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BREAKING: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select Alabama Football Edge Rusher Chris Braswell With 57th Pick of NFL Draft
The Bucs will be getting a boost to their defensive line after selecting a talented player out of the University of Alabama.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected edge rusher Chris Braswell out of Alabama with the 57th overall pick in the NFL draft.
Braswell is a 6'3, 257-pound edge rusher who plays the position with aggression and physicality. Braswell has developed a reputation for having a tremendous motor, excellent strength and efficient hand usage. Last season, Braswell led the Crimson Tide with 3 forced fumbles, in addition to solid production across the board. He registered 10.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks and an interception returned for a TD. Braswell's ability to defend the run and even drop into coverage in addition to rushing the passer is likely very appealing to head coach, Todd Bowles.
Braswell was drafted in the range that was widely expected, but many have already begun to speculate that Marshawn Kneeland — an edge rusher out of Western Michigan who was drafted by Dallas the pick before — may have been the team's ideal target in this spot. That said, if Jason Licht really wanted Kneeland, he could have moved up to get him.
Having used their first-round pick to select promising center prospect Graham Barton last night, the Buccaneers could have gone a number of different ways with their second pick in the draft.
Earlier in the offseason, the Buccaneers were able to acquire an additional third-round pick by trading Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions. Which makes Friday an especially important date for the Buccaneers. Before the night is up (assuming they don't make any trades) the Bucs will have added three new prospects to this year's draft class, each of whom will be expected to contribute early in their careers.
Those expectations will certainly apply to the team's new edge rusher in Braswell.
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