Scott
Reynolds

Publisher

Pewter Report publisher Scott Reynolds has updated his 2013 Bucs 7-round mock draft of 2013. Who is Tampa Bay’s first-round pick? How many cornerbacks will the Bucs draft? Get the answers right here.

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The Buccaneers will have eight picks in the 2013 NFL Draft and Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds has forecasted all the moves in the second edition of Tampa Bay’s 7-round mock draft.

ROUND 1 – Oklahoma OT Lane Johnson
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1– Missouri DT Sheldon Richardson
The Buccaneers will likely address the cornerback position in free agency, but will need additional help in the draft. There isn’t one available that is worth the 13th overall pick. Tampa Bay likes Mississippi State cornerback Johnthan Banks, but he is viewed as a late first-round pick, and could fall into the second round, as there are some questions about his speed. A 40-yard dash time of less than 4.5 could keep him from being among the top 32 picks.

Johnson wowed the Bucs and NFL teams with a great showing at the Senior Bowl. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Sooner started at both left and right tackle for Oklahoma and is adept at both pass protection and run blocking. Johnson, whom PewterReport.com views as the second-rated tackle in the 2013 NFL Draft behind Luke Joeckel and ahead of Eric Fisher, would be an upgrade over Demar Dotson and could be an opening day starter at right tackle due to his power in the running game and technique in pass protection. If Johnson is on the draft board at No. 13, which is not a certainty after he impressed at the combine, the Bucs should pull the trigger.

Donald Penn turns 30 on April 27 and hopefully still has a couple of good years left. Johnson has the quickness and athleticism to move over to the left tackle spot when the time comes and solidify that important position for close to a decade, especially if Josh Freeman is still regarded as the team’s franchise quarterback. Protecting Freeman remains a top priority if Tampa Bay’s offense is going to be among the league’s most high-powered units.
Johnson Highlight Video

ROUND 2 – SMU DE Margus Hunt
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1 – Rutgers CB Logan Ryan
If Hunt lasts until the Bucs pick with the 43rd overall selection he would be an interesting addition to the team that could help out on defense and special teams. At 6-foot-8, 277 pounds, Hunt, who was born in the Eastern European country of Estonia, is a physical specimen with 33-inch arms and an 82-inch wingspan.

Hunt, who is still learning the game of football after switching from track and field to football at SMU and has only four years worth of experience playing the game, has been compared to Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. The league’s leading sacker in 2012 with 20.5 quarterback captures, Watt entered the NFL standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 290 pounds with 34-inch arms, a 4.81 time in the 40-yard dash and a 37-inch vertical jump. Hunt ran a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and jump and bench-pressed a combine-best 38 reps of 225 pounds.

More importantly, Watt only racked up 11.5 sacks in two years at Wisconsin, including seven as a senior. Hunt played in 53 games, registering 112 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles on defense in his Mustangs career. He averaged 2.5 sacks during his first three years for SMU before registering a career-high eight during his senior season. In his final game against Fresno State, Hunt dominated by notching two sacks, two forced fumbles and a safety.

Da’Quan Bowers’ unfortunate arrest for attempting to board an airplane with a gun in New York has put his 2013 season with the Bucs in jeopardy. The team should address the defensive end spot in the draft for some insurance at the position. While he continues to learn the game of football he could help Tampa Bay as a wave pass rusher and a reserve at both left and right defensive end positions. He could also help the Bucs right away on special teams. Hunt became one of college football’s most prolific field goal and extra point blockers with 17 career blocks, including seven during his freshman campaign.
Hunt’s Highlight Video

ROUND 3 – San Diego State CB Leon McFadden
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1– Washington CB Desmond Trufant (trading up in 2nd round)
It may frustrate fans to see the Buccaneers wait until the third round to draft a cornerback, but Tampa Bay will almost certainly sign a cornerback or two in free agency to provide immediate help to the league’s worst secondary. Although McFadden stands just under 5-foot-10 and weighs 190 pounds, the Bucs will be searching for taller cornerbacks with long arms in a free agency class packed with big defensive backs. The San Diego State star can be groomed to be the team’s nickel corner and may eventually develop into a starter with experience.

The fact that he is not a 6-foot corner may give the Bucs a good player to match up with smaller slot receivers. McFadden, who was a team captain, has great hips, quick feet and good speed to stay with receivers off the line of scrimmage.

McFadden dazzled in Senior Bowl practices before suffering a minor injury that kept him out of the game. He had eight career interceptions for the Aztecs, and his 39 career pass breakups was tied for the most in school history. McFadden met with Bucs general manager Mark Dominik at the Senior Bowl and is on the team’s radar.
McFadden’s Highlight Video

ROUND 4 – Kansas State WR Chris Harper
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1 – Wisconsin OT Ricky Wagner
With Mike Williams, Tiquan Underwood and Arrelious Benn all in the final years of their contracts in 2013, the Bucs need to add another receiver to the mix to compete for playing time and to ensure that Freeman has talented targets to throw to for years to come. The fourth round seems like a logical place for the Bucs to take a pass catcher and Harper is one of the most underrated receivers in the draft.

Harper’s numbers are pedestrian due to the fact that he was part of a run-heavy offense at Kansas State. He totaled just 123 catches for 1,734 yards and 12 touchdowns during his K-State career and showed improvement each season. As a redshirt sophomore in 2009, Harper had 25 catches for 330 yards and four scores. In 2011 as a junior, he tallied 40 receptions for 547 yards and five touchdowns. During his senior campaign, he caught 58 passes for 857 yards and three TDs.

Although he had just two 100-yard games for the Wildcats, Harper did have four additional games of 75 yards or more during his senior season and was Collin Klein’s go-to receiver the last two years. At 6-foot, 223 pounds, the physical Harper is well-built similarly to Arrelious Benn, has reliable hands and is a great perimeter blocker.
Harper’s Highlight Video

ROUND 4 – Cal CB Marc Anthony
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1 – Used to trade up to get Trufant in 2nd round
The Buccaneers come back near the end of the fourth round and grab another cornerback in Anthony, who has the size that Tampa Bay is looking for. At 5-foot-11, 191 pounds with a 74-inch wingspan, Anthony has the range to defend against bigger wide receivers like Atlanta’s Julio Jones.

Anthony has recorded 138 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 21 pass breakups, five interceptions and two forced fumbles in his Cal career, and was a three-year starter for the Golden Bears. In 2012, Anthony recorded 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two interceptions, including a 61-yard touchdown against Southern Utah and a forced fumble. His best all-around game came against Stanford in Cal’s 21-3 loss where Anthony had six tackles, a tackle for loss, a red zone interception, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.

Anthony, who was a team captain at Cal, had a couple of interviews with the Buccaneers in Mobile, Ala. at the Senior Bowl, including one with Dominik. The Golden Bears star has an intriguing skill set would be a nice development cornerback for the Bucs on Day 3 of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Anthony’s Highlight Video

ROUND 5 – Nevada FS Duke Williams
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1 – Florida State QB E.J. Manuel
Williams was a Senior Bowl standout and showcased his hard-hitting ability in Mobile, Ala. with six tackles, which was tied for the second most in the game. The Bucs like Williams’ ability to defend the pass and stuff the run. He totaled a whopping 292 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 18 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in his Nevada career.

Even if Ronde Barber returns for one more year, 2013 would likely be his last with the Bucs, so Tampa Bay would be wise to add another versatile safety in the mix to back up Mark Barron at strong safety and compete with Ahmad Black and Keith Tandy at free safety when Barber departs.

Dominik personally interviewed Williams at the Senior Bowl, and the team likes the fact that the 5-foot-11, 201-pounder has the coverage ability to also play cornerback in a pinch. With Tampa Bay playing a good deal of dime coverage that calls for its slot corners to match up with bigger tight ends, Williams has a skill set that the Bucs could certinaly use.
Williams’ Highlight Video

ROUND 6 – Vanderbilt RB Zac Stacy
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1 – Vanderbilt RB Zac Stacy
Stacy, who is a bowling ball-type running back at 5-foot-8, 215 pounds and is built like Tampa Bay’s leading rusher Doug Martin, remains Pewter Report’s sixth-round pick for the Bucs. He is a physical runner with good quickness and acceleration that invites contact. Stacy rushed for 1,141 yards and 10 touchdowns on 207 carries (5.5 avg.) in 2012 and became the first Commodores running back to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He’s also the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,143 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Stacy has good hands in the passing game, catching 10 passes for 205 yards as a senior and has 46 catches for 415 yards in his career. The Vanderbilt rusher would make a nice backup to Martin in Tampa Bay and could challenge D.J. Ware and Michael Smith for a roster spot. Despite being a physical runner, Stacy has speed, evidenced by eight offensive plays over 50 yards in his career, including a 90-yard run against Wake Forrest in the fourth quarter that showed off his stamina, and an 86-yard jaunt against Presbyterian last year.
Stacy's Highlight Video

ROUND 7 – Rutgers TE D.C. Jefferson
PREVIOUS PICK IN VERSION 1– Rutgers TE D.C. Jefferson
Like Stacy, Pewter Report will stick with Jefferson as the team’s seventh-round pick. The Bucs add some depth, athleticism and size to the tight end position in the seventh round with the acquisition of Jefferson, who played for head coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers from 2009-11. The 6-foot-6, 255-pound Jefferson is a converted quarterback that stood out during the East-West Shrine practices due to his long frame that allowed him to create mismatches in the passing game.

Jefferson was underused at Rutgers as the offense wasn’t designed to feature the tight end. He caught a career-high 20 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown as a senior and finished his Scarlet Knights career with 47 catches for 560 yards and two scores. Jefferson has decent speed and has catches of 46 and 53 yards on his career stats sheet. He could compete with Luke Stocker, Nate Byham, Danny Noble and Drake Dunsmore for a roster spot in Tampa Bay in training camp.

Jefferson tore a pectoral muscle doing the bench press at the combine and will not be able to participate in team drills until training camp while he rehabs the injury. That could ensure that he will be around in the seventh round.
Jefferson's Profile Video