Bucs Nation
The Bucs have done good work on Day 3, we’ll see if that continues.
Day 3 of the NFL Draft is all about two things: depth and lotto tickets.
The players left, for one reason or another, have questions about their floors, ceilings, and general fits. There are gems to be found though, look no further than last year when the Bucs found Bucky Irving in the fourth round, or a couple years ago in the same range with Cade Otton.
They found Sir’Vocea Dennis in Round 5, as well as Zyon McCollum. So Tampa is one of the better teams in the league at this sort of exercise. Let’s look at a few names across the spectrum who might be of interest.
If the Bucs are hunting for a budget Rachaad White replacement, either in short- or long-term, Allen is easily the most analogous player left. He’s not the best pure runner but talented as a receiver and pass protector.
In the vein of a pure pass catcher, Marks majored in that area at both Mississippi State and USC. He’s not especially toolsy, and he’ll be 25 years old as a rookie, but he’s well-built with soft hands and good contact balance.
The Bucs aren’t really hurting at tight end, but Gadsden offers competition for Payne Durham or Devin Culp, who looked alright as a 7th rounder last year in limited snaps. Gadsden (6-foot-4) is a QB-friendly target with long arms and concentration at the catch point — he’s a contested catch savant who can bully anyone on the field. He’s raw as a route runner and offers little as a blocker, but he’s got some intriguing downfield capability.
The Bucs could use more interior line depth, especially at center, and Webb fits really well. A former top recruit at Georgia, he’s got the core strength, athleticism, and coordination to be a high-quality backup at the next level at either guard or center. He’s got some balance and technique issues to work through, but he wouldn’t be called upon to start anytime soon so he’s got a lot of time to learn under a top-tier coaching staff.
If Jason Licht wants to scratch his persistent small-school lineman itch, Slater is a good bet for it. A three-time All-Big Sky first-teamer, Slater dominated for the Hornets at the FCS level and didn’t look out of place at the Senior Bowl. A freaky athlete, Slater has the necessary profile to transition smoothly to the pros but will need time to adjust.
The Bucs could use some added juice from the backup nose tackle spot, where Greg Gaines is the epitome of a placeholder. Enter West, who’s smaller (6-foot-1, 316) but similarly sized to Gaines. West is burly and juiced up, as...
