Drafting Buccaneers: Senior Bowl Preview

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Noah Spence (57) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Buccaneers found the Senior Bowl’s most impressive player sitting in round two of the NFL Draft in 2016, and when they did they immediately made Noah Spence one of their newest players to join the roster.

After the impressive rookie season Spence had for the Buccaneers it’s no surprise many are looking to the Senior Bowl again to find some lesser known talent, or to answer questions about guys with high production against lesser quality opponents.

The big game is coming up, and every player on the field is a talent waiting to be discovered, groomed, and potentially morph your favorite franchise into the next Super Bowl contender.

Let’s take a look at just some of the names Bucs fans need to make themselves familiar with as the scouting and pre-draft process continues on.

Sep 12, 2015; Akron, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Nate Peterman (4) looks to the sideline for a play call during a game against the Akron Zips at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Cammett-USA TODAY Sports

North Quarterback Nate Peterman, Pittsburgh Panthers

Nate Peterman from Pittsburgh is a two-year starter who started his collegiate career at Tennessee as a Volunteer quarterback appearing in 11 games with two starts.

With over 5,000 career yards passing Peterman showed good ability to make smart decisions throwing the ball to the enemy just seven times in 2016 while tossing 27 touchdowns.

He’s a tough player who isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run when the opportunity arises and doesn’t lose anything on his short and intermediate passes when rolling out.

He’ll have to learn to slide more in the NFL than he did in college during his 158 carries as a Panther.

The biggest thing this player can show this week and in the game is his resiliency and coachability as he looks to catch the eye of a team looking for a late round quarterback.

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A good game this weekend could catch the eye of the Buccaneers as they look to bring in competition for the back-up position heading into 2017.

South Quarterback Davis Webb, California Golden Bears

The Buccaneers seem destined to lose back-up quarterback Mike Glennon, and Davis Webb from Cal may be the closest comparison in the draft and certainly at the Senior Bowl.

Playing from the shotgun it’ll take time for the lanky passer to get comfortable under center which will make him a developmental prospect from the beginning for NFL teams looking to bring him up to the line of scrimmage at all.

As a passer he holds the ball a bit too low for my liking and leaves himself susceptible to having it knocked out of his hands by rushing linemen.

On deep passes Webb has good touch and places the ball nicely.

Teams like the Bucs will want to see what he can do in the intermediate passing range and look for good decision making as well as ball security.

North Running Back De’Veon Smith, Michigan Wolverines

We watched De’Veon Smith in the East/West Shrine Game and we definitely want to see more to determine if he’s a name the Buccaneers should be targeting in the upcoming NFL Draft.

If you’ve seen Smith you know about his power and his size, but what you may not know about is his pass blocking and ability to provide a passing option out of the backfield as well.

Many questioned Ezekiel Elliott’s ability to impact the passing game coming out of Ohio State and Smith is trying to shed similar questions for the second All-Star game in a row this weekend in Mobile.

The competition will be a bit tougher in this one compared to his previous game, and it’s going to go a long way to determine if he’s considered a mid-round pick with future starting potential or a late-round guy who can be a solid role player.

South Running Back Jamaal Williams, Brigham Young University Cougars

Coming in at 6’2” and 215 lbs. Jamaal Williams is a deceptively agile running back who has good eyes for the hole and burst to get through it before it closes.

This young man has a checkered past in his health and within team rules, so his medicals and interviews are going to be a big part of his evaluations.

The Buccaneers like to leak their running backs out as pass options, so it’ll be something worth watching to see if Williams can do anything for the South squad in that area.

Overall, he’ll probably get drafted a bit higher than the Bucs would like to take a running back of his pedigree, but he’s worth the watch as he has the opportunity to boost his stock for all 32 franchises.

North Wide Receiver Zay Jones, East Carolina Pirates

Zay Jones’ best shot at proving to scouts he’s more than a product of the system he played in is this weekend in the Senior Bowl.

The Buccaneers definitely don’t run a system which reminds me of the Pirates, and if Jones struggles in a more conventional – albeit simplified – pro scheme, then it may hurt his draft prospects which has climbed over the last week or so.

The receiver is definitely a talented young man with good speed and hands to make tough catches. His move off the line is smooth and he doesn’t shy away when facing contact in his routes.

Look for him to work each level of the secondary and show some technical sides of his game as he looks to break the mold he was forced in to at East Carolina.

West Tight End O.J. Howard, Alabama Crimson Tide

If you saw a tight end who can play in-line and hold his own in blocking while also possessing the ability to get up field and into his routes to be an effective weapon in the passing game, what value would you give him?

Most are saying O.J. Howard is a round one talent, and nothing I’ve seen takes away from this evaluation of this draft classes best tight end.

The Buccaneers found a gem in Cameron Brate, but the prospect of adding a legitimate receiving nightmare would make the team’s two tight end sets an absolute nightmare while the team can load up on speed in later rounds.

This isn’t a guarantee by any means, but Howard is an interesting player with ties to the Bucs via several mock drafts and some analysis by our own writers as well.

Look to see just how dominant the Bama player can be in all facets of the game, and you’ll see why he has a lot of people excited about him.

Dec 3, 2016; Bowling Green, KY, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers head coach Jeff Brohm (left) and Hilltoppers offensive lineman Forrest Lamp (76) celebrate their victory following the CUSA championship game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Western Kentucky won 58-44. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

North Offensive Tackle Taylor Moton, Western Michigan Broncos

The offensive line seems to be a focus of the fan base, and less so a focus for the Buccaneers themselves.

I don’t think there’s any question though, the team needs to add some youthful depth at the tackle position among others, and Taylor Moton is a good one if Jason Licht waits until day two to grab one.

Outside of an offensive lineman on the South roster who may not play now after suffering an ankle injury (see below), this is the lineman I’m most looking forward to seeing get work.

For the record, I’m an advocate of the idea for moving Donovan Smith to the right side and bringing in a new left tackle.

If it can’t be Ryan Ramczyk (Wisconsin) or Roderick Johnson (Florida State), then I’d be very happy with Moton from a prospect standpoint.

South Guard Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

I struggled with whether to keep Forrest Lamp on here considering the high ankle sprain he’s suffered which has made him questionable for Saturday’s festivities.

Obviously, since you’re reading this, I’ve decided to keep him in because of the work he got in before getting hurt and the way he’s impacted his own draft stock in the process.

A starting tackle at Western Kentucky, early speculation had him moving inside, and he’s obviously embraced it as he was listed at guard on the South roster.

The Buccaneers may not see their interior line as their biggest priority, but things can change a lot in this game and with J.R. Sweezy coming off of a back injury there’s no shame in drafting a young lineman like Lamp who could come in to replace the wounded veteran if the problems flare up again.

If he plays then it’ll be a big story line to see how his ankle holds up.

Chances are he won’t though, and it’ll be the combine before Bucs fans get to see him in action again.

North Cornerback Desmond King, Iowa Hawkeyes

Desmond King is talented, nobody is questioning this fact. However, what people are questioning is whether or not he translates as a safety or a cornerback at the next level.

For the Buccaneers, they should be looking at King as a likely safety convert to put behind Keith Tandy and Bradley McDougald as a player who could come in spells and play on special teams.

If the team needs him to step in at corner then he’s capable, but will need to be matched up with over the top help when facing faster receivers like Brandin Cooks, Taylor Gabriel or Corey Brown who all reside in the NFC South.

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I’m not sure King is going to get snaps at safety in the Senior Bowl, but it would be an interesting sight to see if he did.

South Linebacker Ben Boulware, Clemson Tigers

If Ben Boulware’s NFL career doesn’t take hold then he’s got a reality show in his future if he wants one. Even if it does he may get one to go with it.

For the Buccaneers, Boulware is a guy who could certainly provide some special teams contributions while coming in and learning behind established linebackers like Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David.

The linebacker group for the Bucs was seldom an issue for the defense mostly because Alexander and David were able to stay healthy and play consistent football.

The chances this unit can maintain a healthy status two years in a row are fairly slim if history is a reliable indicator of the future.

Drafting Boulware would give the team a decent back-up to fill in should the time come.

Look to see just how this linebacker matches up against the competition and if he can get to the play quickly enough to be relevant on a good amount of plays.

These are just a few of the names competing in the 2016 Senior Bowl this Saturday afternoon. Tune-in to see how they do amongst others, and see if you can point out the next impact player at the NFL level playing in this year’s match-up.

Who do you like from this year’s rosters? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, and thanks again for reading!