The Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed the 2024 draft and did very well in terms of acquiring very talented players at the positions of need. Tampa Bay addressed its inside offensive line by drafting a center and guard, got help from outside linebackers and nickel cornerbacks, and added depth at running back and tight end.
The only positions that weren’t really taken up in this year’s draft were defensive tackle, inside linebacker, and outside cornerback, in addition to offensive tackle and quarterback, who weren’t really needed.
Bucks general manager Jason Licht, head coach Todd Bowles, assistant general manager Jon Spytek, and the team’s scouts and front office have made the Bucks a permanent playoff contender, especially after the past three seasons, including 2024. team and a potential Super Bowl contender.
Here are some inside scoops along with my analysis of Tampa Bay’s 2024 draft class.
SR’s post-draft Bucs scoop
Here is some Bucs-oriented post-draft information that I was able to uncover during and after the 2024 NFL Draft.
Tulane QB Michael Pratt – Photo courtesy of USA Today
• Tampa Bay liked University of Southern California running back Marshawn Lloyd so much that they hoped to draft him in the third round, as well as Georgia defensive back Tykie Smith. However, the Packers selected Lloyd with the first pick, and the Bucs selected Smith with the 89th pick instead. Smith is a player the team covets and was one of Todd Bowles’ favorites in this draft class.
• The Packers also took a prospect right in front of the Bucs in the seventh round. Tampa Bay was considering drafting Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt in the seventh round. Pewter Report listed Pratt as the Bucs’ best bet, but the Bucs ended up drafting Washington tight end Devin Culp instead.
• Pewter Report listed Boston College guard Christian Mahogany as the Bucs’ best bet, with most draft analysts projecting him to be a third- or fourth-round pick. Mahogany was ultimately selected by the Lions in the sixth round. It means that the interview didn’t go well for him. He’s not saying his personality was bad, but he wasn’t just a good fit for the team personality-wise. Other NFL teams appear to have felt the same way.
• This is one of the reasons the Bucks preferred Graham Burton over Jackson Powers-Johnson in the first round, making him a better fit in the locker room. If Barton were to drop at No. 26, the Bucs were prepared to replace Powers-Johnson with Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton — even though the interior offensive line was a more pressing need. figure. Tampa Bay decided to draft the best player available in the first round.
Clemson DT Luke Ohorohoro – Photo courtesy of Clemson
• The Bucs wanted to draft a defensive tackle early, much like Illinois’ Johnny Newton out of St. Petersburg. However, in the second round, where seven players were selected from picks 35 to 54, there was a large amount of run by defensive tackles.
The Bucs had high praise for Clemson defensive tackle Luke Oluhorolo. He was named the Bucks’ best bet by Pewter Report and went to the Falcons at No. 35. He was drafted one spot higher than Newton, who was drafted by the Commanders. From now on, they will compete against Oruhorohoro twice a year in the same division.
• More than 12 properties in the works in Tampa Bay undrafted free agent At the end of the weekend. Three UDFAs the Bucs have immediate attention are Toledo cornerback Chris McDonald, Mississippi State cornerback Marcus Banks and Florida State linebacker. Karen Deloach.
DeLoach is small at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, but he hit a 4.47 blitzer with seven sacks last year at FSU. He may see a strong safety. Banks only had one interception and five pass breakups at Mississippi State, while McDonald, who has five interceptions over the past three years, is a diminutive corner at 5-foot-9, 189 pounds. It’s back. He’s going to look inside the nickel.
SR’s 2024 Bucks Draft Pick Analysis
Round 1 – Duke OL Graham Burton
Bucks OL Graham Burton – Photo courtesy of Duke
Barton has the makings to be a future Pro Bowl interior offensive lineman, either at center or guard. I call him Ali Marpet 2.0 because his grip, technique, tenacity, and style of play are reminiscent of the former Bucs Pro Bowl guard and team captain. When Burton talks about his professional approach to the game of football, he looks like a Marpet, talks like a Marpet, and speaks like a Marpet.
Burton’s personality and attitude will definitely fit in the locker room and O-line room. At 6-foot-5, 313 pounds, he brings size and strength to the center position the Bucks have lacked since Ryan Jensen last served as the pivot. Dallas will regret trading down to No. 29 and dropping Barton to No. 26 Tampa Bay. The Bucs didn’t expect Burton, the Pewter Report Bucs’ best bet, to be there when they’re out, and this is both a draft steal and an absolute home run pick.
Round 2 – Alabama OLB Chris Braswell
As we reported on Saturday, the Bucs intended to pass on Western Michigan pass rusher Marshawn Nyland even if Dallas didn’t draft him at No. 26, one spot above Tampa Bay. They loved the player Nyland was, but some updates about Nyland came in. That person urged the Bucks to move Braswell up the draft board. Braswell is also a fast athlete, running the 40-yard dash with a 4.6 time (including a 1.59 10-yard split), which is faster than Kneeland’s 4.75 time and 1.66 10-yard split.
Braswell was playing behind two first-round picks in Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner and had to bide his time. But when he emerged as a starter in 2023, he recorded eight sacks and three forced fumbles. Braswell came out to finish in the top 30 and did very well. He is a team-oriented player with untapped potential as a pass rusher. The Bucs like the fact that unlike Joe Tryon-Soyinka, he finishes when he gets to the QB, and Braswell is a violent hitter with strong hands. He plays with his ability to generate power from speed and has terrifying long arm movement.
Round 3 – Georgia DB Tykie Smith
Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo courtesy of Georgia
Smith, who is one of my absolute favorite players in the 2024 NFL Draft and one of my “draft crushes,” was like “Todd Bowles” in the movie when I saw him. type of DB,” he just shouted. He is a “chess piece” man because of his versatility. He played safety his first two years at West Virginia University, making 111 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, four pass interceptions including a pick-six, nine pass breakups, a sack, and a fumble. forced. Smith then transferred to Georgia State, where he essentially missed the entire 2021 season before returning to win a national championship in 2022.
Smith, who was named the Pewter Report Bucks’ Best Bets, not only played a lot in the box for the Bulldogs, but also saw a lot of minutes as a nickelback. He recorded 101 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions, three pass breakups and a forced fumble against Georgia. Smith will get a first crack at nickel and compete with Christian Igien and Tavierre Thomas, but his versatility allows him to rotate with Jordan Whitehead and Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety. is also possible. He recorded 21.5 tackles for loss, which is a lot for a defensive back and speaks to his keen instincts and clutch tackling ability.
Round 3 – Washington WR Jalen McMillan
McMillan received a steal in the third round after a knee injury during his senior season hampered his performance. He caught 79 passes for 1,098 yards (13.9 avg.) and nine touchdowns as a junior at the University of Washington, and in 2022, he joined Roman Odunze (75 receptions, 1,145 TDs, 7 TDs). He had more catches and touchdowns. If McMillan had stayed healthy in 2023, he would have stayed healthy in 2023. He was a second-round pick, along with Jaylin Polk.
McMillan had six 100-yard games and four other games with 90 or more yards receiving during his career with the Huskies. His biggest assets are his route running ability and knack for getting open. McMillan will primarily be a slot piece, where he played in Washington, but he has plenty of size at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, so he could see playing time on the outside as well. The Bucks drafted Chris Godwin in the third round of the 2017 draft, and McMillan gives off vibes of Godwin.
Round 4 – Oregon State RB Bucky Irving
Bucks RB Bucky Irving – Photo courtesy of Oregon State
Irving is a big back trapped in a small back body. At just 5-foot-9 and 192 pounds, Irving is a furious runner and exactly the type of back Jason Richt likes. Incredibly difficult to tackle, Irving gained 743 yards after contact in 2023, 24th most among running backs in the nation. He was 23rd in yards after contact average (3.99) and tied for 10th in missed tackles (69). Irving has been incredibly productive over the past two years at Oregon State, averaging a healthy 6.5 yards and posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
He also scored 16 touchdowns on the ground for the Ducks, including 11 last year, and his 56 catches were the most by a running back in college football last year. Ta. A tough kid from Chicago’s south side, Irving had 87 catches for 712 yards (8.2 average) and five touchdowns as a receiver in the backfield. His style of play is reminiscent of Rams running back Kyren Williams, who was a Pro Bowler last year and rushed for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns. Don’t be surprised to see Irving in contention for the Bucs’ kick return duties.
Round 6 – UTEP G Ilya Klein
Cline broke Jason Richt’s record of only selecting college offensive tackles by selecting Cline, a former UTEP guard, when selecting an offensive lineman when he was 10 years old. Since drafting former Tennessee State guard Kadeem Edwards in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, Richt has always had an athletic offense in Tampa Bay, either to play tackle or move inside to play guard or center. They have drafted target tackles.
Klein isn’t very athletic, but he’s smart and tough, and his personality is a perfect fit for the Bucs’ offensive line room. He will immediately be in contention for the starting spot at left guard, but may ultimately have to redshirt during his rookie season. Klein needs to get stronger in the weight room to compete against NFL-level defensive tackles. It’s a big jump from a small school like UTEP to the NFL.
Round 7 – Washington TE Devin Culp
Bucks TE Devin Culp – Photo courtesy of USA Today
As Bucs assistant general manager John Spytek said Saturday after the draft ended, the team has no control over drafting players from Washington. Culp joins former Huskies Vita Vea, Joe Tryon-Soyinka, Greg Gaines and Cade Otton in Tampa Bay, as well as Washington teammate wide receiver Jalen McMillan in the league. Culp is small at 6-foot-3 and 231 pounds, but he makes big plays in the run game as he is a tenacious blocker who does his best at the line of scrimmage.
He needs to add a little more size and strength in the NFL weight room, but the Bucs don’t want him to lose any of his speed. Culp ran a 4.47 second time at the NFL Scouting Combine, which was the fastest tight finishing time of the year. Culp split time with Jack Westover at tight end, and with Washington having a trio of stud receivers, he didn’t get a chance to create much in the passing game. However, Culp can make contested catches and has good run-after-catch potential due to his speed. He’ll be a Gerald Everett-like Type F tight end in Liam Cohen’s offense, often splitting up and matching up alone with a safety or linebacker.
