Notable Draft Misses for the Bucs during Licht’s time as GM:
-14’) TE - Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Washington) Was the 38th overall selection but will go down as a bust. Was released two weeks into the 2016 season after a DUI arrest having had two injured plagued seasons before that.
-15’) QB - Jameis Winston - Florida State Spent five seasons as the Buccaneer starting QB. This draft will always be judged primarily on the selection of Jameis Winston who never developed into the franchise QB everyone hoped that the first overall pick would be. He was good at times, terrible at times and showed too much immaturity too.
-16’) Busts with the top three picks including trading up to take a kicker in the second round. Minor positives from the selections of Smith, Benenoch and Bond but you cannot blow the top three selections like this. GRADE: F
-17’) OJ Howard never panned out to anything like a first round selection. In his five Buccaneer seasons was used primarily as a blocker in 2021 having had his 2020 season curtailed through injury, Was a real deep threat at times in his first two seasons.
-18’) CB - MJ Stewart - North Carolina Saw some starting action as a rookie but moved to the back of the secondary rotation during 2019 and was released just prior to the start of the 2020 training camp. Was drafted with the 53rd overall pick, the first of two second round cornerback selections by the Bucs in 2018.
-19’) CB - Sean Murphy-Bunting - Central Michigan. Never was able to hold down a regular spot in his four years with the Bucs. Was selected 39th overall. 2019. 5 - K - Matt Gay - Utah. Had a real hit-or-miss rookie season with some great success from long distance but then three horror games against the Giants and Falcons twice in which his fieldgoal and PAT misses probably cost the Bucs victory. Did not impress during the 2020 training camp and was released in the final roster cutdown in favour of veteran Ryan Succop.
-20’) 3 - RB - Ke'shawn Vaughn - Vanderbilt Has seen limited playing time in his three seasons with the Bucs and has not shown the receiving skills he did in college. 5 - WR - Tyler Johnson - Minnesota Saw more extensive action in his second NFL season but never truly secured a reliable role in the receiving corps. Was released in 2022 training camp but did come back later in the year to be on the practice squad.
-21’) 1 - DE - Joe Tryon-Shoyinka - Washington. Started all but one game in his second season in the NFL and has recorded four sacks in each of his NFL seasons. 2 - QB - Kyle Trask - Florida. Finally saw regular season NFL action in the 2022 season finale in Atlanta when the starters were being rested having been a gameday inactive in 32 of the previous 33 games since being drafted 64th overall. Jaelon Darden Was selected in the 4th round and not on the team.
Weaknesses:
1. Drafting Kickers
2. Drafting TE’s
3. Drafting RB’s
4. Drafting DEs / DL
5. Drafting WR’s
6. Drafting QB’s
7. Drafting DB’s
8. An infinity for Washington University players. We have to have more than anyone.
9. Drafting for need and not BPA
10. Weakness at drafting certain positions makes us spend multiple picks each draft on the same positions in the hope one of them sticks
Strengths:
1. Drafting offensive linemen
2. Making draft day trades
3. Landing top talent
The Bucs drafting OT in round 1 or 2 is the best bet to improve this team in a hurry. I firmly believe this makes this team a .500 ball club at the very least because the rest of the line has pieces to work with.
Selecting TE's high is a weakness for Licht because he is looking at measurables more so than pure ability. I think Otton will buck this trend eventually.
Drafting a RB in the third round is always a sore point for me with Licht, because I always view the third round as a round where you can still grab a potential starting caliber player. Sims wasn't a full time RB, Vaughn hasn't shown it and I don't think White is that type of player either or it seems that way.
So if the Bucs draft trenches in rounds 1 and 2 I will be happy. Hopefully in the third round Licht avoids trying to do something cute like trade up for a RB or LB and does something to buck his tendencies in that round (eg stay pat and draft an edge rusher).
