss, one pass defended, one fumble recovery (6-4, 305 pounds)
Currently the Buccaneers have one of the worst interior defensive line rotations in the league. Gerald McCoy is a star player, but they’re playing him with palookas like Beau Allen, Channing Ward and Mitch Unrein. Would Atkins change that? Probably not, but they need to add a body in this draft at least Atkins has the size to eat up some blocks and keep offensive linemen off the linebackers.
