Senior Bowl Prospects That Could Pique the Buccaneers Interest
Since being named Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager in 2014, Jason Licht has spent 16 of his 49 draft picks on prospects who played in the annual Senior Bowl. 17, if you include linebacker Kendell Beckwith, who accepted an invitation to the game before tearing his ACL and not participating.
It's fair to assume that Licht will do so again in 2021. The Buccaneers have drafted a prospect that performs in Mobile, Ala. every year that Licht has been in his position as GM.
The Senior Bowl provides the nation's top upper-class talent with one final opportunity to impress scouts in football pads and in the interview room before the NFL Combine, which was effectively canceled this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Senior Bowl game itself proved to be exciting, ending in a 27-24 victory for the National team (coached by the Miami Dolphins staff) over the American team (Carolina Panthers staff).
Which Senior Bowl standouts could the Buccaneers have their eyes on as the NFL Draft process will be in full gear shortly following the Super Bowl?
OT Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
Left tackle Donovan Smith had an up-and-down regular season for Tampa Bay, but played the best ball of his NFL career throughout the playoffs. Owed over $14 million in 2021 while several Buccaneers starters are set to become free agents, it was fair to ask if Smith could be an offseason cap casualty before the postseason.
That doesn't appear likely now, but the Buccaneers could stand to at least improve their offensive line depth and invest in an insurance option should Smith's play not carry over into 2021. Radunz would make a lot of sense and has the upside to eventually replace Smith when his contract expires.
Starting 32 consecutive games at left tackle, Radunz was tasked with protecting Trey Lance at NDSU, who has emerged as one of this draft's top quarterbacks. Radunz showed off impressive athleticism during the week to block pass rushers working both inside and out during one-on-one drills and often stonewalled defensive linemen upon contact. Radunz had solid measurements as well, standing at 6-foot-5 and 5/8 inches, 304 pounds, with 33 1/4 inch arms and 9 1/8 inch hands.
Radunz would earn the Senior Bowl's Overall Practice Player of the Week honors for his performance during practices.
DE Janarius Robinson, Florida State
The offensive line had its way with the defensive front throughout the week in practice, but the American team pass rush was able to wreak some havoc on Saturday afternoon. One prospect who got in on the fun was Florida State edge rusher Janarius Robinson, who was considered a big-time winner during Senior Bowl weigh-ins.
Robinson measured in at 6-foot-5, 266 pounds, with 35 3/4 inch arms and 11 inch hands. Although he didn't produce a ton at Florida State, he presents the intangibles that teams salivate over on the edge. His arms are more than two inches longer than the average edge rusher's, per MockDraftable, and with proper development, that type of length can be molded into an advantage while Robinson rushes the passer.
Robinson posted one and a half sacks during the Senior Bowl game, showing off impressive speed from the edge and using his length to push the pocket.
Defensive end Ndamukong Suh is set to become a free agent this offseason, and his counterpart William Gholston will follow next offseason. Gholston is about to turn 30 while Suh is 34, so neither are exactly in the Buccaneers long-term plans up front and defensive end will have to be addressed. Edge rusher Shaquil Barrett is set to be a free agent as well, but he plays in a standing edge, outside linebacker role instead of putting his hand in the dirt.
Despite posting just eight sacks in four seasons at FSU, Robinson certainly impressed during the week of the Senior Bowl and has the opportunity to rise up draft boards. If the Buccaneers are comfortable with drafting a defensive end that will need development, but has significant untapped potential, Robinson is a viable option.
Safety Richie Grant, UCF
Buccaneers fans probably wouldn't love the idea of another early draft selection on a defensive back - Licht has taken six defensive backs within the first three rounds in the last three years. However, the secondary remains an area where Tampa Bay can improve, and Richie Grant offers range that the Bucs currently lack on the backend.
Antoine Winfield Jr. has been a pleasant surprise at safety for the Buccaneers and played at an extremely high level during his rookie season. Jordan Whitehead also made a big impact during the NFC Championship game with two forced fumbles. However, Tampa Bay could use a rangy safety with coverage prowess, particularly to allow the Buccaneers to run more press man coverages. Grant can provide that skill-set.
In four seasons at UCF, Grant created 15 turnovers, ten interceptions and five forced fumbles, and defended a total of 17 passes. The Thorpe Award finalist, which is given to the nation's top college defensive back, carried his turnover-creating skills to the Senior Bowl and recorded numerous interceptions throughout the week of practices.
He also held his own in press coverage one-on-one's, a drill that typically factors wide receivers. Grant had little issue jamming receivers at the line and mirroring routes, which led to some reps at outside cornerback during the Senior Bowl game and showcased his versatility.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah named Grant as one of his ten NFL Draft winners from the Senior Bowl.
QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
With several big-name pending free agents, the Buccaneers are going to have to trim the fat off of their roster this offseason to save money.
Backup quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin are set to be free agents and combined for a cap number of around $2.5 million in 2020, so the Bucs could look towards the draft for a backup to Tom Brady in order to use those funds elsewhere.
For reference, prospects selected in the third round or later in the 2020 draft had a cap number of $900k or less during their rookie season. On that scale, drafting a QB in round three or later would net the Bucs at least $1.5 million - cap space that can go towards Suh, Barrett, Chris Godwin, Lavonte David, or others.
Mond earned MVP of the Senior Bowl after a 13-of-25 passing performance, recording 173 yards and two touchdowns for the American team. A four-year starter at Texas A&M, Mond is a rhythmic passer who operates well within a spread offense with solid arm strength and plus mobility.
Mond may not be super dynamic and is a bit undersized at 6-foot 2 and 1/2 inches, 205 pounds, so he doesn't project as a starting quarterback in the NFL, at least yet. However, Mond makes for an intriguing backup option who could develop into a spot-starter and perhaps Brady's eventual replacement, at a cheap price.
EDGE Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest
One of several big-name prospects to participate in practice but not play in the game, Carlos Basham Jr. showed all that he needed to during the week of the Senior Bowl. He's another appealing defensive line prospect that the Buccaneers could eye in April, who posted 19.5 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss in his Wake Forest career.
Basham is a bit of a "tweener" defensive line prospect given his size - 6-foot-3 and 3/8 inches, 281 pounds, with 32 and 1/2 inch arms and 9 and 1/8-inch hands. However, he was explosive during the week as an outside edge rusher as well as working against guards from 3-4 defensive end/defensive tackle techniques.
Tampa Bay could benefit from Basham's versatility on the defensive line, presumably starting him off as a defensive end to help mend the depth. Working in between Vita Vea and Jason Pierre-Paul, or Shaquil Barrett should he sign a contract extension, would provide the Buccaneers with a lot of disruption on opposing quarterbacks.
Like Grant, Basham made Daniel Jeremiah's top ten draft winners list for his showing in Mobile.
QB Feleipe Franks, Arkansas
You can apply the argument about paying backup quarterbacks from above to Feleipe Franks, but it comes with a bit more risk for the Arkansas signal-caller than Mond.
Franks possesses unteachable arm talent, great mobility and physicality for the position, and a large frame at 6-foot-6 and 3/8 inches, 234 pounds, with 10-inch hands. However, he struggled in college with progressing through his reads and made questionable decisions with the ball throughout his career, posting 21 interceptions and 28 fumbles in four seasons.
However, Brady has rarely dealt with injuries in his career and the Buccaneers could bank on him without a backup capable of leading the team to success, which makes Franks an intriguing fit in head coach Bruce Arians' aggressive, vertical passing offense. With a couple of years developing behind Brady and improving his decision making in practice, Franks could develop into an intriguing NFL gunslinger.
Franks completed 9-of-16 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown for the National team during the Senior Bowl.
