The signs of a good roster is when players in an organization gain recognition from writers and reporters from other areas on a national scale. This can come in a number of ways, such as winning individual awards or making an All-Pro list. That’s not the end all, be all, though as the Bucs had Tristan Wirfs as their only player to earn All-Pro honors, making the second team, and was Tampa Bay’s only Pro Bowl representative last year. The Bucs have much more talent than just Wirfs.

Another way a team can get some credibility is through this fun hypothetical created by Chad Reuter of NFL.com. Reuter, who does mock drafts leading up to the yearly NFL Draft, received much deserved attention each season. He recently took a crack at a different type of mock draft, focusing on re-drafting players currently in the league.

In a snake-style mock draft that covers seven rounds, Reuter made picks for all 32 teams by choosing the best player for each roster in a “re-imagined” type of setting for each team to win now. Every player – both young and old – were available and the Bucs players were well represented. Out of 224 total selections, there were seven Bucs players selected by teams. Considering that the best of the best for every team at every position was available, that’s a fair number.

Several Bucs Drafted In NFL Draft “Re-Imagined”

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The first Bucs player off the board was in the second round with offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs getting selected 46th overall to, ironically enough, the Bucs. This was Reuter’s insight on the choice:

“Tampa Bay traded up one spot to snag Wirfs at No. 13 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Worked out pretty well — SEE: Super Bowl title and two Pro Bowls for Wirfs — so the Bucs pounce on the tackle here. And in this exercise, he mans the blind side in Tampa right off the bat.”

The fourth round was the next time there was a Tampa Bay player involved, as Reuter had the 49ers drafting inside linebacker Lavonte David with the 99th pick. In the analysis of the selection, Reuter mentioned that it was “strange” that David only had one Pro Bowl selection in the 2015 season in what has been a “stellar” career.

The fifth and sixth rounds were the busiest for Bucs players, seeing four overall go – with two in each round. The dynamic duo of wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin went in the fifth. Evans was picked at No. 14o by the Browns while Godwin went 19 picks later to the Eagles at No. 159.

Bucs NT Vita Vea, OLB Shaquil Barrett and DT Logan Hall – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

A core nucleus on the defense for the Bucs were drafted in the sixth round. Nose tackle Vita Vea was selected with the 170th pick to the Ravens. Then it was safety Antoine Winfield Jr.’s turn, as he was taken not long after at No. 177 by the Commanders. Rounding out the whole list of Bucs players was outside linebacker Shaq Barrett, who came in at No. 198 with the Rams taking him.

From the trenches to skill positions on offense and defense, the Bucs have their imprints all over this group. This was a very difficult assignment to come up with while juggling the rosters of every single team. Understandably, a lot of quarterbacks were drafted early due to the importance at the position. That pushed other players further down the draft order.

Some notable Bucs left off that have an argument to make it are inside linebacker Devin White, center Ryan Jensen when healthy, and cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean.

Who Did The Bucs Organization Select?

At this point you’re probably asking, so who did the Bucs pick with this fictional draft? Let’s find out.

Tampa Bay started off with would could be a controversial pick of quarterback Kirk Cousins at No. 19. The rest of the selections are as follows:

Round 1: Kirk Cousins, QB (No. 19 overall)

Round 2: Tristan Wirfs, OT (No. 46)

Round 3: Matt Judon, Edge (No. 83)

Round 4: DeVonta Smith, WR (No. 110)

Round 5: Dre’Mont Jones, DT (No. 147)

Round 6: Patrick Peterson, CB (No. 174)

Round 7: Kenneth Walker III, RB (No. 211)