The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added six players to their roster in the 2017 NFL Draft. PewterReport.com has already offered its analysis on the Bucs’ most recent draft class. Now it’s time to determine where each of these six new Buccaneers fits on the roster and who their presence threatens in training camp.

ROUND 1 – Alabama TE O.J. Howard
The Buccaneers were stunned to see Howard slide down the draft boards as teams drafted for need and not taking the best player available as the Alabama tight end has top 10 talent with his 6-foot-6, 251-pound frame and 4.51 speed. Despite having a capable tight end in Cameron Brate, whose eight touchdowns was tied for the most in the NFL and the most by a tight end in Bucs history, Tampa Bay really needed another tight end and was determined to draft one in the first three rounds. That’s why PewterReport.com had the Bucs taking Howard at No. 19 in its second Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft of the year and later had the team selecting Miami tight end David Njoku at No. 19 in its fourth version of that mock.

Bucs TE O.J. Howard – Photo by: Getty Images

Where Howard fits in is atop the depth chart by the season opener. Given his draft status, but more importantly his skill set, it’s only a matter of time before Howard becomes the starting tight end because of his ability to play the “Y” tight end position as an in-line blocker at the line of scrimmage and operate all of the route tree as a receiving tight end down the field. This doesn’t mean that the Bucs are down on Brate. It’s just that Howard is a bigger and better blocker than Brate is, having blocked for the likes of T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry, Kenyon Drake and Bo Scarborough at Alabama.

In fact, Howard’s presence means the Bucs offense will run more two tight end sets this year, and that was the plan last year with Brate and Austin Seferian-Jenkins before ASJ’s DUI arrest prompted the team to release him prior to Week 3. Having Brate and Howard on the field together will force Tampa Bay’s opponents to play more base defense because a two tight end set is viewed as a formation that teams can easily throw or run out of and that creates more uncertainty for defenses and makes the Bucs offense less predictable.

ROUND 2 – Texas A&M S Justin Evans
Evans was one of the safeties the Bucs really coveted and had a late first-round grade on, so when he was available at No. 50 the team was thrilled. Evans didn’t have a complete workout at the NFL Scouting Combine because of a hamstring strain and wasn’t at 100 percent on his pro day when he ran a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash. The team believes he’s faster because he’s a very good athlete and is one of the better coverage safeties in the draft. Evans had five interceptions as a two-year starter for the Aggies, including four as a senior, and totaled 11 pass breakups with eight coming last season.

Texas A&M S Justin Evans – Photo by: Getty Images

Where Evans fits is as a strong safety in Mike Smith’s 4-3 defensive scheme, replacing Bradley McDougald. Evans is a big hitter that missed too many tackles because he was going for knockout kill shots with his shoulder and forearm rather than wrapping up, but made strides as a tackler last year. Tackling technique can be corrected and secondary coach Brett Maxie will begin working on that at the team’s rookie mini-camp. Evans had 165 tackles in two years for the Aggies, including 87 last year, so it’s not like the guy misses every other tackle attempt.

What can’t be taught is the explosion with which Evans brings the boom when he hits. Tampa Bay’s safeties have to be interchangeable, and Evans has the range to play free safety, too. With veteran J.J. Wilcox signed from Dallas in the offseason it’s likely that Evans could even start at free safety if he can beat out Keith Tandy and Chris Conte. But the Bucs wouldn’t mind him edging out the newly signed Wilcox, either, as rookie Kwon Alexander did early with high-priced free agent signing Bruce Carter in 2015.

ROUND 3 – Penn State WR Chris Godwin
Tampa Bay needed to add another receiver in the 2017 NFL Draft and had coveted Godwin for some time. The team had him in for a pre-draft visit and liked him so much that it had a second-round grade on the Penn State receiver that averaged 16 yards per reception as a sophomore and 16.6 yards per catch as a junior. The Bucs liked the fact that at 6-foot-1, 209 pounds, Godwin has the size to not only go up and get the football as a receiver, but can also be an aggressive downfield blocker in the running game. That’s important as the Bucs are trying to do everything possible to get their running game back to its 2015 level when it was a top 5 unit.

Penn State WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Getty Images

Where Godwin fits in to Tampa Bay’s depth chart is at the No. 3 or No. 4 slot on the depth chart. But don’t think that he’s a threat to Adam Humphries, who is the Bucs’ starter at the slot receiver position and its current punt returner. Godwin rarely played in the slot at Penn State and he is more likely to stay on the outside in the NFL, although he will learn how to play the X (split end), Z (flanker) or Y (slot receiver) in Tampa Bay as all Bucs receivers do for the sake of being versatile. Godwin will be asked to play some special teams as a rookie to take over the role vacated by Russell Shepard, who left for Carolina in free agency.

With Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson as the starting receivers, and Evans rarely coming off the field, look for Godwin to split time with the 30-year old Jackson, who will need more rest than he was accustomed to getting in his career while playing in the heat and humidity of Florida’s tropical climate. The Bucs want to keep Jackson fast and fresh for the fourth quarter, and bringing in a bigger receiver with 4.42 speed to replace him occasionally on the outside gives opposing defenses a different match-up than the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Jackson brings. Godwin’s presence on the outside can also mean moving Jackson or Evans to the slot in certain three-wide receiver sets to create different mismatches for head coach and playcaller Dirk Koetter.

ROUND 3 – LSU LB Kendell Beckwith
Beckwith is coming off a torn ACL he suffered last year against Florida, but there is a possibility he could be ready some time in training camp – or he may start the season on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list if his recovery time stagnates. Beckwith became LSU’s middle linebacker as a sophomore and played alongside Tampa Bay’s Kwon Alexander for a season when Alexander was the Tigers’ strongside linebacker. His production increased every year from 77 tackles to 84 stops to 91 tackles through the first 10 games of the 2016 season. Beckwith would also see occasional snaps at defensive end and collected 7.5 career sacks from outside rushes and blitzes from the Mike linebacker position combined.

Bucs LB Kendell Beckwith – Photo by: Getty Images

Where Beckwith fits in is at strongside linebacker where he will compete with Devante Bond for the starting job vacated by the retirement of Daryl Smith. The Bucs wanted to add some size to the linebacker position and need a bigger linebacker to play Sam, especially when the Bucs are in a 4-3 Under front that requires the Sam to set the edge at the line of scrimmage playing over the tight end. At 6-foot-2, 243 pounds, Beckwith is about 12 pounds heavier than both Alexander and weakside linebacker Lavonte David.

Beckwith figures to make the team given the fact that the Bucs traded up to get him in the third round, using their fourth- and sixth-round picks to do so. He also adds value to the Bucs as a backup middle linebacker behind Alexander because that’s the role that Smith also played in Tampa Bay last year. Beckwith’s mix of size, physicality and above average football I.Q. make him an intriguing player to watch when healthy. Bond will get an early jump on the Sam linebacker position because he’s healthy heading into OTAs next month, but it will only be a matter of time before Beckwith gets healthy and gets in the ring.

ROUND 5 – RB Jeremy McNichols
McNichols had offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum after the NFL Scouting Combine, and he’ll miss the OTAs but is on track to return to the field for training camp. He was a two-year starter at Boise State where he replaced Jay Ajaye and rushed for 3,205 yards and 44 touchdowns, including 1,709 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. McNichols may be the fastest running back on the roster with a 4.49 time in the 40-yard dash. McNichols tore through Mountain West defenses last year, but also fared well against Pac-12 competition throughout his Broncos career with key performances in wins against Washington State and Oregon State.

Boise State RB Jeremy McNichols – Photo by: Getty Images

Where he fits into Tampa Bay’s offense initially is as a candidate to challenge and replace Charles Sims as a third down, pass-catching back. McNichols began his football career as a receiver before moving to running back and he is regarded as potentially having the best hands of any back in the draft. McNichols caught 103 passes for 1,089 yards and 11 touchdowns in his three years at Boise State, including 51 receptions for 460 yards and six TDs as a sophomore and 37 catches for 474 yards and four scores last year.

McNichols could conceivably challenge Peyton Barber for a roster spot this year, as the Bucs will keep four running backs. Jacquizz Rodgers will likely be the season-opening starter with Doug Martin set to serve a three-game suspension to begin the year. It seems as if Tampa Bay will keep Martin, and the Bucs will get a roster exemption for him for the first three weeks of the year. It’s not inconceivable that McNichols could enter the season as the team’s backup rusher behind Rodgers and beat out Sims for the third-down back role as he was considered to be the best back in the draft in pass protection.

ROUND 7 – USC DT Stevie Tu’iklolavatu
Tu’iklolavatu began his playing career as a defensive tackle at Utah in 2009 and then headed out for a two-year church mission in the Philippines before returning to the Utes football program. He missed 2013 with a foot injury before playing as a reserve in 2014 and a starter in 2015 where he had 28 tackles, recorded four fumble recoveries and had two sacks. Tu’iklolavatu transferred to USC for his final season where he made 53 tackles as a run-stuffer and earned a trip to the Senior Bowl.

Bucs DT Stevie Tu’iklolavatu – Photo by: Getty Images

Where he fits into Tampa Bay’s depth chart is as a situational two-down run-stuffer, challenging Sealver Siligia for a roster spot. At 6-foot-1, 341 pounds, Tu’iklolavatu is a load and moves well for a big man, running a 5.25 in the 40-yard dash. The Bucs have starters at defensive tackle in Gerald McCoy and Chris Baker and a reserve in Clinton McDonald, who can play both nose tackle and three-technique. Because DaVonte Lambert can play both defensive end and defensive tackle, Tu’iklolavatu will have to beat out Siligia to earn a roster spot.

Tu’iklolavatu is incredibly strong, evidenced by his 33 reps of 225 pounds at his pro day, which was an improvement over his NFL Scouting Combine number of 28. The Bucs wanted to get bigger at the defensive tackle position this offseason and have done that with the 341-pound Tu’iklolavatu and the 320-pound Baker. Siliga has the immediate edge due to his NFL experience and his knowledge of the Bucs defense, but Tu’iklolavatu is considered to be a bit faster and more agile.