While free agency is under two weeks away, the attention of the football world is currently on the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. While coaches and general managers spoke with the media earlier this week, prospects will be talking all week.

Saturday marked the third day of testing and drills inside Lucas Oil Stadium. It was the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends who took center stage. Below are some of the standouts from Day 3 of the NFL Combine who may be potential Bucs targets.

NFL Combine Standouts Of Interest To The Bucs – QBs, WRs, TEs

Florida QB Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson had the most eyes watching him on Saturday and did not disappoint. Not only did he pace all quarterbacks participating in the drills, but since 2003, he tied with Robert Griffin III (2012) for the highest athleticism score, per Next Gen Stats. Richardson had a formal meeting with the Bucs in Indianapolis.

While Richardson is a remarkable athlete, the biggest question mark for him coming out of Florida is his accuracy. In 2022, he only completed 176-of-327 of his passes, equating to 53.8%.

While this is a concern NFL evaluators have to consider, let’s not forget the same knocks were placed on Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming. In Allen’s junior year, he completed 56.3% of his passes for 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.

The Buffalo Bills took a gamble on Allen, selecting him seventh overall in 2018. Another team could easily do the same on Richardson and believe they can mold him into a franchise player. The skills are there; just look at the long throws he makes look so effortless.

Florida QB Anthony Richardson – Photo by: USA Today

With his performance, it is unlikely the Bucs will see him on the board when they pick at No.19. To keep him in Florida will certainly require a trade-up.

He is the total package, and the team has already shown interest by formally interviewing him. If there is one word to describe Richardson, it’s potential. His college teammate and receiver Justin Shorter reiterated this point at the Combine.

“He’s a freak of nature,” Shorter said of Richardson. “The whole team is going to elevate just because of the guy he is. I can’t wait to see him ­– his arm, he’s a super-strong, accurate kid. He’s young too, which is amazing. He has a lot more room to get better.”

Kentucky QB Will Levis

Another quarterback with many tools, Will Levis put on an impressive display during the afternoon. Standing at 6-4 and weighing 229 pounds, he has all the measurables of an NFL signal-caller. If it were not for Richardson having unprecedented physical traits, Levis would have been the talk of the day.

He demonstrated his quick release and velocity on many of his throws down the field.

As is the case with Richardson, the Bucs will be hard-pressed to have Levis fall in their lap. He offered his thoughts on Friday about how his formal interview with the team went.

UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson

If Richardson nor Levis are options for the Bucs in the first round, another option is UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson on either Day 2 or 3. An overlooked prospect coming into the week, he definitely has seen his stock increase.

Thompson-Robinson beat out both Richardson and Levis for the fastest ball thrown throughout the day, tying a Combine record. His pass clocked in at 62 mph, while Richardson (60 mph) and Levis (59 mph) trailed behind. Obviously, one pass has no bearing on being drafted, but this was a symbol and culmination of an impressive day.

Thompson-Robinson also ran 4.56 on the 40-yard dash and a 1.51 10-yard split. This speed pairs well with the accuracy and arm strength that he put on film with the Bruins in 2022.

He threw for 3,169 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions last season while completing 69.6% of his passes. On the ground, he added 645 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. That dual-threat ability makes him an intriguing, under-the-radar option for the Bucs.

Boston College WR Zay Flowers

Zay Flowers received glowing remarks at the Combine from Steve Smith Sr., one of the top wide receivers of the 2000s. The former Panthers and Ravens receiver called Flowers a bigger and faster ‘dog’ than him.

That endorsement means a lot from someone who has been there and done that at the NFL level. Asked if he would draft him as a general manager, Smith Sr. added, “I’ll give him an Agent 89 stamp of approval.”

It’s easy to see why. Flowers is a quick-twitch player with the dynamic ability to give a defense fits. With the ball in his hands during the gauntlet drill, he ran it with crispness and ease.

Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds pegged Flowers as the Bucs’ first-round selection in PR’s first mock draft, while comparing him to a former Bucs wide receiver and a receiver who had a lot of success while being coached by new offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett – Photo by: USA Today

“Flowers is one of the fastest, quickest receivers in this year’s draft class,” Reynolds wrote. “His game is reminiscent of AB (Antonio Brown) with a little bit of Tyler Lockett thrown in for good measure. Brown is 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, while Lockett is 5-foot-10, 182 pounds.”

The Bucs could look to address wide receiver through the draft whether or not they choose to move on from Russell Gage. In addition, more aerial support may be required as Julio Jones, Scotty Miller, Breshad Perriman, and Tyler Johnson are likely to depart.

This would set Flowers, who had an informal meeting with the Bucs, in a great position to learn behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin while drawing favorable coverage. It remains to be seen what the Bucs will do to create more offense next season, but adding Flowers would bring some immediately.

TCU WR Quentin Johnston

Quentin Johnston literally and figuratively jumped off the charts during his showing at the NFL Combine. Johnston, who had a formal meeting with the Bucs, is a big deep-ball threat who measured in at 6-2 3/4 and 208 pounds. It is evident that he has great body control and the bounce to go up and get it.

With a 40 1/2-inch vertical, Johnston can wreak havoc if defenses forget about him or do not match up against him properly. In his college career at TCU, he averaged exactly 19 yards per reception. As the Horned Frogs went on to be the runner-up in the National Championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs in 2022, Johnston was a big reason why. He was the team’s leading receiver, hauling in 60 receptions for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns.

While he did not run a 40 at the Combine (he will at his pro day), he did enough to impress and illustrate why he is worthy of being a first-round pick.

Iowa TE Sam LaPorta

Some colleges are known for grooming position players who go on to blossom in the NFL. In recent seasons, it has been Oklahoma and quarterbacks. Georgia and running backs. Ohio State and wide receivers. But just as noteworthy is Iowa and the tight ends that they grow like midwestern crops.

49ers TE George Kittle – Photo by: USA Today

Former Hawkeyes George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson are two of the leading players at the position. Noah Fant is a solid starter with some upside.

But what about Sam LaPorta? He is the latest tight end who can continue the lineage. In a lot of ways, he already resembles one of the alums.

LaPorta had a formal interview with the Bucs this week and would pair well as the second tight end to Cade Otton. In his last two college seasons, LaPorta has put up consecutive campaigns with more than 50 receptions and 650 yards. In an offense with more structure and better quarterback play than that at Iowa, those numbers could even improve.

It is also worth noting LaPorta’s impressive measurables. He ran the third-fastest 40 in his position group at 4.59 seconds. He blends his speed with an impressive frame that is built for contact.

There are other tight ends in this class who will be selected before him, such as Michael Mayer, Dalton Kincaid, and Luke Musgrave. It’s tough to tell who the Bucs prefer in particular, as each of the four has interviewed with the team and is on their radar.

If one were to slip, it might just be LaPorta. A second- or third-round valuation is a suitable projection.

Georgia TE Darnell Washington

What a showing Darnell Washington had at the Combine. There is elite athleticism, and then there is downright freakish athleticism. At 6-6, 264 pounds, Washington flashes the latter.

Other notable measurements include a 4.65 40 time, 11″ hand-size, and an 83 3/4-inch wingspan. In a deep tight-end class, Washington may be the steal of the group. With all the talk of what the Bucs will do at the tackle spots, adding Washington would almost be like adding another offensive lineman.

Just look at the holes he could create in the run game.

While most of his comparisons are to Marcedes Lewis, who is still one of the best blocking tight ends in the league at age 38, Washington has flashed as having more potential as a receiving option. He has had to play second fiddle to Brock Bowers, one of the best tight ends in the nation and a surefire first-rounder at this point next season.

This still did not stop him from averaging 16.2 yards per reception for the Bulldogs in 2022, catching 28 passes for 454 yards. If the Bucs look to add another young tight end, they could do far worse than taking a chance on the rare traits Washington possesses.

Old Dominion TE Zack Kuntz

What Zack Kuntz displayed at the combine is not normal. A 6-7, 255-pound tight-end should not be running a 4.55 40-yard dash and have a 40-inch vertical. All of this is despite having his 2022 season cut short due to injury and only recently being cleared.

Kuntz, who had an informal meeting with Tampa Bay, stood out further via the Relative Athletic Score or RAS. Based on this score, which combines all athletic testing into a single number, one can see just how much he stood out with a perfect 10.00. While playing for a small school like Old Dominion has not put his name in many discussions, his Combine performance will.

Lining up in various formations at the line, his route tree, ability to create separation, and make contested catches are all strengths of his game. Taking a flier on Kuntz in the middle rounds should intrigue GM Jason Licht, if only for what he could develop into if he hits his ceiling.