FAB 2. My Draft Advice For Licht

With an able front office staff around him that includes the likes of director of player personnel John Spytek, director of college scouting Mike Biehl and director of football administration Mike Greenberg, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht doesn’t need my advice when it comes to the 2020 NFL Draft. But I’m here to give it to him anyways.

That’s what I do here in SR’s Fab 5.

Play It Safe This Year

While most of the draft evaluation is comprised of watching game film of this year’s draft prospects, NFL teams like Tampa Bay don’t have the benefit from the in-person visits to gauge a player’s character, read his body language and see how he interacts with others, nor do the Bucs have any pro day data to glean any more information from. That being said, Licht needs to stick to the tape and play it safe.

Former Bucs TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins – Photo by: Getty Images

The Bucs should draft highly productive college players with no character concerns and little to no injury history. If there is draft to play it safe, let it be this one. No Austin Seferian-Jenkins types. No Noah Spences. No Roberto Aguayos. This isn’t the draft for boom-or-bust type players – not with the Bucs being on the verge of returning to the playoffs with Tom Brady under center. Licht doesn’t have to swing for the fences and hit home runs in this draft – just a triple and a couple of doubles will suffice given the COVID-19 circumstances.

Flood The RB Position

I think Licht will flood the offensive line with the selection of at least two linemen, but he also needs to do the same at the running back position. Last year proved that Ronald Jones II is a competent NFL running back, but not a 1,000-yard rusher – not yet. Remember that it took until Week 17 for Jones to get his first 100-yard rushing game, in addition to his first career run over 30 yards. Jones needs some competition to either push him towards greatness or push him to the bench where he can serve the team in a reserve capacity.

Memphis RB Patrick Taylor, Jr. – Photo by: Getty Images

Peyton Barber is gone, but Licht can’t just be focused on replacing him. The Bucs need to look at their entire running back stable, which consists of Dare Ogunbowale, T.J. Logan and Aca’Cedric Ware and provide competition at the team’s third-down back role, too. Licht should plan on drafting a running back on Day 2 and also on Day 3 to infuse the position with new talent. If he doesn’t come away with two running backs in this draft class he needs to sign a cheap veteran after the draft, such as Carlos Hyde, Chris Thompson or Devonta Freeman.

Come Away With A QB For The Future

I’m guessing the Bucs will have just two years – maybe three – with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bruce Arians before both retire. We’re talking about the best quarterback in NFL history and one of the best coaches when it comes to developing quarterbacks. There’s no time to waste when it comes to trying to find Brady’s eventual replacement.

Iowa QB Nate Stanley – Photo courtesy of Iowa

This is not a stellar draft class when it comes to quarterback talent or depth outside of the first-round guys like LSU’s Joe Burrow, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert, but there are some interesting, developmental options that Tampa Bay should consider on Day 3, including Iowa’s Nate Stanley, Florida International’s James Morgan and Princeton’s Kevin Davidson. Stanley had an informal interview with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Morgan and Davidson played for Bucs linebackers coach Mike Caldwell at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Getting a young signal caller in the building to learn under Brady and Arians for two years is more beneficial than addressing the position next year and only giving that young QB just one year’s worth of exposure to those legends.

Wait On A Wide Receiver

In an SR’s Fab 5 two weeks I explored the possibility of the Bucs drafting Alabama’s speedy wide receiver Henry Ruggs III with the 14th overall pick. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Tampa Bay pick Ruggs if he’s available when the team is on the clock, especially if there is a run on offensive tackles before the Bucs select because he’s a special wide receiver. But this is the deepest wide receiver class in decades – even deeper than 2014 – so the Bucs could wait until Day 3 and still get a player in the fifth round that has third- or fourth-round talent.

South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards – Photo courtesy of South Carolina

There are several talented receivers that could be had on Day 3, including Memphis’ Antonio Gibson, South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards, Virginia’s Joe Reed, Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson, Rhode Island’s Aaron Parker, Tulane’s Darnell Mooney and Tennessee’s Jauan Jennings. Some of those receivers have size, while others have speed. Some have a mix of both. Any of them could help the Buccaneers.

Don’t Be Afraid To Trade Down

This is a very deep draft that is stocked at several positions on offense, especially along the offensive line, at running back and most certainly at wide receiver. If I’m Licht and the player I want isn’t there at No. 14, I’m seriously considering trading back to stockpile picks in the second, third and fourth rounds where there is a ton of value.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Let’s say Miami wanted to trade up to No. 14 with Tampa Bay. That pick has a 1,100 point value. The Dolphins’ 26th overall pick has a value of 700 points on the NFL Draft trade chart and the Dolphins have two second-round picks – one at No. 39 (510 points) and one at No. 56 (340 points). Miami also has a third-round pick at No. 70 (240 points) and a fifth-rounder (36 points). If I’m Licht, I would take Miami’s late-round first-rounder, late second-rounder, third-rounder and fifth-rounder and give the Dolphins the Bucs’ third-round pick (210 points).

Here’s what Licht could do with this draft haul, which includes two extra picks.

No. 26 Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor
No. 45 St. John’s OT Ben Bartch
No. 56 Utah OLB Bradlee Anae
No. 70 LSU G Damien Lewis
No. 117 Memphis WR-RB Antonio Gibson
No. 139 Ohio State DT Davon Hamilton
No. 153 Iowa QB Nate Stanley
No. 162 Miami ILB Shaquille Quarterman
No. 195 Tulane WR Darnell Mooney

That gives the Bucs two new offensive linemen, including a starting right tackle in Bartch, a new running back to challenge Ronald Jones II, an offensive weapon that can play receiver or running back, another edge rusher, a young defensive tackle to groom behind Ndamukong Suh, a reserve inside linebacker to eventually replace Kevin Minter, a developmental quarterback, and another speed receiver.