Bucs’ Best Bets: Quarterback

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 1-3: West Virginia QB Will Grier

Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians likes big, strong-armed quarterbacks that have swagger and can lead a team. At 6-foot-2, 217 pounds, Grier isn’t the biggest, nor does he have the strongest arm. Physically, he’s closer to Ryan Fitzpatrick than he is Jameis Winston, but Grier did throw for 7,354 yards with 71 touchdowns and just 20 interceptions over the past two seasons at West Virginia. And more importantly, he led the Mountaineers to some key wins and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy race.

Grier finished his college career with a disappointing showing at the Senior Bowl and at the NFL Scouting Combine, which will hurt his draft stock. Once thought of as a possible second-round pick, Grier, who met with Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich at the NFL Scouting Combine, is now likely a third-round pick. While it’s unlikely Tampa Bay would draft a quarterback as high as the third round this year, the Bucs did spend a third-round pick on Mike Glennon when former first-rounder Josh Freeman was in his fifth-year option. The Bucs have Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin and neither should be viewed as a long-term backup, nor a potential future starter in case something happens to Winston. If he’s there in the third round, Arians and general manager Jason Licht may consider drafting Grier.

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 4-7: Buffalo QB Tyree Jackson

Jackson, a junior entry, is the biggest quarterback in the draft at 6-foot-7, 249 pounds. That’s the type of stature that Arians wants in his pocket passer, and the fact that Jackson is extremely mobile, running a 4.59 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine only adds value. Jackson might have the strongest arm in the draft, and is accurate hitting the deep ball. He showed well at the Senior Bowl and may have increased his draft stock to the fourth round, especially after a junior season at Buffalo where he passed for 3,131 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The biggest challenge for Jackson is improving his accuracy on short and intermediate throws. He completed 60.3 percent of his passes as a sophomore, but saw his completion percentage fall to 55.3 percent last year, which hurts him. The Bucs might not consider Jackson in the fourth round with more pressing needs elsewhere, but if the former Bulls star is around in the fifth or sixth round, Tampa Bay may pull the trigger.