It usually takes two to three years to truly evaluate a draft class, but that doesn’t mean one year can’t give some early impressions. The Bucs’ 2022 class made some waves this past season, with three players showing immense promise and three more getting valuable rookie experience that they can build on in 2023. As Tampa Bay continues to prepare for the 2023 Draft – with that work continuing this week in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine – general manager Jason Licht had plenty to say about last year’s rookies during his media session on Tuesday.

What Jason Licht Had To Say About Bucs’ 2022 Draft Class

General manager Jason Licht was asked at length about his 2022 NFL Draft Class on Tuesday, and he had praise for each player, ranging from second-round pick Logan Hall all the way to sixth-rounder Ko Kieft. He had more to say about some than others, but there was a lot of positivity going around after year one of this class.

DL Logan Hall

Bucs DT Logan Hall and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Jason Licht’s first pick of the 2022 Draft at No. 33 overall, Hall did little more than get his feet wet during his first NFL season. The 6-foot-6 defensive lineman played in all 17 games as a reserve and totaled 2.5 sacks and five tackles for loss. His first career sack came against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 3, then he picked up sack No. 2 two weeks later in a win over the Falcons. But he didn’t add that final half-sack until Week 11 in a loss at Cleveland.

Prior to going in-depth on Hall, Licht mentioned the success of some of the top players from the class before forecasting progress in 2023 for his first pick (Hall) and his second pick (Luke Goedeke).

“I think Luke [Goedeke] and Logan [Hall] are going to take big steps this year,” Licht said.

Asked how Hall can get better in year two, Licht pointed to weight and strength as two potential areas of improvement before touting his athleticism and work ethic.

“He needs to add some good weight, but he has to get some strength,” Licht said. “I think he’s so athletic and he’s doing all the right things. I definitely think we’re going to see progress this year.”

OL Luke Goedeke

Goedeke was thrown head first into the fire as a rookie in 2022, earning the starting left guard position out of training camp and starting the first seven games before a foot injury – and subpar play – cost him that starting role. Nick Leverett took over at guard and never looked back, but Jason Licht mentioned Tuesday that Goedeke may have been unfairly evaluated for his play as a rookie.

“Well, I think Luke last year – as a rookie coming in from playing right tackle at Central Michigan to left guard, which is a move to the other side which is never easy – started the season off well, but then went through a gauntlet of some of the top premier three-techniques in the NFL,” Licht said. “He was maybe a bit unfairly evaluated for a rookie. I think he is going to take a big step up.”

Goedeke graded out with a 46.7 from Pro Football Focus, with a matching 46.7 pass blocking grade and a 47.8 run blocking mark. However, his best two games of the season came in his last two appearances. In Week 18, he got the start at right tackle – his position in college – and graded out with a regular season-high 67.0 PFF grade. That included a 70.2 pass blocking grade, too. Then, in the Wild Card round, Goedeke shifted back to left guard and managed a career-best 67.0 grade, with a 76.6 pass blocking mark.

The clear signs of improvement down the stretch provide interesting context to the potential for him to make a permanent move to right tackle, should the team move Tristan Wirfs to the left side after the expected release of left tackle Donovan Smith.

RB Rachaad White

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

White arguably deserved far more than he got as a rookie in 2022. The Bucs’ rushing attack was the worst in the league, but he was a bright spot when given the opportunity to shine. Given former offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s predictable running tendencies, Leonard Fournette regularly out-snapping him and Tampa Bay often abandoning the run early, White did well to run for 481 yards on 129 carries (3.7 avg.). He found the end zone once on the ground and twice through the air, adding to his 50 catches for 290 yards (5.8 avg.).

Asked how he could improve the Bucs’ ground game in 2023, Jason Licht mentioned making some upgrades while also praising White and the potential he showed.

“Well, you’re always looking to make some upgrades and some changes – whether that’s schematic or with personnel,” Licht said. “We feel like we do have a good, solid core group [where] that can happen. Rachaad [White] is a good, young back that is just scratching the surface of what he can do. We think with Ryan Jensen coming back [that] we’ve got a solid offensive line… We always want to try to upgrade there.”

And with the Bucs planning to release Fournette on March 15 when the new league year begins, White appears primed to take over the team’s RB1 role.

TE Cade Otton

While Jason Licht didn’t have much to say about Otton directly, the former Washington tight end’s rookie success speaks for itself. He caught 42 passes, which was the second-most ever by a Bucs rookie tight end, for 391 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his scores came in clutch time, too, with the first being a late game-winner against Los Angeles and the second coming as part of the Bucs’ fourth-quarter comeback against the Saints.

While Tampa Bay would be wise to draft another tight end in 2023 to pair with Otton, the 23-year-old looks ready to take over the TE1 role for the Bucs. With Cameron Brate expected to be a salary cap casualty, Otton’s path is there. Head coach Todd Bowles said as much on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

“He can be, I mean he showed some things this year,” Bowles said. “For a rookie he played very well, you didn’t know he was a rookie – he plays very smart, he plays very tough, he’s a heady ball player. He’s only going to get stronger and better and I’m excited to see him.”

P Jake Camarda

Bucs P Jake Camarda – Photo by: USA Today

Along with White and Otton, Camarda was one of the Bucs rookies to really have an impact in 2022. He very quickly established himself as a reliable leg for Tampa Bay, posting a 48.8-yard average and a 41.4 net average while having 22 of his kicks downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. The former Georgia Bulldog also showed an impressive deal of athleticism to make a potential game-saving play in the Bucs’ Week 17 win over the Panthers – a win that helped them clinch the NFC South for the second straight season.

“Jake Camarda, [I’m] extremely happy with him on our roster,” Licht said. “I think the arrow is definitely going up.”

CB Zyon McCollum

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

McCollum is definitely a work in progress at the cornerback position, but he was something of a special teams ace for the Bucs in 2022. Jason Licht praised that aspect of his game on Tuesday while discussing his development as a cornerback.

“First of all, Zyon did an incredible job on special teams for us,” Licht said. “He’s learning the position in the NFL, he’s where I thought he would be coming out of his rookie year. We knew it would take some time; it doesn’t happen all the time where you see a late-round pick become a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Kudos to teams that did get that, but I do think he’s got the potential to be a starting corner in the league.”

McCollum faced long odds to be ready right away. It’s a major step up to the NFL from Sam Houston State, but the 23-year-old definitely has the athleticism and size to be the type of cornerback Bowles covets. In the meantime, he may find himself once again playing a meaningful role in Tampa Bay’s special teams units.

TE Ko Kieft

Whereas Jason Licht didn’t speak much about Otton on Tuesday, he made a point to talk about Kieft and what he brought to the team as a rookie.

“Ko, for minimal playing time compared to some of the others, made a big impact in his role,” Licht said.

He’s right, of course, given the blocking ability that the former Minnesota man brought to the offense. And despite not being known as a receiving threat, Kieft caught seven of his 10 targets on the year for 80 yards and a touchdown.