All Twenty-Tuesday: Rookie Production

The Bucs wore red jerseys for the second time in two weeks, and that’s the reason they’re 2-0 in those two games.

Okay, that’s it. Thanks for reading.

Wait, that’s not why they’re 2-0? My apologies.

The play of the Buccaneers’ rookies has been instrumental these last two weeks, and even though I ultimately think it won’t matter in terms of any kind of postseason chance this year, seeing top-end production from so many rookies can only be encouraging for future seasons.

Justin Evans

Let’s start with safety Justin Evans. Evans got a key takeaway in the early part of last week’s game against the Miami Dolphins, his second takeaway of the season.

Evans’ narrative coming out of Texas A&M was that he was all about the big time plays. He was the kind of safety that would make great, athletic interceptions and lay big hits, but was also susceptible to not being fundamentally sound on simple tackles and coverage responsibilities. That second part is why Evans wasn’t a starter right away, but the first part is why Bucs fans are seeing his presence already making an impact.

In the play above, Evans was fully airborne with his body all bent out of shape to not only get to the location, but secure the ball in his hands. No other safety on this Bucs roster is doing that kind of stuff. Only Evans.

Speaking of things only Evans can do, I wanted to point out the different kinds of coverages the Bucs have been running now with Evans as the full-time starter.

As you can see in the clip above, Evans was the single safety in the deep zone. That’s what we mean when we talk about a “single-high” safety. When you play single-high, it allows you to then move your strong safety closer to the line of scrimmage to help stop the run or guard a slot receiver/tight end. This compliments what safety T.J. Ward does very well.

Even though it wasn’t the prettiest forced incompletion, having Evans in the game allows you to be more aggressive and gives your defense a chance to stack the box against the run or play press coverage and pair it with pressure.

Kendell Beckwith

Kendell Beckwith has been such a treat to watch in his rookies season. Not only has he been doing all this just seven month after ACL surgery, but he’s also doing it in ways he didn’t even show at LSU.

Take the play above for example. I wrote a Cover 3 after the draft being somewhat hesitant on the Beckwith pick because I knew he was going to have to play the SAM linebacker position and that position often has players taking on blocks and doing a lot of “dirty work,” if you will. At LSU, he often struggled to generate all of his strength play after play despite his size at just under 250 pounds, and was pushed around because of it. That worried me.

In the NFL, he’s been much better, and that is evident in the play above. In it, Beckwith (No. 51 on the left) filled the lane the running back was suppose to go through, and did his job to engage the lead blocker and make space for one of his teammates to clean up the tackle. He wasn’t pushed back as to continue to giving up the running lane, but instead held his ground well.

If you want a full review of the things Beckwith is doing at the linebacker position, you can read my Cover 3 on him from last week. In the Dolphins game, there aren’t as many examples of his good play to point out since he didn’t get nearly as many snaps as he usually does due to the fact that the Dolphins like to use three wide receivers and force the defense to take a linebacker off the field.

So, when Beckwith was in the game it was often as that dirty work player. We already saw one play of him doing his job to let another teammate get the stat, and in the play directly above he was rewarded for his previous dirty work by being the one to get the tackle for loss himself.

Beckwith continues to do everything asked of him and do it well.

O.J. Howard

Let’s switch things up a bit.

I’m not sure why teams continue to forget about O.J. Howard – some Bucs fans are probably wondering why Dirk Koetter forgets about him, too – but plays like the one above keep happening.

The play above was a perfect design. To start, it was a play-action base. We’ve talked a lot of about the Buccaneers’ identity, or lack thereof, on both side of the ball, but on offense I know this team is a play-action team at heart. That’s what running two tight ends is all about.

In the play above, the play-action froze the linebackers for a split second. As the quarterback rolled to his left, Howard ran to the right. The natural shift of the defense went against the grain from where Howard was running and that’s why there was such a coverage bust.

It helped that Howard was fast enough to get there, but that’s just using your tools correctly.

A few weeks ago Howard mentioned to the media that route running is the things he’s been working on the most on during his early time in the NFL.

I think it’s good that the team is getting Howard to work on a diverse route tree, but the play above shows us that he’ll likely never be the most crisp route runner – but he doesn’t have to be. Howard isn’t as sharp in terms of change of direction as his fellow rookie tight ends David Njoku and Evan Engram are, but that’s okay.

As you can see from the clip above, Howard still knew how to find the soft spot in zone. As long as you’re not trying to make him something he’s not, Howard can be everything you invested in him to be in the passing game.

Take Howard’s touchdown catch shown above as an example. There was nothing sharp about the route that Howard was running, but what was called allowed for his skills to shine; a quick release out of his stance, a route that allowed him to get in stride, and the chance to show off his hands.

The Buccaneers have a handful of players that, if you just get them going in a certain direction, they’re tough to keep up with. Howard is one of those players, and straight line speed is something he’s elite at with his size.

The utilization of Howard is going to go a long way into determining how successful this Buccaneers offense can be.

In the play above, Howard came in on a two-tight end set (Cameron Brate next to him). Howard blocked initially, as he usually does as the better blocker, but then released late for the screen pass. After one block sprung him into top speed, the rest was history. The play was called back for a holding penalty, but the skill still counts to point out.

Howard won’t be as explosive laterally or when changing direction as other tight ends, but that’s fine. You don’t need to expect him to be to still expect to see production. He’s elite in his own ways, and he’s already one of the best mismatch options the Bucs have.

Chris Godwin

Chris Godwin had two catches in the Dolphins game (the two we’re going to show) and they were arguably the two biggest of the game for the Bucs

On 2nd-and-10 with the two minute warning looming in a tie game, Godwin caught the pass shown above cold off the bench with the sun directly in his eyes. But those are no excuses for Godwin, you know why? Because he never makes any.

“Hey Godwin, go out there and run a go route as a distraction.”

Okay, Coach.

“Hey Godwin, go out there and block that linebacker on this run play.”

Okay, Coach.

“Hey Godwin, we need you in on this special teams play.”

Okay, Coach.

He does it all and he does it well. Godwin is another one of those players who does the dirty work and is now being rewarded.

It’s hard to appreciate just how good this throw and catch was even from the All-22 angle. But trust me, from where I was sitting in the press box, to watch not only the timing Fitzpatrick had to zip the ball into Godwin in stride, but the concentration that had to be proven on the catch itself? That was special.

Godwin is a very good player, one who I called for to be the starter in place of Adam Humphries next week and to finish out the season. I don’t think that will happen. This team likes the consistency they have with Humphries. But, Godwin’s day as a starter for this team is coming.

He’s already paving the way.

Click to the next page to give your conclusion on this class on the ones before it.