Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2022 Draft Grades: Building a Solid Foundation

Round 1: Graham Barton, C, Duke (No. 26 overall)

Round 2: Chris Braswell, OLB, Alabama (57)

Round 3: Tykee Smith, S, Georgia (89) | Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington (92)

Round 4: Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon (125)

Round 6: Elijah Klein, OG, Texas-El Paso (220)

Round 7: Devin Culp, TE, Washington (246)

Jason Licht placed a substantial bet on 2022 fifth-round pick Zyon McCollum by trading Carlton Davis III to Detroit in March. Then the Tampa Bay GM doubled down by avoiding the position altogether in the draft. Bold strategy, Jason — we’ll see if it pays off. But enough about the picks the Buccaneers didn’t make — how about the cards they actually turned in?

The first-round selection of Graham Barton could have been sponsored by OSHA, seeing how universally it was lauded for safeness. Truthfully, the Duke left tackle does appear to have a versatile skill set that could fit in any environment. In Tampa, he’ll probably man the pivot, where he played as a true freshman in Durham. Unfortunately, he can’t simultaneously play left guard, which remains a soft spot on the depth chart. But that high-floor pick kind of set the tone for the rest of the draft, as the Bucs continually hit singles with exceedingly solid picks. Stuck behind a murderers’ row of pass rushers during his first three years at Alabama, Chris Braswell finally got his opportunity this past fall and took full advantage, leading the SEC with 56 pressures, per PFF. After turning heads at the Senior Bowl, Braswell enjoyed a nice workout at the NFL Scouting Combine. There could be some untapped potential here. In Round 3, Licht appeared to target the slot, offensively and defensively. Jalen McMillan struggled with injuries this past season, but in 2022, he actually led Washington in receptions and receiving touchdowns — yes, over Rome Odunze. Tykee Smith’s a versatile safety/nickel who’s much more physical force defender than sticky cover manbut he could see significant snaps Year 1 in the slot.

One more pick I’d like to spotlight, as it underscores the radically decent feel of this draft haul: fourth-rounder Bucky Irving. The Oregon running back was a consistent vessel for “FORGET THE TESTING!” pleas from impassioned draftniks over the past couple months, and for good reason. On film, he’s a compact, shifty, generally fun mighty mite of a ball-carrier. But a slow 40 time and inexplosive jumps in Indy sunk his draft stock.

2024-05-03 15:39:00
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