Bucs Nation
Could the Bucs reinforce their defensive line in Round 1?
The defensive line could be considered the Buccaneers’ strength on defense from 2024, relatively speaking.
Despite missing time with injuries, Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea both played at high levels to be among the team’s individual sack leaders, with Kancey leading everyone (7.5) and Vea not far behind (7). Logan Hall, while still leaving something to be desired, did improve and aims to make a leap in the final year of his rookie deal.
The positives are encouraging, but the Bucs do not shy away from stacking strengths and reportedly were going to draft another juiced-up defensive tackle in Round 1 last year in Jer’Zhan Newton if eventual pick Graham Barton wasn’t there.
In a stacked defensive tackle class, Tampa should again have its eyes peeled for quality talents like Oregon’s Derrick Harmon. Let’s take a closer look.
The first three years of Harmon’s collegiate career came and went with very little buzz.
A 3-star prospect from Detroit, Harmon had his pick of Power 5 programs but chose to remain in-state with the Michigan State Spartans. He redshirted as a freshman, then gradually worked his way into a mainstay role over the next two years with modest production (15 starts with 70 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 passes defensed, and 1 forced fumble).
He chose to transfer to Oregon and then flourished when surrounded with superior talent and empowered by a creative defensive coordinator in Tosh Lupoi who consistently moved Harmon around the line and took advantage of his unique skillset.
The result manifested in a second-team All-American nod, as Harmon tallied 45 tackles (10.5 for loss), 5 sacks, 4 PBUs, 2 forced fumbles and led the FBS in pressures among defensive tackles (55).
Derrick Harmon attended the NFL Scouting Combine but only had measurements taken and ran the 40. He checked in with great overall size, measuring 6-foot-4, 313 pounds with 34 ⅜” arms and 10 ⅜” hands (all well above average). He ran a very good 4.95 in the 40 with a 1.74 10-yard split.
He definitely hits the landmarks the Bucs would look for at 5-technique size-wise, which is where Hall plays the majority of his snaps, but Harmon’s got the chops to move around the line and afford Todd Bowles the freedom to employ his creativity.
While the Bucs typically aim for elite athletes with their early picks, Harmon did not participate in explosiveness or agility drills so it’s hard to have an easily quantifiable picture of his true athleticism. He did not qualify for Relative Athletic Score (RAS).
Harmon is built to garner significant snaps right from the jump for the Bucs.
His NFL-ready size, length, and strength will play up in a rotation with Hall as he refines the finer points of his game. As aforementioned, Harmon got to move around the Ducks defensive...
