I would like to offer a few thoughts about the upcoming draft for the Bucs. They are in no particular order, but when taken together they may shed a little light on how the Bucs might be able to maximize their opportunities. So here goes:(1) It appears that Myles Jack is starting to slip because of his knee, and may actually drop out of the top 10. I think that benefits the Bucs because it may elevate some of the better tackles, putting pressure on the Titans to trade up to get one of the top-rated offensive tackles.(2) After looking at the latest Drafttek mock draft, it seems to me that the real value in this draft is in rounds 3, 4, and 5. There are many quality players slotted in these rounds that could be immediate contributors for the Bucs, especially on defense. The key is to find the gems in this area. If you have extra picks in these rounds you may be sitting pretty.(3) There are at least 3, maybe 4, teams that have QB issues. Those teams are the Browns, the Jets, the Broncos, and possible the Cowboys. Each will be in varying degrees of desperation to find a quality young QB to either start this year or groom for next year. The Brady situation adds some drama to the situation.(4) When we evaluate players, we offer gravitate to BPA or need, or some combination of the two factors. What we are always lacking is the third, and maybe most important factor, which is the mindset between the ears of each player. The Bucs spend a great deal of time on this factor but we seldom know how they view each player regarding their love for the game. (5) Everyone likes to talk about trades before the draft starts or on draft day. This year is very different with the 2 mega trades having already taken place. In my opinion, the Bucs have 2 very good opportunities for trades this year. (a) The first one is to trade for Glennon for a pick. My thought here is that a reasonable trade might be with the Browns – the Bucs getting the Brown’s #77 pick (3rd round) (210 trade chart points) straight up for Glennon. The Jets might also be another very good trade option.(b) The second opportunity might be with the Titans in round one because they need offensive line help. Looking at the trade chart, the Bucs could trade their #9 pick (1st round) (1350 points) and their #183 pick (6th round) (18 points) to the Titans in exchange for their #15 pick (1st round) (1050 points), their #64 pick (3rd round) (270 points), their #140 pick (5th round) (36 points), and their #193 pick (6th round) (14 points). What is the probability of both trades happening - maybe 25%? What is the probability of one trade happening – maybe 50%? So I decided to use the slotting in the latest Drafttek mock draft to see what type of talent the Bucs could select if both of the above trades happened. I included 2 names for each picks that would be on the board at that time. I would select the first name listed in each round but could live with either player. Look closely at rounds 3, 4, and 5. This is where I think the draft will be won.Round 1 #15: Sheldon Rankins DT43 Louisville Andrew Billings DT43 BaylorRound 2 #39: Vonn Bell SS Ohio State Jalen Mills FS LSURound 3 #64: Shon Coleman ROT Auburn Xavien Howard CB BaylorRound 3 #74: KeiVarae Russell CB Notre Dame Kyle Murphy LOT StanfordRound 3 # 77: Deion Jones ILB LSU Joshua Perry OLB43 Ohio StateRound 4 #108: Pharoh Cooper WRF S. Carolina Miles Killebrew SS S. UtahRound 5 #140: Matt Judon DE43 Grand Valley State Justin Simmons FS Boston CollegeRound 5 #148: Harlan Miller CB S.E. Louisiana Victor Ochi OLB34 Stoney BrookRound 6 #193: Joe Thurney OG N. Carolina State Robert Aguayo PK Florida StateRound 6 #197: Dan Vitale FB Northwestern Keith Marshall RBF GeorgiaSo the Bucs go into the draft with 7 picks. They could come out of the draft with 7 picks (or less if they trade up), 8 picks (with the Glennon trade), 9 picks with the Titans trade, and 10 picks if both trades take place. If the Bucs get any of these players, I will be quite happy. In my opinion, this is a draft where quantity and quality may converge in the middle rounds. I would like to hear your comments.
