Round 1, Pick No. 23 (via NE): Louisville CB Jaire Alexander

In this perfect mock draft for the Buccaneers, I have them trading back with the New England Patriots to pick up two first-round picks and one second-round pick. This scenario could also work with the Buffalo Bills, who select No. 12 and No. 22, but there would have to be a really good quarterback left for that to happen, and honestly, I think the Bills are looking to get as high as No. 4 for a trade up, not settle for No. 7.

Louisville CB Jaire Alexander – Photo by: Getty Images

This draft has a lot of talent in it at different areas, but some of it is very niche to needs at the top. That’s why a trade down of this nature would be perfect for Tampa Bay.

With their first pick, I have them addressing their cornerback need with a player who would be going higher than this had he not been hurt for 2017. Alexander was one of the best cornerbacks in the country when healthy as a sophomore in 2016. Alexander showed off great athleticism with good size at the Combine, running a 4.38 40-yard dash with a 35-inch vertical jump at 5-foot-10, 196 pounds. Alexander shows tenacious ball skills and can play a variety of different coverages, but the best part about his game is that when the moment is biggest and the lights are brightest, he shows up even more. He had a punt return for a touchdown in a big game versus Florida State, and had two interceptions in one game while guarding wide receiver Mike Williams when he and Deshaun Watson were at Clemson.

Alexander’s mentality and athleticism rivals that of Bucs current cornerback Brent Grimes. Grimes on one side with Alexander on the other for a year before Grimes likely retires is a good situation to be in moving forward.

Round 1, Pick No. 31 (via NE): UTEP OG Will Hernandez

This is about to get really mathematical, so I hope you can follow me, but two first round picks are better than one – I know, I know, you were promised you wouldn’t have to do math after high school.

Okay, so maybe that’s not always the case, but going back to what I said about the talent in the draft class, I think math is important for the Buccaneers. Here’s why. Is Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward a good player. Yes, he is. But, is he 16 picks better than if you were to pick Alexander at No. 23 instead? No, he’s not. Another example. Is guard Quenton Nelson a good player? Yes, he is. But, is he 24 picks better than if you were to get UTEP’s Hernandez at No. 31? No, he is not.

Nelson is going to be a stud All-Pro player for years, but Hernandez might be, too. Hernandez is a nasty blocker who really showed out at this year’s Senior Bowl. He’s played in and started all 49 games of his college career from freshman to senior year at left guard. He has the ability and availability to be a dominant run blocker, and has the tools to make it work in pass protection as well. If the Bucs came away with these two players in the first round, that’s two starters right off the bat.

Round 2, Pick No. 38: Georgia RB Nick Chubb

I think people really have forgotten about Chubb, who was thought of to be the next Adrian Peterson when he got to Georgia in 2014. As such a freak athlete for a player his size, Chubb rushed for 1,547 yards with 14 touchdowns as a true freshman. He had a terrible knee injury in 2015 that forced him to miss half of his sophomore year, but since then has played two full seasons, both of which he had even more carries than when he did as a freshman (all over 200 carries).

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Chubb ran a 4.52 at 227 pounds and recorded a 39.5-inch vertical with a 10-foot, 6-inch board jump. People like to reference the knee when they speak on Chubb because they’d rather talk about new running backs. They’d rather talk about Penn State’s Saquon Barkley or LSU’s Derrius Guice or even Georgia’s Sony Michel and USC’s Ronald Jones II. You’re allowed to like all of those guys, but to act like Chubb isn’t right there or even better than most of those backs I named is nothing more than people being tired of talking about him because “new” is more fun to talk about.

The fact of the matter is, Chubb is a workhorse running back who can play any down. He is the franchise running back the Bucs would love to have – especially at the draft price he’ll likely go for here as a second round pick.

Round 2, Pick No. 63 (via NE): Fort Hays St. DT Nathan Shepherd

If you’ve followed my work throughout this draft process you likely know my thoughts towards Shepherd. I think he’s the best defensive tackle in this entire class.

Fort Hays State DT Nathan Shepherd – Photo courtesy of FHSU

At 6-foot-5, 315 ponds, Shepherd moves like a linebacker in a massive body. He’s explosive, his hips can really move, his hands are violent and strong, and all of that allows him to be a force against the run and the pass. Shepherd primarily played the 3-tech defensive tackle position at Fort Hays State, but he also played some 1-tech nose tackle work, too. Though he played against lower level competition at Fort Hays State, his time at the Senior Bowl showed us that he cannot only play with, but also dominate, players from Power 5 schools.

As stated some in the last mock draft, even if Gerald McCoy is to stick around in Tampa Bay for the long-term, which may or may not happen due to salary cap situations, the team still needs an interior defensive lineman who can come in with the rotation and rush the pass. McCoy does that at a top level, but with no Clinton McDonald and no Chris Baker (in theory, at least) the Bucs need a pass-rushing player inside because Beau Allen and Mitch Unrein are more run-stuffers.

Shepherd will 25 during his rookie year, so he’s no spring chicken, but his strength is already up to that sort of speed for his age. He just needs the right defensive line coach and he’ll be fine – dominant, even.

Round 4, Pick No. 98 (via NYG): Humboldt State OT Alex Cappa

In both of the Bucs’ perfect mock drafts I have them selecting Cappa with their fourth-round pick.

There’s just too much sense to be had here with the connection with the Bucs liking small school guys combined with their need for an offensive lineman; not too much of a need to pick one before Day 3, but enough of a need to not wait past where Cappa might go.

Cappa is an intriguing player because he was completely dominant against his competition at the lower level and has good traits but will have more of a learning curve than say a guy like Shepherd will. The Bucs like to draft versatile offensive lineman that they know can at least play left or right tackle – or even guard – if needed, and Cappa has that kind of tape.

Round 5, Pick No. 144: Texas A&M S Armani Watts

S Armani Watts – Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

As stated before on the previous page, if the Bucs aren’t going to pick a guy like Florida State’s Derwin James at the top of the first round, they can likely wait to fix their safety need. They already have two depth players on the roster in Keith Tandy and Chris Conte, and honestly, if the rest of the defense steps up, either of those guys could be serviceable. Now, that’s all good evidence for the Bucs not having to overdraft a safety player, but it’s also a good reason why a player like Watts would be good to bring in in the later rounds.

With Watts’ athletic profile, he really is a boom or bust kind of guy. He’s known for his eye-popping plays, whether that be hits on player or the ball in the air, but he also has discipline issues when it comes to tackling. That was the same narrative surrounding Justin Evans last year (who played next to Watts at Texas A&M for one year) and we watched Evans overcome a lot of that bad discipline quickly. But, just because one guy did that doesn’t mean the next guy will. Watts’ recklessness is still a warning sign.

Watts is a risk, but a good risk to take here in the fifth round.

Round 6, Pick No. 202 (via PIT): Penn WR Justin Watson

Watson is a player that not many know, but will make a good impact wherever he lands. He might never be a starting caliber receiver, but as a depth guy and a special teams player, this is the kind of player you want near the 53-man line at the lower end of your roster.

Watson ended his career at Penn with three straight 1,000-yard receiving season, so he certainly knows how to produce, if called upon. He also put up great numbers at his pro day with a 4.42 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical jump.

The Bucs may not need a receiver, per se, but they always need good football players who can come cheap to fill out the rest of their roster. Watson could be that guy.

Round 7, Pick No. 255: Florida K Eddy Pineiro

Didn’t the Bucs just sign a kicker for a bunch of money?

First of all, his name is Chandler Catanzaro. And, second, yes, they did – three years, $9.75 million, to be exact.

The kicking game is all about what’s in the mind. It’s all about how you handle pressure. The Bucs learned the hard way last year what it was like losing game due to kicker failures, and they should do everything in their power for that not to happen again.

Catanzaro is fine and I think he will be a good kicker, but Pineiro, the former soccer player, was nearly automatic at Florida for two years from beyond 40 yards and even into the 50+ range. As a Florida fan, with the worst kicking ever post-Caleb Sturgis, I just expected the Pinerio magic to wear off and for him to start missing. But, he never really did.

In fact, he had the highest field goal percentage in college football last year, and that included some from beyond 50 yards. I’m not talking about investing a second-round pick in a guy like the team did with Roberto Aguayo, but with the second to last pick in the draft, if Piniero is there, I’m taking him. Likely no player with a bigger payoff than him for how many points he could score.