Time to go around the NFL media landscape to see what grades the experts are giving the Bucs 7-man draft haul!
BUCS’ DRAFT GRADES
Chad Reuter – NFL.com
Bucs’ Day One Grade: A
Bucs’ Day Two Grade: B
Bucs’ Day Three Grade: B
Bucs’ Overall Grade: B+
“The Buccaneers didn’t fool around in trying to get Tom Brady the best right tackle they could, trading up one spot in the first round to secure Wirfs. Winfield should become a playmaker in the secondary while Vaughn should develop into a solid running back — even if he was maybe picked one round too early. Despite possessing just average athleticism, Johnson was a big-time producer for Golden Gophers, even earning MVP honors in the Outback Bowl. Davis is an active and athletic backup for 2018 first-rounder Vita Vea. Don’t blink when Calais gets the ball, as he has the speed to run by guys (4.42 40) and isn’t afraid to initiate contact. GM Jason Licht will scour his list of top undrafted free agents for young pass rusher depth.” – Chad Reuter
PFF.com
Bucs’ Draft Grade: A-
“Day 1: Tampa Bay traded picks Nos. 14 and 117 to the 49ers in exchange for picks Nos. 13 and 245 to make sure former Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs will be blocking for Tom Brady in 2020. He’s coming off a career year with the Hawkeyes, having earned a 91.8 overall grade that ranked fourth among qualifying tackles. His technique will need to improve at the next level, but his freakish athleticism and power combine for a high, high ceiling in the NFL — a slam dunk pick for the Buccaneers.”
Hayden Winks – Yahoo Sports
Bucs’ Draft Grade: B+
“To guarantee Tom Brady was going to be protected, the Bucs moved up one spot for Wirfs, my OT2. The Iowa alum has experience at both tackle spots and at guard, so he’ll assuredly have a starting spot immediately while the Bucs chase their one-year window for a Super Bowl… Winfield will help that young Bucs secondary that struggled covering tight ends and deep balls last season. The Minnesota product has high-end ball skills and instincts as a free safety. This was a solid pick… Vaughn certainly fills a need and will push Ronald Jones for the starting job, but he is a very replaceable-level prospect with 41st percentile Adjusted SPARQ athleticism (4.51 forty). Not many quality NFL starters played at Illinois or Vanderbilt either. My concerns, however, probably won’t matter in this stacked offense.” – Hayden Winks
Mel Kiper Jr. – ESPN.com
Bucs’ Draft Grade: B
“If you look at the Bucs’ depth chart, it’s remarkably similar to the 2019 team. They have had very little turnover … except for two massive additions at quarterback and tight end. So for a 7-9 team that thinks it is now a Super Bowl contender, the draft was extremely important. General manager Jason Licht and coach Bruce Arians needed to find instant-impact players with their first two picks. The result? Two prospects I really like, one who will help protect Tom Brady (and allow Rob Gronkowski to run a few more routes) and another who could be a Swiss Army knife in the secondary.
Tampa traded up one spot to make sure it got offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (13) — it had to throw in a fourth-rounder to move — and I love the fit. Wirfs played both left and right tackle at Iowa, and I expect him to have a long career. This was the biggest hole on the roster, and don’t forget that Brady, who turns 43 in August, really struggled under pressure last season, completing just 32% of his passes under duress, which ranked 30th in the NFL. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (45) is only 5-foot-9, but he just makes plays. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles can use him as a deep safety, as a slot corner or even down closer to the line of scrimmage.
I had running back as a need for the Bucs, and they picked up Ke’Shawn Vaughn (76), but I liked Zack Moss more. Tyler Johnson (161) is an inconsistent wide receiver, and I don’t see how he helps them anytime soon.
The Bucs have missed the playoffs in 12 consecutive seasons, the second-longest active drought in the NFL. They didn’t have much depth here, but they got two good players at the top.” – Mel Kiper Jr.
Andy Benoit – SI.com
Bucs’ Draft Grade: A-
“If you’re going to invest in a 42-year-old Tom Brady, you need to fill your glaring hole at right tackle. Insert Tristan Wirfs, who was an efficient, compact starting right tackle for three years at Iowa. Though his measurables are mostly normal—he’s nearly 6′ 5″ and has 34-inch arms—some feel that Wirfs’s playing style is better suited for the guard position. That’s an unlikely move for the Bucs, who have a quality left guard in Ali Marpet and spent a third-rounder on right guard Alex Cappa in 2018. Consider this a straightforward, value-needed selection.
It was a little surprising the Bucs did not look for wide receiver depth until the fifth round (Tyler Johnson), which suggests they must really like third-round back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. He was a straightforward, one-path runner at Vanderbilt, which means the Bucs see him as a base down player. Is he here to add backfield depth? Or does Tampa Bay’s brass envision Vaughn challenging Ronald Jones?
The defense did not have many needs, but Antoine Winfield Jr. was a good pick. Safeties are important in defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’s scheme. Incumbent 2017 second-rounder Justin Evans flashed decent range in 2018 but spent last season on IR. Versatile 2019 third-round pick Mike Edwards is intriguing, but was taken off the field at times in passing situations. Jordan Whitehead, a fourth-rounder in 2018, has some coverage versatility and at times flashes good closing speed, but he can’t quite be viewed as a cornerstone starter at this point. By drafting Winfield, the Bucs—theoretically—stabilize one safety spot, which, given their decent options in the players outlined above, makes it easier to stabilize the other safety spot.” – Andy Benoit
Luke Easterling – USAToday.com
Bucs’ Draft Grade: B+
“The Bucs desperately needed a starting right tackle, and they got the perfect fit with Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, who could have easily been a top-five pick and the first tackle off the board. Trading a fourth-round pick to move up one spot wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it.
In the second round, the Bucs filled their biggest need on defense with another huge bargain, landing Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. at No. 45 overall. The No. 25 overall player on my board, Winfield’s versatility and big-play ability make him a perfect fit in Todd Bowles’ scheme.
Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn has the skill set to be the new James White for Tom Brady, and Minnesota wide receiver Tyler Johnson was a grand slam in the fifth round for an already loaded passing attack. Depth and special teams value was found toward the end of the draft, giving Tampa Bay a strong haul across the board.” – Luke Easterling
Keegan Pope – BleacherReport.com
Bucs’ Draft Grade (Rounds 1-3): B+
“If Tampa Bay said anything in Rounds 1-3, it was this: We’re all in on Tom Brady. The Bucs moved up a spot to grab uber-athletic tackle Tristan Wirfs, and and safety Antoine Winfield Jr., despite being small, should be an immediate upgrade in the secondary.” – Keegan Pope
Steven Cheah – BartstoolSports.com
Bucs’ Draft Grade: B+
“Trading up one spot to #13 was a great move to secure one of the top four Tackles. Tristan Wirfs is a complete freak show athletically having run a 4.85 40-yard dash and setting records at the combine for vertical and broad jump at 322 lbs. He’ll start right away. S Antoine Winfield Jr. is a nice pick that has great NFL bloodlines. I worry about his size, but he is a playmaker as evidenced by his 7 INTs last season. RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn was a surprise pick in the 3rd, but definitely a need. WR Tyler Johnson was great value in Round 5 and has a ton of production. He’ll likely contribute immediately, even with a crowded Receiver room. LB Chapelle Russell in the 7th is good depth at LB and RB Raymond Calais in the 7th gives them a returner which they haven’t had in awhile.” – Steven Cheah
Tyler Johnson Could Be Rare Fifth Round Rookie Starter
Bucs’ Licht Tried To Trade Into Top 10
