Top NFL Draft expert sees obvious fit for Buccaneers in Round 1

Despite the team's confidence in Yaya Diaby and the commitment made to Haason Reddick in free agency, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shouldn't shy away from drafting a top edge rushing prospect should the opportunity present itself on the opening night of the NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin next week.

Could the Buccaneers go a different direction with their first selection, currently slated to pick at19th overall? Of course they could. What the Bucs choose to do in Round 1 will depend almost exclusively on what the teams picking before them do.

Trading up, trading back, drafting a defensive back, drafting a linebacker, there are a plethora of options that will present themselves to the Bucs — just like all teams. But when Daniel Jeremiah — the top NFL Draft expert in the industry — fielded questions from the media during a conference call this week, he was asked what he thinks the Buccaneers will do and he provided a very confident and specific answer.

"I'm going to go with an edge rusher for Tampa," said Jeremiah. "I'm going to say they lean towards a productive guy and someone that I think could kind of fit and grow with that team. That's a good team. I saw them last year, and I thought that was one of the most physical teams in the NFL."

Not only did Daniel Jeremiah zero in on the edge rusher position for the Buccaneers in Round 1, but he identified one specific player as an ideal fit. That player? Donovan Ezeiruaku of Boston College.

Boston College Eagles defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku reacts after a sack against the Pittsburgh Panthers. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

In making his prediction, Jeremiah stated, "I'll go with Ezeiruaku from Boston College. I think all the production [is important]. I think Jason Licht values that. I think he would appreciate that."

Jeremiah also took a moment to reflect on Tampa Bay's first round draft pick last year, Graham Barton, while connecting the intangible qualities the Bucs saw in Barton to Ezeiruaku.

"When you get the center from Duke who comes in and is just — I mean, he's so polished and so smart and so tough," praised Jeremiah. "Obviously the talent is there with Graham Barton, but all those intangible things I think were what led to him having such immediate success once he got on the field there. I think with Ezeiruaku, there's a very similar wiring with him. He's a really smart kid. He's someone I think is going to pick up what they're doing defensively really fast and could have an impact."

There's been a ton of buzz regarding the Buccaneers' interest in Donovan Ezeiruaku for some time now, so this prediction by Jeremiah isn't a revelation by any means. That said, when someone as knowledgeable and connected as Daniel Jeremiah makes a prediction with the confidence he did in connecting Ezeiruaku to the Bucs, it is certainly worth paying attention to.

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