Draft Scenario 2 (3/26/2022)
Draft Strategy: with this mock draft I went into it by taking players that can help the Bucs with future needs as well as add some play makers that can help them this season.
Round 1, Pick 27, 27th Overall.
DeMarvin Leal
Defensive Line
Texas A&M Aggies
DeMarvin Leal is a former 5-star prospect out of the state of Texas. Leal was the first big recruiting get for the Jimbo Fisher era and served as the pillar of a much improved defensive line. Leal is a true junior that has started all three years for Texas A&M. As a prospect, Leal possesses rare size, athleticism, and functional strength that makes him a dominant and versatile defensive lineman. In the Texas A&M defensive scheme, Leal lines up in every alignment and is impactful at every position. He has the power to collapse pockets from the interior and the speed to be an effective edge rusher. In the NFL, Leal will be best utilized as an interior defensive lineman who can overwhelm offensive linemen with his ability to convert speed to power. Overall, Leal has rare athleticism will become a physically dominant defensive lineman once he is placed in one specific role.
Written by Keith Sanchez
My Take: DeMarvin Leal was once considered to be a top 10 pick, and for some reason he has fallen on a lot of team’s draft boards. Which is odd considering his stats improved each season and he even ended his JR season with 58 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks. Maybe the experts expected Ndamukong Suh like numbers. But Suh stuck around for five seasons and Leal was only an Aggie for three, so who knows what he could have done with two extra college football seasons. I think this pick for the Bucs would be best available, while also securing a potential starter to replace either Suh or William Gholston next year.
Round 2, Pick 28, 60th Overall.
Darian Kinnard
Guard
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky offensive lineman Darian Kinnard projects best in as a guard at the NFL level with the kind of functional power necessary to be a tremendous asset in the ground game. Kinnard has played right tackle throughout the course of his tenure with the Kentucky Wildcats program and although he appears to have the necessary measurables to continue playing on the outside in the NFL, I do believe that his skill set would be best optimized inside where he’s given tight angles and alignments. The Wildcats’ offense featured a significant change in style ahead of Kinnard’s final season, but throughout the course of his tape, the volume to true pass sets he’s taken on the perimeter has been relatively lean and I’m plenty confident that the short sets and RPO blocks he’s taken will transfer well on the inside. Despite being a long-tenured starter, Kinnard is someone I see benefitting from additional coaching in fundamentals to help him optimize his punches and consistently maintain his blocks. This is a viable starter in a gap/power heavy system but he’s also got the functional athleticism to play in zone schemes and I appreciate his mobility despite his size. If you’re willing to work with him through the growing pains of a potential transition inside and are ready to brush up on some of his hand usage, you could be walking away with a quality, impact starter at guard.
Written by Kyle Crabbs
My Take: Darian Kinnard in the second round would be a great value pick for the Bucs. By taking Kinnard they could land a future starting guard. Kinnard could come in and either beat out Aaron Stinnie in training camp right off the bat or replace him in 2023. Kinnard may end up being a project type player, but if given the right coaching and time he can eventually end up being a long term starter in the NFL.
Round 3, Pick 27, 91st Overall.
Isaiah Likely
Tight End
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Isaiah Likely is a senior tight end for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers that is originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Likely was an unranked prospect by most recruiting services coming out of high school but had a couple of offers from small-school programs and ultimately chose Coastal Carolina. During his time at Coastal Carolina, Likely continued to develop his skill set at tight end and it has paid off. Likely finished his career as a highly decorated player and has been mentioned for some outstanding awards. Likely has been named to the All-Sun-Belt first team twice, been named a John Mackey award semi-finalist, and was named to the Biletnikoff preseason watch list. Likely is an athletic tight end that thrives at stretching the field vertically. He has good speed to not only get vertical but can run away from most Sun Belt defenders. At Coastal Carolina, they lined him up in multiple different positions and he thrives at all of them. He has shown to be a natural hands-catcher and can turn up the field to be a good run after the catch option for offenses. In the NFL, Likely will be best served as an offensive weapon, he has the athleticism, toughness, and natural hands to play all over the field and should serve as a mismatch for offenses.
Written by Keith Sanchez
My Take: I still think Rob Gronkowski resigns with the Bucs, but after Gronk, the team is left with Cameron Brate. Both players are in their 30s, so regardless the Bucs need to get younger at the position. And why not do that with Isaiah Likely? Likely will need to develop better blocking skills at the next level, which he could by learning behind Gronkowski for a year. But the guy is a playmaker and was a huge part in Coastal Carolina’s back to back 11 win seasons and he had his best season statistically last year. Likely had 59 catches, 912 yards and 12 TDs. Likely would be a great playmaker for Tom Brady this season, while also giving the Bucs a future at TE post Gronk and Brate.
Round 4, Pick 28, 133rd Overall.
Eyioma Uwazurike
Defensive Line
Iowa State Cyclones
Eyioma Uwazurike is a former 3-star recruit from the state of Michigan. Uwazurike was a part of the 2016 recruiting class, so that makes him one of the older prospects in this draft. Early on in his career at Iowa State, Uwazurike saw little playing time and was used primarily as a reserve. The 2020 season was the first season where Uwazurike was named the starter for the entire season. Going into the 2021 season, Uwazurike was primed for a big year and he had one. He was named First-Team All-Big-12 and recorded nine sacks, proving to be Uwazurike’s most productive season by far. As a prospect Uwazurike is a big, powerful defensive lineman that can generate movement. He is best when he has a predetermined stunt or slant called and he can use his quickness to shoot gaps. Early on, Uwazurike can contribute as a player who disrupts the run.
Written by Keith Sanchez
My Take: Eyioma Uwazurike could very easily end up being a steal in the NFL draft. Uwazurike made huge strides in his 5th year with the Cyclones. He ended the year with 43 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 9 sacks. And he is a big dude, standing at 6’6 and weighing in at 320lbs. Uwazurike would add some extra depth for the Bucs defensive line, and could be groomed into another starting option when Suh and Gholston are gone or be a guy that can come in and give Vita Vea some breathers.
Round 7, Pick 27, 248th Overall.
Jerrion Ealy
Running Back
Ole Miss Rebels
Jerrion Ealy is a former 5-star recruit out of Jackson Prep High School in Flowood, Mississippi. According to 247 Sports, he was the No. 3 running back in the nation coming out of high school. He was a two-sport athlete with football and baseball backgrounds. According to MaxPreps, Ealy was a four-year varsity letterman who got plenty of snaps his entire career. As a junior, he rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 32 touchdowns. A true dual-threat RB, Ealy has the receiving ability to be an early impact player on third downs. He is patient with good vision in their zone-oriented offense. He presses gaps and effectively cuts up the field. He lacks size, raising questions regarding his overall role in the NFL.
Written by Damian Parson
My Take: Jerrion Ealy reminds me of a Darren Sproles type player, both small, but both do it all backs. Tom Brady would have loved to have played with Sproles, and he would love to have Ealy as well. Plus the Bucs still haven’t found a legit kick returner, and while at Ole Miss, Ealy returned 2 kickoffs to the house. Ealy would give the Bucs some additional RB depth as well as a legit return man. And he has great hands for a RB. During Ealy’s three years at Ole Miss, he caught 67 passes for 545 yards and 4 TDs.
Round 7, Pick 40, 261st Overall*
Kevin Austin Jr.
Wide Receiver
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. enters the NFL as a developmental receiver who may be considered something of a diamond in the rough. Austin Jr’s progression as a college pass catcher has been derailed by unavailabilities — he was suspended for 2019 on account of a violation of team rules and suffered two separate foot injuries in 2020 that cost him nearly two full seasons of play before a big breakout season for the Irish in 2021. Austin Jr. enjoyed a strong NFL Combine and offers the kind of obvious physical tools that once made him a 4-star recruit from recruiting services out of North Broward Prep in Ft. Lauderdale. A lack of reps looms over his film and threatens to keep him on a long-term developmental plan but 6-foot-2 receivers who run 4.43s in the 40 (plus 39″ verticals and 11-foot broad jumps) don’t grow on trees and as a result Austin Jr. should get a strong look late in the draft.
Written by Kyle Crabbs
My Take: Kevin Austin may be another one of those Notre Dame WRs that get into the NFL and everyone is like, where did this guy come from? Well when your team doesn’t have a legit QB, sometimes you go unnoticed, plus Austin struggled with injuries for the majority of his time at Notre Dame. But as a Notre Dame fan it seemed like Austin was always the talk of every Spring Training and was always poised to have a breakout season, then he got hurt. So even with the injuries, I think a 7th round pick would be worthy to use on a guy that could be a diamond in the rough.
Stogies & Football 