Bucs’ Best Bets: Defensive Tackle

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 1-3: Ohio State DT Davon Hamilton

The Buccaneers could use a big run-stuffing defensive tackle to groom behind Ndamukong Suh, who is only signed through the 2020 season. Hamilton was a role player up until his senior season when he recorded 28 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and one fumble recovery – all career highs – in his first year as a starter. At 6-foot-4, 322 pounds, Hamilton has the size and strength (33 reps on the bench press) to not only play the three-technique defensive tackle position that Suh plays, but also be a reserve nose tackle behind Vita Vea.

The Bucs have moved on from veteran Beau Allen, a big 330-pound reserve run-stuffer, and Hamilton, who had an informal meeting with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine, has the size to fill that void. Where Hamilton has more upside than Allen is as a pass rusher, evidenced by six sacks in 2019, including a takedown of Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence. Hamilton had a great week at the Senior Bowl where he displayed great power in run defense and the ability to push the pocket in the passing game. Hamilton would be a great addition to Tampa Bay’s defensive line as a third-round pick.

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 4-7: LSU DT Rashard Lawrence

It’s clear that Bucs general manager Jason Licht and head coach Bruce Arians like LSU defensive players, and that means that Lawrence is on Tampa Bay’s radar. Like Devin White, the Bucs’ first-round draft pick from a year ago, Lawrence was a well-respected, vocal leader for the vaunted Tigers defense and helped lead LSU to a national championship last year. A three-year starter, Lawrence amassed 120 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Tigers.

At 6-foot-2, 308 pounds, Lawrence doesn’t have overwhelming size, but he is stout enough to hold his ground at the point of attack in run defense. He is a hard-working, high character defensive tackle that has a winner’s attitude. Teaming Lawrence up with White again could pay big dividends over the next decade as Tampa Bay’s defense is building towards becoming one of the top units in the NFL. Lawrence, who had an informal interview with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine, would be a suitable replacement for Suh at the three technique defensive tackle spot and an ideal pick for Tampa Bay in the fourth round.

Bucs’ Best Bet: Edge Rusher

Bucs’ Best Bet Rounds 1-3: LSU OLB K’Lavon Chaisson

Chaisson is a risky first-round pick because of his lack of production at LSU. He enters the draft as a redshirt sophomore with just 92 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 9.5 career sacks, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. Chaisson missed most of his 2018 season after tearing his ACL in the season opener. He returned in 2019 and had the most productive year of his career, recording 60 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in helping LSU win the national championship. What makes him a first-round pick is his elite athleticism and potential rather than his production. Chaisson didn’t test at the NFL Scouting Combine, but the film shows a speedy edge rusher with the ability to dip his shoulder and bend the curve when getting after the quarterback.

The Bucs had a formal interview with Chaisson in Indianapolis and if the top four tackles are off the board by the time the team picks at No. 14, Chaisson could be an intriguing option to replace Carl Nassib in the outside linebacker rotation. Chaisson played in a 3-4 scheme at LSU and he’s a perfect fit in Todd Bowles defense. It usually takes young edge rushers a year or two to develop and the 20-year old Chaisson would be an ideal heir apparent to either Jason Pierre-Paul, who turned 31 in January, or Shaquil Barrett, who turns 28 this year. Chaisson is not ready to be an every down defender yet, but he could learn from two accomplished pass rushers, help the team this year as a situational pass rusher and provide depth, and then start in a year or two.

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 4-7: Utah OLB Bradlee Anae

Aane finished his four-year career at Utah as the school’s all-time leading sacker with 29.5, including 13 during his senior campaign. Anae racked up 131 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries at Utah, making him one of the more accomplished pass rushers in this draft class. Anae wins with tremendous technique and physicality rather than pure athleticism. He has enough size at 6-foot-3, 257 pounds and toughness to set the edge in the running game, but his lack of athleticism – 4.93 in the 40-yard dash and a 31-inch vertical leap – will cause him to drop to the third or fourth round despite his production.

Anae is a bad ass and just gets the job done as an edge rusher. He has fantastic hands, which helped him to rack up three sacks during the Senior Bowl, in addition to several hurries – one of which caused an interception. Anae, who had an informal interview with Tampa Bay at the NFL Scouting Combine, is just a gritty football player that would fit in well with the Bucs defense as a strongside edge rusher, replacing Carl Nassib, who played the game the same way. If Anae lasts until the fourth round he would be an outstanding pick up by Tampa Bay from a value standpoint.

Bucs’ Best Bets: Inside Linebacker

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 1-3: Mississippi State ILB Willie Gay

Gay is a polarizing draft prospect in that he’s a tremendous athlete with good productivity in his three years at Mississippi State, but he comes with some character concerns. Gay recorded 99 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown for the Bulldogs, including 48 stops, 5.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions as a starter as a sophomore. But last year, Gay was suspended twice – once for academic fraud and once for getting into a fight with the team’s quarterback and breaking the QB’s jaw – and was limited to just five games.

Gay turned heads at the NFL Scouting Combine running 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1, 243 pounds. To put that in perspective, Devin White, last year’s first-round pick in Tampa Bay, blazed a 4.42 at 6-foot, 237 pounds – a very similar time for a very similar-sized linebacker. The Bucs love speed and playmaking ability, and that’s why Gay is on the team’s radar. Gay had an informal meeting with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine, but did meet with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in Indianapolis. Gay could slide to Day 3 due to the character issues, but would be a good value in the third round if the Bucs wanted to draft a linebacker that could be an heir apparent to Lavonte David.

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 4-7: Miami ILB Shaquille Quarterman

Quarterman is a four-year starter for the Hurricanes that was highly productive and stayed healthy during his time in Miami. The 6-foot, 234-pound middle linebacker recorded 356 tackles, 46.5 tackles for loss, 13 pass breakups, 12 sacks, five fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, one interception and one defensive touchdown during his collegiate career. Quarterman is a no-nonsense linebacker with great leadership skills.

Quarterman is a better football player than he is an athlete, evidenced by a pedestrian 4.74 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, in addition to a 31-inch vertical leap. He played on the East Squad coached by Bucs inside linebackers coach Mike Caldwell, who was the head coach of that team at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Quarterman developed a good rapport with Caldwell there, and then met with him again in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine during an informal interview. Kevin Minter signed a one-year deal to be the backup Mike linebacker behind White, and Quarterman could be drafted on Day 3 to ultimately replace him and possibly be groomed to replace David.

Bucs’ Best Bets: Cornerback

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 1-3: Virginia CB Bryce Hall

Hall was very productive at Virginia and a leader in the secondary, recording 154 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 38 pass breakups, five interceptions and four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries in his four-year career with the Cavaliers. Hall established himself as a junior with 62 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 21 pass breakups, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Hall’s senior season was cut short with a severely broken ankle that limited him to just six games.

Hall was recently cleared to work out and the team that drafts him should be able to count on him for training camp, but he wasn’t the fastest cornerback prior to hurting his ankle and there are some concerns about his speed since the injury that could push his draft stock down into the third or fourth round. Because cornerback is not a pressing need for Tampa Bay, the Bucs won’t consider one prior to the third round. If Hall is there in the third round the team may consider pulling the trigger because of the value. At 6-foot-1, 202 pounds, he has the size and physicality the Bucs like at the position. He’s adept at blitzing from the slot, but can play press-man outside. Hall had an informal meeting with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine, and met with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.

Bucs’ Best Bets Rounds 4-7: Louisiana Tech CB L’Jarius Sneed

Sneed played cornerback early in his Bulldogs career before making the move to safety as a senior where he thrived, recording 73 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, breaking up six passes, while recording three interceptions and one touchdown. Tampa Bay views Sneed, whom the team met with informally at the NFL Scouting Combine, as a cornerback capable of playing in the slot where he enjoyed favorable match-ups due to his physicality near the line of scrimmage.

At 6-foot, 192 pounds he meets the physical requirements the Bucs have for their cornerbacks. Sneed recorded 177 tackles during his four-year career at Louisiana Tech, and had 2.5 sacks blitzing from the slot cornerback position. Sneed also has good ball skills, evidenced by eight career interceptions, including three in each of the last two seasons, in addition to his 19 pass breakups. Sneed still has some work to do with his technique, and didn’t always play against high-level competition. Those factors will make him a Day 3 selection, but his 4.37 speed is intriguing and could push his draft stock up to the fourth or fifth round.

Bucs’ Best Bets At Safety

Bucs’ Best Bet At S Rounds 1-3: Cal FS Ashtyn Davis

Davis is a very, versatile athletic safety that can play in the box, but is probably better suited to play free safety at the next level. Davis recorded 166 tackles, two tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in his four years with the Golden Bears. Davis has great ball skills, evidenced by six interceptions combined over the last two years, in addition to three fumble recoveries. Davis has very good football instincts and a knack for being around the ball.

One knock on Davis is that he is a 24-year old redshirt senior and being two to three years older than most draft prospects entering the NFL. Perhaps that makes him a more experienced and more mature player, but he’s the same age as Bucs safety Justin Evans, who is entering his third season in the league in 2020, and it could shorten his NFL career. That, and a torn abductor muscle that needed surgery and prevented Davis from working out at the NFL Scouting Combine, could hurt Davis’ draft stock a bit. He could be a strong value for the Bucs, who informally interviewed him in Indianapolis.

Bucs’ Best Bet At S Rounds 4-7: Georgia FS J.R. Reed

Reed is the son of former NFL wide receiver Jake Reed, who used to play against the Buccaneers as a member of the Vikings back in the NFC Central division days. Reed had a productive three years as a starter and a leader for the Bulldogs defense, totaling 199 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 14 pass breakups, five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns.

Reed is a good athlete with a solid build at 6-foot-1, 202 pounds. He’s fast enough at 4.54 in the 40-yard dash to man up against tight ends and some bigger receivers in coverage from the slot, but it’s his instincts and high football I.Q. that have NFL teams excited about his promise at the next level. The Bucs had an informal interview with Reed at the NFL Scouting Combine and he could be a selection for Tampa Bay near the top of Day 3 in the fourth round.