Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 1-3: UCF OLB Shaquem Griffin

Griffin was one of the best stories in college football, overcoming the odds of only having one hand to become one of the top playmaking linebackers last year in helping the UCF Knights go undefeated and beat Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. Griffin burst onto the scene as a junior with 92 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, one interception, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Last year, he racked up 74 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one interception, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles two fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown. Griffin was clocked at 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, making the 6-foot-1, 223-pound defender one of the fastest players in the draft. Whether it’s as a blitzer, a tackler or a playmaker, Griffin and his brand of leadership would be an asset to Tampa Bay as a third-round pick. The Bucs don’t necessarily need to draft a linebacker, but he may be too good of a player to pass up in the middle rounds.

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 4-7: Wisconsin OLB Leon Jacobs

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Jacobs is a jacked up brickhouse of a linebacker – and he hits like ton of bricks, too. Jacobs is a versatile, all-around linebacker with good coverage skills, evidenced by three career interceptions, and the ability to be an effective blitzer with 6.5 career sacks. Jacobs battled through injuries at Wisconsin to put together a fine senior year in which he recorded 60 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown and one forced fumble. The Bucs like speedy linebackers and Jacobs blazed a time of 4.48 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, which opened some eyes. Because he was unable to string together successful seasons with the Badgers, his instincts might be a little behind the curve. But get him in Tampa as a fourth- or fifth-round pick and get him coached up by Mark Duffner and he could be an eventual replacement for Lavonte David one day while starring on special teams as a reserve.