April 14, 2025 • 16 mins
Team Reporter Casey Phillips and Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix talk about all the latest Bucs news in this week's edition of Bucs Insider. The team discussed what GM Jason Licht talked about during his pre-draft press conference, the top talent in this year’s draft and possible edge rusher targets.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome into Bucks Insider, coming to you from the Buck Studio,
presented by Ticketmaster Casey Phillips here with Bree Dix, and
I would say that, you know Scott Smith, he got
the stump Scott right last week and.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Decided to just ride off into the sunset. Now he's on.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Vacation, so sailing the high sailing the high.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Seas on a cruise.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
We hope Scott is having a ton of fun. But
we were holding down the fort here without him, and
you know we're right here in the thick of it
with draft and everything else. But man, for the players,
they are enjoying their offseason. We thought we'd show you
a couple just fun little tidbits here to start off that.
First of all, we got Kyle Trask getting married and
the Gators winning to Nattie. Not a bad week for him.
(00:36):
I wanted to say congratulations to him and his now wife.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
We are so excited for them.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
And of course it was also Chase McLoughlin's birthday, so
it's it's been a great week for a couple of
our guys to get some celebrations in and again now
the ultimate date we are celebrating two weeks from the
draft after it, we have a You've done a million
mock drafts.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I'm sure we've done a million road to the drafts.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
We're getting so close, and you know we're close because
today Jason like did his press conference, his pre draft
press conference, So this is kind of that one of
those last times to get a chance to hear from
him prior to the drafts. And of course, you know,
everyone's trying to get every little more information that they can,
and of course Jason's not going to give you anything,
or at least not things that he isn't wanting to
try to give everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
So but we did still learn a few.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Things that I think are really interesting that we got
to hear from him, and we thought we'd start just
highlighting the fact that man, in the time he has
been here this last decade eleven years, essentially look at
this step that is a sign that you are drafting
some good guys, so you know what you're doing. And
of course all teams, all gms, all front office staffs
always talk about how important it is to get your
(01:41):
homegrown talent. But I mean, a we know that people
in their rookie contracts are cheaper than veterans, and so
the more success you can have with those guys, especially early,
and then be able to keep them resign your own guys,
that continuity, all of that is so important. So just
looking at the talent of the way they have been
able to bring in people that are not only having
success here, but I mean all these people that are
(02:03):
on rosters everywhere.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Even if it's not here.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
But yeah, it's just been amazing to watch over this
last eleven years, and I think everyone's very excited to
see who these new guys could be. Yeah, this season,
and of course especially as we talk about that success
in draft picks last year was yes, an incredible example
of that, and so we figured we'd start off here
by listening.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
To him discussed that as well.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
He was asked about the success of some of the
guys from last year's draft class, and especially guys like
Bucky and Graham.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Well, I'll say this, if I would have known what
Bucky was capable of, I probably would have taken him
in the second round or first round. We knew that
we had a special group of guys that the individuals,
but you still never know until you get out there
and they start playing. So to say that we knew
(02:53):
that it was going to be what it was. No,
but just like the last two drafts previous to that,
he came out and given high fives, saying, we've got
great guys if anything, so that work hard, there are
team guys, all those things. So you knew you had
a chance, and we thought at the time they were
good players. But you still never know until you actually
(03:14):
get out there. You feel confident about it, but you
never know.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So yeah, we were talking about the fact that, of
course the whole draft class, so many of them made
massive contributions. What stood out to you about what he
talked about with it, and then just looking at that
draft class from last.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Year, well, I love when mentioning Bucky Irving, he said
that if he would have known what Bucky was capable of,
that he would have taken.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Him in the first or second round.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
I'm sure most teams are saying that, yeah exactly, but
just to see, I mean, he led the leader boards
in so many different categories, finished fourth in Offensive Rookie
of the Year voting, led the NFL in misstackle percentage,
just absolutely thrived in the.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
System, kind of ran a lot more of those counter
traps that he had really become familiar with it Oregon
to see what he was able to do. But also
just looking at what Graham Barton did. I mean, this
is a guy that he hadn't played the center position
since his freshman year at Duke, had started three seasons
at left tackle, and then just to come in and
have the success that he did and kind of anchoring
(04:10):
that offensive line with even new guys around like Ben
Bredeson so and I love just that he said, you know,
you really don't know you can be confident in.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
The guys that you selected, and he said, you know.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
After this last draft, they were all given each other
high fives, but really, until the guys get out there
on the field, you're not going to know what you have.
But to be able to succeed the success that those
guys had, and even Jalen McMillan really coming in in
the end of the year when you had Mike Evans
down with injury, you had because godman down with injury
and he kind of really emerges a go to guy
(04:42):
for Baker my.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Phone on their dumb Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
I think it's gonna be great to see what that
group can look like this year too. Of getting that
all put together last year, bringing all that offensive line
back bucket. Now going in a second year, maybe we
hear how often rookies take a jump.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Even to their.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Second season, and I'm like, I can't even imagine if yeah,
even a tiny jump, that's gonna be pretty great.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I know that.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Also, of course, a million of the questions are always
about some of the different guys that he's evaluating for
this year, right, and who Jason Light is looking at
as we've done these mock drafts, as we've looked around
at what people are talking about. Of course, there is
a ton of discussion about a defensive players, right, but
specifically edge rushers, and that being a position that is
very highly mocked to the bucks and very often discussed
(05:25):
even though you know, hassan Reddit comes in this offseason,
so a lot of people have wondered how much is
that going to affect, you know, how high of a
priority that still is in the draft. I think Jason
Light has proven over the years that just because we
signed someone in a pre agency does not mean that
position is off the table. He has done many years
getting addressing a position both directions. He's if it's a
(05:45):
position of need, He's like, any way we can, let's
go for it. So I definitely don't think edge rusher
is off the table as a first rounder or especially
just a pick in general. And he was asked a
little bit about his strategy and process for evaluating edge rushers.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
So let's take a load.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
It's a it's an ongoing process of evolving process, and
you're always trying to get better, as you know as
an evaluator. A lot of those cases, I was the
one running up the mountain with the flag on some
of those guys, and it just you're not always right.
And and think I've grown in my profession and my
(06:24):
job to know that you can't always be right. But
I think as a group, we look and see where
some of the traits were some of those guys in
every year we try to tweak it a little bit.
But then you tweak it and then another player ends
up has some of the same traits as some of
the ones that didn't work out but work out for
somebody else. It it kind of all depends. Now if
(06:48):
you have if you have a lot of good players
along the defensive line, everybody tends to play pretty well.
So we we feel good about where we're at, and
like I said, I've talked about before with Braswell, I'm
excited about what he can do this year. I think
he's going to come a little bit of a coming
out party in his role, and we're excited about just
the whole front.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
So yeah, So that was very interesting to hear, and
I know you had some thoughts on it, so tell
me what stood out to you about that.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Personally, I just loved his honesty and saying that, you know,
at this point in his career, with his profession, he's
learned that you can't always be right, and you're not
going to be right, And he was the first to
say that, you know, for some of those guys that
didn't pan out for us. At that position, I was
the guy running up the mountain with the flag wanting
those guys. But then he said, if you you start
to tweak some things and looking at you know, maybe
(07:37):
the common denominator, looking at some of those traits of
maybe some of those guys that didn't necessarily pan.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Out for you.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
But then if you put too much of an emphasis
on that, well then you look around the league and
some of the players that potentially had those same traits
are having success somewhere else. So I think it's it
was really cool just to see kind of his process,
and you know, it's it's ever changed. The league is
constantly evolving, but to try and grow and grow with
(08:03):
the scouting department as they go along in trying to
find those edges. But he said, you know, if you
have a solid front line of guys, you know, guys
are typically going to do well when you have a
solid line and having Klaija Cansi, having Vita Vea, but
also like you mentioned, bringing in Hassan Reddick, but also
re signing Anthony Nelson, and now that creates the freedom
(08:25):
to select the best player available. You know, they don't
feel like they're pigeonholed too.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
We have to take an edge.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Now they have the freedom that whoever is the highest
on their board and shows up there, they can jump.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
And I think it's gonna be interesting to see what
that ends up looking like on draft night.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Of course, because when we've done some of these mocks,
we've seen.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
A lot of run on edges that that is a
position that along with maybe quarterback tackle, then it becomes
edged that, like if you want to talk about the
positions that go on runs, the positions that people in
the first round in particular get very into. So nineteen
is an interesting spot to be sitting. How many edges
are going to be left? What does that look like?
Speaker 5 (09:01):
And there's also like zero consensus. You know, you'll have
a guy that's in the top seven.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
On a lot of mocks and then he's in like
the late teens on another. So I mean, you know it,
it all is speculation at this point in tale a
draft night.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
So what we thought we'd do, and of course, if
you want any and all of the draft content, we do.
We are doing the road to the drafts still every
week leading up to the draft, so we haven't talked
as much about it here on Insider because of that,
but because of Jason Lights press conference with us only
being two weeks out, we did want to do a
bit of a most likely to get mocked to us
kind of a thing that now that we are only
two weeks out, we thought we'd have you talk about
(09:36):
five players that you can see us potentially having interest in,
or that get mocked to us or.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
That would maybe be good fits.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yes, at around that nineteen and I know we definitely
have some edgrushers.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
On that list.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Yes, So I'll start out with Edge Mchel Williams and
Edge Donovan Ezerwaku. So with Michel Williams, he was a
guy that at Georgia he lined up everywhere from three
technique to the five technique to stand up outside linebacker.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Kind of wins with power and explosion.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
And speed, but also just he's a guy that he
is going to play through the whistle trying to cause disruption,
whether it's getting his hands up to disrupt passing windows
for those batted passes, or not even just looking to
get those sack numbers, but to punch the ball out
of the quarterback's hands. In twenty twenty four, he was
the second team All SEC player, led the Bulldogs and
(10:25):
force fumbles and loved this. His NFL comp is none
other than former buccaneer Jason Pierre Paul, so not too shabby.
And then Edge Donovan Ezeraku, which I just feel like
that name is fun to say.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I'm happy for you that you've gotten to use it
no times full disclosure. Seriously watched many highlights just to
make sure that the names was correct, but consensus All American.
He was also the Ted Hendricks Award winner, but served
as an edge rusher in Boston College's four three scheme.
Just a guy that has a lead acceleration around the
(11:01):
edge and really uses his long arms to kind of
win the.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
Leverage battle in some of those single blocks.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
So I think both of those guys are exciting, certainly
have the skill set.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
That would draw a camp here.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
But again, you know, we'll see what ends up happening,
but I think having either one of those guys around
there at nineteen would be still Yeah, So that leaves
three other people that we wanted to highlight here.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
What other positions do you have?
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Linebacker Giod Campbell, So we saw the departure of kJ
Britt in free agency, but then we also still have
Servassi A Dennis that this coaching staff is really high on.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
You know, made a really big.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Impact on those third downs, but also just you know
his impact against the run as well. But Jihad Campbell
is the guy that kind of consistently we've seen him
mocked us lined up as both a Mike and Will
and Alabama's four two five based scheme, and he's a
guy that can threaten and coverage as a blitzer, as
a run defender, and he made the transition from edge
(11:59):
to off ball linebacker dominated In twenty twenty four, he
led the team in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and
force mumbles and just has incredible lateral agility, short air
of quickness.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
So he I think could be an exciting.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Player for Todd Bowles to weaponis because you know, they
drop a lot of guys in coverage. You know, we've
seen him throwing Colleja Caansi out there, you know Vita
even sometimes.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And I think in a lot of ways.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
You know, when you had Antoine Winfield going down with injury,
you didn't have Devin White anymore. He was kind of
your predominant blitzing linebacker, so Levonte David was doing that
a lot more. And of course he's a tremendous blitzer,
but also one of his main things and where he
thrives is in coverage. So I think if you get
a guy like Gid Campbell to kind of compliment Leavonte
(12:51):
and then that really frees.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Him up to Rome as well.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
So I think that could be a cool fit in
somebody for Todd Bowles just to.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Really n leash.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
It does feel like edge and then linebacker are the
ones that are mocked to us position wise, if you
take out who the people are the most common and
it makes a lot of sense, right in terms of
just depth, what we've lost, who we have From a
true need perspective, it makes a lot of sense. But
like we've talked about, they are not going to pass
up on someone they love just you know, the whole
(13:18):
need versus best player available.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
All of that.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
That, just because those might make the most sense on paper,
does not mean that that's where it stops on positions
they might be looking at. So who else and what
other positions do you feel like you see some people
mocking to us that might be smart?
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Receiver is kind of an interesting one.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
But that's popped up a lot, and even Jason Light
reiterated today that he's gotten Todd Bowles really psyched about
a lot of these offensive players.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
But I think you have the depth at.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
The right positions to however the board falls whoever they
have the highest on their board when we get to nineteen,
If that is a receiver, I do not think that
is out of the question. You add in another guy
to just create more of a.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
Weapon in a guy that defenses have to allocate for.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
And somebody that I think would would be a good
fit would be Matthew Golden kind of lined up is
that Z receiver in the Texas RPO spread scheme he
made the He averaged a hundred and two point eight
receiving yards over his final four games. And then he
turns into a running back post catch with his awareness
(14:22):
he averaged at least twenty yards per catch in ten
of sixteen games and in twenty twenty four. But just
outstanding body control, you know, quick in and out of breaks, wins,
you can test to catch situation. So I think he
could be a fun guy to kind of add in there.
And he can line up inside, he can line up outside.
They used him a lot in motion, which we know
(14:42):
that the Bucks did a lot of last year, especially
with Chris Godwin and then when he went down doing
that more a little bit with Stirling Shepherd, Angela mcmillans.
So he's the guy that you could kind of add
into to the mix there alright.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And then this last, uh last p prospect that we got.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Here, see cornerback jaw Da, which we've kind of talked
about this a little bit upstairs, but I think even
the puns for days if you kind of use him
as a.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Robber Robert Baron.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
But he played, Yeah, but he played the star position
in Texas's zone heavy scheme, so he played corner safety
Nickel dime kind of lined up everywhere. He did not
allow a single touchdown catch.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
In twenty twenty four.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Has a high football IQ, advanced that kind of reading
blocking schemes, being alerted to the quarterback, and being where
he needs to be. So I think he he would
be a guy that would respond well because the Bucks
do play a lot of zone and he seems that
seems to be where he thrived a lot of and
kind of getting downhill into the action. So he's another
(15:43):
guy that I could see fitting in for at the Buccaneers.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
I like it all right.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, there's your full kind of draft preview version of
Insider thanks to our press conference with Jason Lied. Of course,
you can watch the entire thing if you missed it
on the Buccaneers YouTube and website and everywhere else. And
we loved getting to hear from him, and we can't
wait two weeks. We are so close to finally knowing
who ooh, the newest Buccaneers are gonna be so again.
We have more Road to the drafts coming for you
and all the pre draft content right here, so stay
tuned for that and we'll see you next week.
Welcome into Bucks Insider, coming to you from the Buck Studio,
presented by Ticketmaster Casey Phillips here with Bree Dix, and
I would say that, you know Scott Smith, he got
the stump Scott right last week and.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Decided to just ride off into the sunset. Now he's on.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Vacation, so sailing the high sailing the high.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Seas on a cruise.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
We hope Scott is having a ton of fun. But
we were holding down the fort here without him, and
you know we're right here in the thick of it
with draft and everything else. But man, for the players,
they are enjoying their offseason. We thought we'd show you
a couple just fun little tidbits here to start off that.
First of all, we got Kyle Trask getting married and
the Gators winning to Nattie. Not a bad week for him.
(00:36):
I wanted to say congratulations to him and his now wife.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
We are so excited for them.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
And of course it was also Chase McLoughlin's birthday, so
it's it's been a great week for a couple of
our guys to get some celebrations in and again now
the ultimate date we are celebrating two weeks from the
draft after it, we have a You've done a million
mock drafts.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I'm sure we've done a million road to the drafts.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
We're getting so close, and you know we're close because
today Jason like did his press conference, his pre draft
press conference, So this is kind of that one of
those last times to get a chance to hear from
him prior to the drafts. And of course, you know,
everyone's trying to get every little more information that they can,
and of course Jason's not going to give you anything,
or at least not things that he isn't wanting to
try to give everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
So but we did still learn a few.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Things that I think are really interesting that we got
to hear from him, and we thought we'd start just
highlighting the fact that man, in the time he has
been here this last decade eleven years, essentially look at
this step that is a sign that you are drafting
some good guys, so you know what you're doing. And
of course all teams, all gms, all front office staffs
always talk about how important it is to get your
(01:41):
homegrown talent. But I mean, a we know that people
in their rookie contracts are cheaper than veterans, and so
the more success you can have with those guys, especially early,
and then be able to keep them resign your own guys,
that continuity, all of that is so important. So just
looking at the talent of the way they have been
able to bring in people that are not only having
success here, but I mean all these people that are
(02:03):
on rosters everywhere.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Even if it's not here.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
But yeah, it's just been amazing to watch over this
last eleven years, and I think everyone's very excited to
see who these new guys could be. Yeah, this season,
and of course especially as we talk about that success
in draft picks last year was yes, an incredible example
of that, and so we figured we'd start off here
by listening.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
To him discussed that as well.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
He was asked about the success of some of the
guys from last year's draft class, and especially guys like
Bucky and Graham.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Well, I'll say this, if I would have known what
Bucky was capable of, I probably would have taken him
in the second round or first round. We knew that
we had a special group of guys that the individuals,
but you still never know until you get out there
and they start playing. So to say that we knew
(02:53):
that it was going to be what it was. No,
but just like the last two drafts previous to that,
he came out and given high fives, saying, we've got
great guys if anything, so that work hard, there are
team guys, all those things. So you knew you had
a chance, and we thought at the time they were
good players. But you still never know until you actually
(03:14):
get out there. You feel confident about it, but you
never know.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So yeah, we were talking about the fact that, of
course the whole draft class, so many of them made
massive contributions. What stood out to you about what he
talked about with it, and then just looking at that
draft class from last.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Year, well, I love when mentioning Bucky Irving, he said
that if he would have known what Bucky was capable of,
that he would have taken.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Him in the first or second round.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
I'm sure most teams are saying that, yeah exactly, but
just to see, I mean, he led the leader boards
in so many different categories, finished fourth in Offensive Rookie
of the Year voting, led the NFL in misstackle percentage,
just absolutely thrived in the.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
System, kind of ran a lot more of those counter
traps that he had really become familiar with it Oregon
to see what he was able to do. But also
just looking at what Graham Barton did. I mean, this
is a guy that he hadn't played the center position
since his freshman year at Duke, had started three seasons
at left tackle, and then just to come in and
have the success that he did and kind of anchoring
(04:10):
that offensive line with even new guys around like Ben
Bredeson so and I love just that he said, you know,
you really don't know you can be confident in.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
The guys that you selected, and he said, you know.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
After this last draft, they were all given each other
high fives, but really, until the guys get out there
on the field, you're not going to know what you have.
But to be able to succeed the success that those
guys had, and even Jalen McMillan really coming in in
the end of the year when you had Mike Evans
down with injury, you had because godman down with injury
and he kind of really emerges a go to guy
(04:42):
for Baker my.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Phone on their dumb Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
I think it's gonna be great to see what that
group can look like this year too. Of getting that
all put together last year, bringing all that offensive line
back bucket. Now going in a second year, maybe we
hear how often rookies take a jump.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Even to their.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Second season, and I'm like, I can't even imagine if yeah,
even a tiny jump, that's gonna be pretty great.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I know that.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Also, of course, a million of the questions are always
about some of the different guys that he's evaluating for
this year, right, and who Jason Light is looking at
as we've done these mock drafts, as we've looked around
at what people are talking about. Of course, there is
a ton of discussion about a defensive players, right, but
specifically edge rushers, and that being a position that is
very highly mocked to the bucks and very often discussed
(05:25):
even though you know, hassan Reddit comes in this offseason,
so a lot of people have wondered how much is
that going to affect, you know, how high of a
priority that still is in the draft. I think Jason
Light has proven over the years that just because we
signed someone in a pre agency does not mean that
position is off the table. He has done many years
getting addressing a position both directions. He's if it's a
(05:45):
position of need, He's like, any way we can, let's
go for it. So I definitely don't think edge rusher
is off the table as a first rounder or especially
just a pick in general. And he was asked a
little bit about his strategy and process for evaluating edge rushers.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
So let's take a load.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
It's a it's an ongoing process of evolving process, and
you're always trying to get better, as you know as
an evaluator. A lot of those cases, I was the
one running up the mountain with the flag on some
of those guys, and it just you're not always right.
And and think I've grown in my profession and my
(06:24):
job to know that you can't always be right. But
I think as a group, we look and see where
some of the traits were some of those guys in
every year we try to tweak it a little bit.
But then you tweak it and then another player ends
up has some of the same traits as some of
the ones that didn't work out but work out for
somebody else. It it kind of all depends. Now if
(06:48):
you have if you have a lot of good players
along the defensive line, everybody tends to play pretty well.
So we we feel good about where we're at, and
like I said, I've talked about before with Braswell, I'm
excited about what he can do this year. I think
he's going to come a little bit of a coming
out party in his role, and we're excited about just
the whole front.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
So yeah, So that was very interesting to hear, and
I know you had some thoughts on it, so tell
me what stood out to you about that.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Personally, I just loved his honesty and saying that, you know,
at this point in his career, with his profession, he's
learned that you can't always be right, and you're not
going to be right, And he was the first to
say that, you know, for some of those guys that
didn't pan out for us. At that position, I was
the guy running up the mountain with the flag wanting
those guys. But then he said, if you you start
to tweak some things and looking at you know, maybe
(07:37):
the common denominator, looking at some of those traits of
maybe some of those guys that didn't necessarily pan.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Out for you.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
But then if you put too much of an emphasis
on that, well then you look around the league and
some of the players that potentially had those same traits
are having success somewhere else. So I think it's it
was really cool just to see kind of his process,
and you know, it's it's ever changed. The league is
constantly evolving, but to try and grow and grow with
(08:03):
the scouting department as they go along in trying to
find those edges. But he said, you know, if you
have a solid front line of guys, you know, guys
are typically going to do well when you have a
solid line and having Klaija Cansi, having Vita Vea, but
also like you mentioned, bringing in Hassan Reddick, but also
re signing Anthony Nelson, and now that creates the freedom
(08:25):
to select the best player available. You know, they don't
feel like they're pigeonholed too.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
We have to take an edge.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Now they have the freedom that whoever is the highest
on their board and shows up there, they can jump.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
And I think it's gonna be interesting to see what
that ends up looking like on draft night.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Of course, because when we've done some of these mocks,
we've seen.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
A lot of run on edges that that is a
position that along with maybe quarterback tackle, then it becomes
edged that, like if you want to talk about the
positions that go on runs, the positions that people in
the first round in particular get very into. So nineteen
is an interesting spot to be sitting. How many edges
are going to be left? What does that look like?
Speaker 5 (09:01):
And there's also like zero consensus. You know, you'll have
a guy that's in the top seven.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
On a lot of mocks and then he's in like
the late teens on another. So I mean, you know it,
it all is speculation at this point in tale a
draft night.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
So what we thought we'd do, and of course, if
you want any and all of the draft content, we do.
We are doing the road to the drafts still every
week leading up to the draft, so we haven't talked
as much about it here on Insider because of that,
but because of Jason Lights press conference with us only
being two weeks out, we did want to do a
bit of a most likely to get mocked to us
kind of a thing that now that we are only
two weeks out, we thought we'd have you talk about
(09:36):
five players that you can see us potentially having interest in,
or that get mocked to us or.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
That would maybe be good fits.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yes, at around that nineteen and I know we definitely
have some edgrushers.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
On that list.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Yes, So I'll start out with Edge Mchel Williams and
Edge Donovan Ezerwaku. So with Michel Williams, he was a
guy that at Georgia he lined up everywhere from three
technique to the five technique to stand up outside linebacker.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Kind of wins with power and explosion.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
And speed, but also just he's a guy that he
is going to play through the whistle trying to cause disruption,
whether it's getting his hands up to disrupt passing windows
for those batted passes, or not even just looking to
get those sack numbers, but to punch the ball out
of the quarterback's hands. In twenty twenty four, he was
the second team All SEC player, led the Bulldogs and
(10:25):
force fumbles and loved this. His NFL comp is none
other than former buccaneer Jason Pierre Paul, so not too shabby.
And then Edge Donovan Ezeraku, which I just feel like
that name is fun to say.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I'm happy for you that you've gotten to use it
no times full disclosure. Seriously watched many highlights just to
make sure that the names was correct, but consensus All American.
He was also the Ted Hendricks Award winner, but served
as an edge rusher in Boston College's four three scheme.
Just a guy that has a lead acceleration around the
(11:01):
edge and really uses his long arms to kind of
win the.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
Leverage battle in some of those single blocks.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
So I think both of those guys are exciting, certainly
have the skill set.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
That would draw a camp here.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
But again, you know, we'll see what ends up happening,
but I think having either one of those guys around
there at nineteen would be still Yeah, So that leaves
three other people that we wanted to highlight here.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
What other positions do you have?
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Linebacker Giod Campbell, So we saw the departure of kJ
Britt in free agency, but then we also still have
Servassi A Dennis that this coaching staff is really high on.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
You know, made a really big.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Impact on those third downs, but also just you know
his impact against the run as well. But Jihad Campbell
is the guy that kind of consistently we've seen him
mocked us lined up as both a Mike and Will
and Alabama's four two five based scheme, and he's a
guy that can threaten and coverage as a blitzer, as
a run defender, and he made the transition from edge
(11:59):
to off ball linebacker dominated In twenty twenty four, he
led the team in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and
force mumbles and just has incredible lateral agility, short air
of quickness.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
So he I think could be an exciting.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Player for Todd Bowles to weaponis because you know, they
drop a lot of guys in coverage. You know, we've
seen him throwing Colleja Caansi out there, you know Vita
even sometimes.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And I think in a lot of ways.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
You know, when you had Antoine Winfield going down with injury,
you didn't have Devin White anymore. He was kind of
your predominant blitzing linebacker, so Levonte David was doing that
a lot more. And of course he's a tremendous blitzer,
but also one of his main things and where he
thrives is in coverage. So I think if you get
a guy like Gid Campbell to kind of compliment Leavonte
(12:51):
and then that really frees.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Him up to Rome as well.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
So I think that could be a cool fit in
somebody for Todd Bowles just to.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Really n leash.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
It does feel like edge and then linebacker are the
ones that are mocked to us position wise, if you
take out who the people are the most common and
it makes a lot of sense, right in terms of
just depth, what we've lost, who we have From a
true need perspective, it makes a lot of sense. But
like we've talked about, they are not going to pass
up on someone they love just you know, the whole
(13:18):
need versus best player available.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
All of that.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
That, just because those might make the most sense on paper,
does not mean that that's where it stops on positions
they might be looking at. So who else and what
other positions do you feel like you see some people
mocking to us that might be smart?
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Receiver is kind of an interesting one.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
But that's popped up a lot, and even Jason Light
reiterated today that he's gotten Todd Bowles really psyched about
a lot of these offensive players.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
But I think you have the depth at.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
The right positions to however the board falls whoever they
have the highest on their board when we get to nineteen,
If that is a receiver, I do not think that
is out of the question. You add in another guy
to just create more of a.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
Weapon in a guy that defenses have to allocate for.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
And somebody that I think would would be a good
fit would be Matthew Golden kind of lined up is
that Z receiver in the Texas RPO spread scheme he
made the He averaged a hundred and two point eight
receiving yards over his final four games. And then he
turns into a running back post catch with his awareness
(14:22):
he averaged at least twenty yards per catch in ten
of sixteen games and in twenty twenty four. But just
outstanding body control, you know, quick in and out of breaks, wins,
you can test to catch situation. So I think he
could be a fun guy to kind of add in there.
And he can line up inside, he can line up outside.
They used him a lot in motion, which we know
(14:42):
that the Bucks did a lot of last year, especially
with Chris Godwin and then when he went down doing
that more a little bit with Stirling Shepherd, Angela mcmillans.
So he's the guy that you could kind of add
into to the mix there alright.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And then this last, uh last p prospect that we got.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Here, see cornerback jaw Da, which we've kind of talked
about this a little bit upstairs, but I think even
the puns for days if you kind of use him
as a.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Robber Robert Baron.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
But he played, Yeah, but he played the star position
in Texas's zone heavy scheme, so he played corner safety
Nickel dime kind of lined up everywhere. He did not
allow a single touchdown catch.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
In twenty twenty four.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Has a high football IQ, advanced that kind of reading
blocking schemes, being alerted to the quarterback, and being where
he needs to be. So I think he he would
be a guy that would respond well because the Bucks
do play a lot of zone and he seems that
seems to be where he thrived a lot of and
kind of getting downhill into the action. So he's another
(15:43):
guy that I could see fitting in for at the Buccaneers.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
I like it all right.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, there's your full kind of draft preview version of
Insider thanks to our press conference with Jason Lied. Of course,
you can watch the entire thing if you missed it
on the Buccaneers YouTube and website and everywhere else. And
we loved getting to hear from him, and we can't
wait two weeks. We are so close to finally knowing
who ooh, the newest Buccaneers are gonna be so again.
We have more Road to the drafts coming for you
and all the pre draft content right here, so stay
tuned for that and we'll see you next week.
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