Round 2 – Wisconsin G Michael Deiter
6-6, 321 – Senior

The Buccaneers have struggled to find a guard that can play opposite Ali Marpet ever since Logan Mankins retired following the 2015 season. Kevin Pamphile flamed out. J.R. Sweezy was often injured. Caleb Benenoch struggled mightily in his first season starting at guard and resembled a turnstile in pass protection. Rookie Alex Cappa didn’t fare much better and may be no better than Benenoch despite being a third-round pick last year.

New head coach Bruce Arians and the Bucs organization can’t afford to wait to see if either Benenoch or Cappa can develop, especially during Jameis Winston’s critical fifth-year option season in 2019. Tampa Bay needs a rock solid guard to provide the interior pass protection that will allow Winston to throw from the pocket, in addition to an effective blocker in the running game.

Wisconsin G Michael Deiter – Photo by: Wisconsin athletics

Wisconsin’s Michael Deiter is one of the most accomplished linemen to come out of the Wisconsin, which is known for producing NFL-caliber offensive linemen like Dallas center Travis Frederick, Cleveland guard Kevin Zeitler, Los Angeles Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein, New Orleans right tackle Ryan Ramczyk and Detroit right tackle Rick Wagner among others. A four-year starter for the Badgers, Deiter started a school-record 54 games with 54 consecutive starts across the offensive line. Deiter had 24 starts at left guard, 16 at center and 14 at left tackle and was part of a senior class that went 42-12 (.778), including a 27-8 (.771) mark in Big Ten play and a 4-0 record in bowl games.

At 6-foot-6, 328 pounds, Deiter has optimum size to play guard at the NFL level, and started at left tackle during his junior season out of necessity in 2017 due to injuries, which only added to his versatility. During that year, Deiter helped pave the way for Doak Walker Award finalist Jonathan Taylor, who set FBS freshman rushing record with 1,977 yards, and was part of a unit that allowed just 1.5 sacks per game to lead the Big Ten. In 2017, the Badgers finished season ranked second in Big Ten in rushing offense (222.9 yards per game) and third in total offense (415.0 ypg).

“The number of things that he’s been asked to do or volunteered or wanted to do for this team, it speaks volumes on how much he cares about this team,” UW coach Paul Chryst told Madison.com. “To do that is one thing. To do it well is a whole other.”

Here is some film from the Ohio State game where Deiter did a pretty good job of blocking Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, who is generally regarded as a Top 5 pick in this year’s draft class.

As a senior, Deiter was voted as a team captain and moved back to left guard where he helped the Badgers lead the Big Ten in rushing yards and rank No. 6 nationally, averaging 273.4 yards per game, while averaging 6.2 yards per rushing attempt, the fourth-best mark nationally. Behind Deiter’s blocking, Taylor won the Doak Walker Award and was a unanimous first-team All-American, rushing for 2,194 yards as the nation’s leading rusher.

Deiter has ideal size at 6-foot-6, 321 pounds and does a phenomenal job of getting to the second level to seal off linebackers and safeties to help break off big runs. The Draft Network calls Deiter a “bully,” and that description is right on the mark.

Not only can Deiter get on the perimeter to block on screen passes with his speed and athleticism, he can also catch them. Deiter scored a touchdown on a lateral pass against Illinois last season.

Deiter is a very mature, intelligent offensive lineman and graduated in December degree in retailing and consumer behavior in December 2018. He’s an immediate Day 1 starter in Tampa Bay opposite Marpet along the offensive line, and he’s capable of getting a look at right tackle, too.

Click below to view Tampa Bay’s third-round pick in 2019.