Sikkema’s Selections 11-15

11. RB Doug Martin
12. OLB Broderick Thomas
13. RB LeGarrette Blount
14. OLB Shelton Quarles
15. S Tanard Jackson

Sikkema’s Reaction – Rounds 11-15
I was pretty happy with how my team was shaping up to this point. I had size, strength and production all along my defensive line. I had swagger in my secondary, and I had two wide receivers who know a thing-or-two about catching passes in big moments.

Bucs Rb Doug Martin – Photo by: Getty Images

To open up the 11th round, it was time to make sure I had at least part of my running game solidified. I don’t think this is too much of a hot take, but I’ll say it. If Martin plays the rest of his career relatively injury free, he will be the Buccaneers’ all-time leading rusher. Right now Martin has 4,227 rushing yards to his name (all in Tampa Bay). He’s just 1,730 yards behind the all-time leader in James Wilder Jr. I think that record eventually belongs to Martin, and with that in mind, getting the franchise’ all-time leading rush in the 11th round is my biggest draft steal.

After that, I decided to keep the pass rush train going, even into my linebackers. Thomas is ninth all-time in the Bucs’ franchise in sacks with 26.5, and he’s the only linebacker in the Top 10. With my front four defensive linemen taking up all of the blocks, having Thomas paired with them as an added pass rushing threat would create more than enough probability for success on a play, even with just one extra player blitzing.

Since I couldn’t go three wide receivers and had to keep things relatively traditional – in formation, not so much in style of players – I decided to round out my running back position with a polarizing player. Blount is 11th on the team’s all-time rushing list, but averages the highest yards-per-carry for any of the back with a minimum of 400 career carries. He’s the goal line specialist and the short-yardage beast we needed.

For my final two picks, I went with two classic Buccaneer players that could not be more different. For the first, I knew I had to get some kind of traditional linebacker in play to assume the leadership duties. That role will be filled by Quarles. Quarles is the fourth-leading tackler in Buccaneers history, and brings both Pro Bowl and Super Bowl experience to lead the middle of the pack. Jackson, on the other hand, added to the swagger part of my secondary. He was a loose cannon as a free safety for five years in Tampa Bay, and is most known, in my memory, for nearly taking Dallas Clark’s life over the middle against the Colts (which I think is the hardest hit in team history).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsZZP6h6NMI

Last, but not least, read why Scott Reynolds chose the players he did on Day 3 on the next page.