FAB 2. BUCS NEED ANOTHER EDGE RUSHER IN 2017
While Bucs general manager Jason Licht has come under fire for the selection of erratic rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo in the second round, his initial second round pick in 2016, defensive end Noah Spence, is living up to his draft billing. Spence had a sack-fumble – his second of the season – against Chicago in the red zone last week to deny the Bears points, and he’s really coming on strong.

Bucs DE Noah Spence – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I think that Noah, his skill set is very good for being a good pass rusher,” said Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith. “He’s strong-handed, he’s quick off the ball, he can bend and I think we’re seeing the more opportunities he has to rush, the more success he’s going to have. I still believe that the ceiling’s a lot higher than what he’s performing right now, but he’s performing at a very good level for a first-year player.”

Chicago’s Leonard Floyd leads all rookies with five sacks and a forced fumble – thanks in part to his 1.5 sacks of Jameis Winston on Sunday, while Spence is tied with San Diego’s Joey Bosa and Jacksonville’s Yannick Ngakoue for second in the league among rookies with four sacks. Ngakoue leads all rookies with three forced fumbles followed by Spence’s two.

But if the Bucs want to consistently apply pressure on opposing passers they’ll have to draft another edge rusher in 2017 to eventually start opposite Spence. Robert Ayers, the current starter at right defensive end, will be 32 by the start of the 2017 regular season, and has been limited to 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a safety this year due to a high ankle sprain.

At left defensive end, where Spence is currently operating, Jacquies Smith will be trying to come back from a torn ACL in 2017, while run stuffer Will Gholston is slated for free agency. With a 4-5 record heading into this week’s game at Kansas City, Tampa Bay is currently slated to have the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and could select a pass-rushing defensive end in the first round.

Here are 10 edge rushers to become familiar with as the 2017 college football season winds down:

1. Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett – 6-4, 268 – Junior – 4.57
Garrett is the nation’s premier edge rusher and is a bigger version of Von Miller, a former Aggies standout. After a breakout season that saw him record 14 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks, Garrett notched 18.5 tackles for loss last year along with another 11.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception. Injuries and increased attention have limited his productivity to 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery this year. Garrett is a sure-fire top-5 pick and could be the first overall selection in 2017. The Bucs would love to have Garrett rushing from the right defensive end spot, but would have to move up to get him.

2. Alabama DE Jonathan Allen – 6-3, 291 – Senior – 4.85
Allen has the agility, quickness and athleticism to play defensive end in a 3-4 like he does at Alabama, or he could play three-technique in a 4-3 and perhaps strongside defensive end in a 4-3 scheme as well. Allen whose athletic ability was on display in this Superman sack at Texas A&M, had 12 sacks last year in helping Alabama win a national title, and has seven this season and 26 in his illustrious career. He also has two fumble returns for touchdowns that showcased his athleticism, including a 75-yarder in a 48-43 win over Ole Miss and a 30-yarder against Texas A&M that put the nail in the coffin of a 33-14 victory. Allen, a likely top-5 pick could be a long-term replacement for Gerald McCoy at the three-tech spot or a starter at left defensive end in Tampa Bay, but won’t be around when the Bucs pick.

3. Alabama DE Tim Williams – 6-3, 252 – Senior – 4.76
The Bucs need some real speed off the edge, and Williams is a quick-twitch, heat-seeking missile. Williams had 10.5 sacks last year and 19.5 tackles for loss, has eight sacks through 2016 and has compiled 20 QB takedowns in his Alabama career. He’s had at least half a sack in each of the last eight games for the Crimson Tide. Williams has also forced two fumbles this year and has a 23-yard return for a touchdown against Arkansas. Williams was arrested on a misdemeanor gun charge of carrying a pistol without a permit in September, which could affect his draft status, but didn’t force him to miss any playing time. The Bucs would love to have Williams, a first-round prospect, rushing from either right or left end.

4. Missouri DE Charles Harris – 6-3, 255 – Junior – 4.74
After recording two sacks as a freshman, Harris emerged as a starter in 2015 and posted seven sacks as a right defensive end. Missouri’s poor offense has made the Tigers fall behind quickly and limited Harris’ sack opportunities, but he’s still notched eight sacks this year. With an elite get-off, Harris has three multiple sack games this year in the SEC and he has five forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his Mizzou career. Built similar to former Tiger Jacquies Smith, Harris is an ideal pass-rushing bookend opposite Spence with the ability to play right or left defensive end. Harris has rare explosiveness, or “juice,” as the Bucs’ front office would call it.

5. Tennessee DE Derek Barnett – 6-3, 265 – Junior – 4.76
Barnett has been a model of consistency in the SEC with 10 sacks in each of his first two years at Tennessee. Barnett already has 10 sacks during his junior season, in addition to his first career interception and two forced fumbles this year. Barnett has good size and has become more of an agile pass rusher this season. He has a high motor and has good size at the point of attack against the run. He’s similar to former Tennessee defensive end and current Buccaneer Robert Ayers, and has the ability to play either left or right defensive end in the NFL, which appeals to the Bucs.

6. Auburn DE Carl Lawson – 6-2, 253 – Junior – 4.67
Lawson missed the entire 2014 season with a torn ACL and missed six games last year with a hip injury, finishing with just one sack. Now completely healthy, Lawson looks like the player he was becoming as a freshman when he recorded four sacks. The relentless edge rusher has nine sacks in 2016, including at least half a sack in the last eight games. Lawson has also forced three fumbles in his Tigers career, and his skill set would fit in Tampa Bay, but is he too similar to Spence from a body-type standpoint? And how will Lawson’s medical report check out?

7. Stanford DE Solomon Thomas – 6-2, 275 – Redshirt Sophomore – 4.84
Playing defensive end in Stanford’s 3-4 scheme, Thomas has shown tremendous improvement from his redshirt freshman season in which he had 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. Thomas has 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble this year. Thomas’ game is based on power rather than speed, so he would strictly be a strongside defensive end candidate in Tampa Bay if he leaves Stanford early.

8. Florida State DE DeMarcus Walker – 6-2, 273 – Senior – 4.86
After a 10.5-sack, four-forced fumble season as a junior, Walker had a coming out party against Ole Miss in the 2016 season opener with 4.5 sacks. He has 11 sacks thus far along with three forced fumbles and a key blocked extra point in a narrow win over Miami. Walker is a compactly built strongside end that has a knack for making big plays at critical times and is a good leader. However, he’s not a terribly quick-twitch athlete and would only fit in with the Bucs on the strongside.

9. Illinois DE Dawuane Smoot – 6-3, 255 – Senior – 4.83
A strong, powerful defensive end, Smoot had a breakout year in 2015 with 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He’s regressed a bit statistically in Lovie Smith and Hardy Nickerson’s defense, notching just 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. Smoot is similarly built to Ayers and could be a fit in Tampa Bay, although he may not be explosive enough to play right end.

10. Michigan DE Taco Charlton – 6-5, 272 – Senior – 4.87
Charlton has 14 career sacks and one forced fumble in his Wolverines career, but has only been a full-time starter at defensive end during his senior year. He had 5.5 sacks last year and has five this season. A big, rangy defensive end, Charlton has good size, but is not an electric pass rusher like Garrett, Williams or Harris are. Charlton is strictly a strongside end candidate in the NFL for a team like Tampa Bay that plays in a 4-3 scheme.