NFL Insider Identifies Buccaneers' "Dream Target" in 2023 Draft

The NFL Draft is just around the corner and there's no certain path on the table for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sitting with the No. 19 overall pick, the team has a variety of options on both sides of the ball that it's been evaluating over the last couple of months.

The Buccaneers are coming off a season where they had the worst rushing game in the NFL, only averaging 76.9 yards on the ground per contest. That also included a league-worst five rushing touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Only three other franchises finished with less than ten touchdowns on the ground in 2022.

After moving on from veteran Leonard Fournette last month, Tampa Bay is in need of assistance in the backfield. The team signed free agent Chase Edmonds to a room that currently includes rising star Rachaad White, backup Ke'Shawn Vaughn, and practice squad candidate Patrick Laird.

While identifying every team's "Dream Target" in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bleacher Report's David Kenyon tabbed an intriguing prospect for the Buccaneers. According to the NFL Insider, the franchise should target former Texas standout Bijan Robinson in the first round.

"Whether they should draft a running back is a fair question, I would immediately argue Bijan Robinson is a luxury pick for a franchise that has a messy cap situation and a roster in flux as the post-Tom Brady era begins," Kenyon wrote. " Nevertheless, the versatile Texas standout is a dream fit because of his stellar elusiveness—a huge asset for the league's worst rush offense in 2022—and pass-catching versatility."

If the Buccaneers are willing to invest another asset into the future of their backfield, there probably isn't a better option on the board than Robinson. Arguably the top running back in the draft, he possesses a mix of speed, power, and big play ability. He can impact the game on the ground or through the air, making him an ideal second fiddle to Rachaad White.

Robinson measured in at 5-foot-11, 215-pounds at the NFL Combine where he recorded a broad jump of 10'4" and ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash. He's coming off a junior season where he rushed 258 times for 1,580 yards with 18 touchdowns on the ground. Robinson added 19 catches for 314 yards and two more scores. He culminated the campaign by earning the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back while being named a first-team AP All-American and first-team All-Big 12 selection.

There are plenty of other needs on the roster but a player of Robinson's caliber may be too much to pass up if he falls into Tampa Bay's hands later this month. The Arizona native paired with White would create a tandem in the backfield that is talented and cost controlled for the coming years.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 offseason.

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