NFL Draft: 7-Round Mock Sees Buccaneers Start Weekend Addressing Offensive Tackle
We're finally here after months of speculating what life after quarterback Tom Brady will look like for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it's NFL Draft week.
This week brings no shortage of new reports, rumors, and speculation, but adds to those with draft experts solidifying full seven-round projections like the one NFL.com just published this weekend that starts the Bucs off with offensive tackle Darnell Wright from Tennessee.
READ MORE: Buccaneers Mock Draft 1.0
"Tristan Wirfs shifts to left tackle for 2023," writes NFL.com's Chad Reuter in his full mock NFL Draft. "Allowing Wright to handle the edge defenders on the right side, as he did last year for the Volunteers."
In Reuter's version, Tampa Bay gets Wright at No. 19 instead of a move back that many thought could accompany a pick like this just one month ago.
Since then, Wright's draft stock has risen in the eyes of many and whether it's due to talent alone or position value he becomes a top 20 pick in this year's class.
The second round sees the Buccaneers come back with the 50th pick and select South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
"Long outside cornerback with instinctive eyes and the ball skills to consistently close on throws when in position," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein says of the cornerback. "He's highly anticipatory with the vision and route recognition to shine from coverages allowing him to play with his eyes and feet forward."
Tampa Bay finishes its Day 2 slate of picks with Old Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz coming in to help lend a hand to second-year pros Cade Otton and Ko Kieft.
After missing out on the fun in the fourth round, here's the rest of the Buccaneers class as projected by Reuter:
5th Round
No. 153: OG, Nick Saldiveri (Old Dominion)
No. 175: CB, Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU)
6th Round
No. 179: S, Jordan Howard (Minnesota)
No. 181: EDGE, Isaiah Land (Florida A&M)
No. 196: RB, Evan Hull (Northwestern)
7th Round
No. 252: QB, Max Duggan (TCU)
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With this class, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht certainly addresses some needs while likely pushing second-year cornerback Zyon McCollum inside to nickel with the selection of Smith in the second round.
And getting some talent to develop in Land and Duggan at crucial positions would give the Bucs two more 'lottery tickets' as they've been called.
After the success of Brock Purdy for the San Francisco 49ers after being a seventh-round draft pick last year, many comparisons would be made to Duggan if he were to be thrust into action his rookie season.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
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