Round 3, Pick 76 – Vanderbilt RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn

Reason for Optimism: I did a full breakdown on Vaughn right here, so I won’t belabor my points here. The Bucs needed an upgrade in the passing game at running back, and given the run on the position in Round 2, Vaughn was one of the best backs still available in the third round.

Outside of what he adds as a runner with good vision and decisiveness between the tackles, Vaughn also has plenty of experience in the passing game and has been highly effective on screens over his career at Vanderbilt. There is some juice when he gets in the open field that could make him a big play threat if he can get a good head start in space.

Bucs RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn – courtesy of the Buccaneers

Reason for Concern: Vaughn was drafted to be a dynamic receiving option out of the backfield, and he is not that. He’s capable enough to shoulder part of the load, but if you’re hoping for James White, hope again. Vaughn simply isn’t that elusive, nor that talented of a route runner.

Simply put, Vaughn is a pretty ordinary back that can certainly be productive if the blocking and scheme are right, but beyond that I wouldn’t expect anything special. There are also lapses in pass protection that will need to be fixed at the next level, and that is perhaps the biggest concern surrounding his game right now. The Bucs don’t have a great pass-protecting back as it is, and they could really use a player to step into that role this season to compete with Dare Ogunbowale, who filled that role last year.

Year 1 Expectations: Ronald Jones II is currently on pace to carry the load in the run game, but Vaughn could be the top receiver in the Bucs’ backfield, given the limitations in that area of Jones, Ogunbowale and Raymond Calais, the team’s seventh-round pick. That should put Vaughn in a great spot to be at least the Bucs No. 2 back, although they’re unlikely to transform into a run-first team moving forward.

Vaughn will be a contributor in 2020, but I don’t think his game will prove particularly noteworthy outside of fantasy circles.

Click Below For My Day 3 Evaluation