The PewterReport.com staff will choose a daily Bucs Camp MVP during Tampa Bay’s 2017 training camp based on that player’s performance. Visit PewterReport.com daily to find out which player is named the Bucs Camp MVP.

Bucs Camp MVP 7-31: The Howard Blockade
It was the first day in full pads for the Buccaneers and there was a steady rain that fell all day. Perfect weather conditions to work on run blocking and one of the stars of the show was rookie tight end O.J. Howard, the team’s first-round pick.

What made Howard one of the best draft prospects this year is his ability to both catch and block. Most tight ends in college football these days are glorified big wide receivers, and Dirk Koetter wanted a tight end that could do some in-line blocking as well as be threat in the passing game. That’s what Howard was at Alabama, and that’s what he’ll be in Tampa Bay, which really needs to improve in the running game in 2017.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Howard showed that he was a well-polished run blocker on several occasions on Monday, and that’s why he was selected as the day’s Bucs Camp MVP. Howard has made some spectacular catches in training camp, but dropped a few balls on Monday given the wet conditions – although he wasn’t the only one. In fact, the only receivers that may not have dropped a pass were Mike Evans, Adam Humphries and Cameron Brate in the pouring rain.

Howard did have one nice reception across the middle that was noteworthy. The Bucs went to a four-wide receiver look with trips to the right and Howard split out to the right by himself, matched up against safety Keith Tandy. Howard ran a quick slant to the middle of the field, which was wide open, and used his big frame to shield Tandy from the ball as he hauled in the catch for a good gain.

But the reason why Howard was named the MVP was because he delivered as a standout blocker. On one play, Howard had a great inline block on defensive end Noah Spence, riding him downfield a few yards in the run game. He also handled linebacker Kwon Alexander at the second level on another running play. The rookie more than held his own in the run-blocking department.

The Bucs also introduced another one-on-one blocking drill that featured blitzing linebackers going up against tight ends and running backs in pass protection. Howard did a fine job in pass protection and drew some tough assignments, most notably speedy linebacker Lavonte David, whom he stonewalled a few teams.

“He’s a really big dude and he’s physically gifted,” Brate said. “Obviously he had some good coaching at Alabama. He came here pretty ready to compete here at the pro level.

“O.J. built that reputation when he was at Alabama. Going in pads today I thought he did a very good job. To have two rookies (Howard and Antony Auclair) like that come out like that in pads on the first day is very encouraging. As a whole we did a good job on the first day. We were looking forward to hitting someone.”

Bucs Camp MVP 7-30: Spence Explodes

Bucs Camp MVP 7-29: Wilcox Makes A Splash

Bucs Camp MVP 7-29: Evans’ Grand Opening