Sanders’ “Sweet Spot”

March 22nd, 2019

Second-day pick?

Joe understands, at least publically, Bucco Bruce Arians really likes Peyton Barber as a key Bucs running back.

Joe isn’t as sold.

Look, Joe loves the effort Barber offers, but Joe is also sure some confuse effort with production. Those are two different things.

Now yesterday it was learned the Bucs met privately with Miles Sanders of Penn State. His biggest drawback was that he had to watch from the sidelines as Saquon Barkley’s backup.

Former Bears scouting director Greg Gabriel gave Sanders his “RB1” grade, which means best running back in the draft. Former NFL scout and current NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah isn’t that high on him but does like the Penn State product.

Jeremiah believes Sanders is a second-day pick, so he said in a recent teleconference.

I’ve seen enough in Miles Sanders that it wouldn’t shock me — maybe if he works out great he could climb his way all the way into the second round, but because there’s so many names at running back, he’s somebody I could see in that third-round range would be a nice sweet spot for him.

The Bucs have the sixth pick in the third round, No. 70 overall. Joe doesn’t think drafting Sanders there would be a terrible reach.

33 Responses to “Sanders’ “Sweet Spot””

  1. The Fighting Schiano’s Says:

    If he’s there in the 3rd, you take him.

  2. The Fighting Schiano’s Says:

    But to be fair, if he’s RB1 or RB2, he wont be there.

  3. Todd Says:

    Jason Licht was overheard telling a bagger at a local Publix, “Miles Sanders won’t get past the second round…which is why we’re selecting him at #5.”

    Can’t make this stuff up.

    Unless I just did.

  4. The Fighting Schiano’s Says:

    Todd,

    I was told by a reliable source that Licht told a hot dog vendor that if Haskins is there at 5, we’re taking him and trading Jameis.

    Unless I’m making that up.

  5. Lordcornelius Says:

    I’d be ok with him there

  6. straightcashhomey Says:

    Isn’t this like the THIRD Miles Sanders article in 5 or 6 days…..?!?! That’s rhetorical. Damn.

    There are other things to write about……..like remaining free agents, upcoming 30 draft visits for Bucs, OTHER running backs, Josh Allen’s pro day, Quinnen’s pro day in detail previously………

    A long piece on why the @Joe’s (with all their ‘inside information’) think that the Bucs’ front office continues to deliberately run the financial Jurassic structure and bookkeeping that they do……LOTS OF STUFF. 🙂

    How many times are we gonna see articles, bout Miles Sanders. He ain’t even the water boy for Saquon Barkley……..

  7. Issaic haggins Says:

    if I can’t sign Winston to a team friendly deal before the draft , I would strongly consider drafting Haskins …….. Once again has hung the team out to dry by not having Winston under a team friendly long term contract . Your job as GM is to know if he’s the guy having him on the one year option is suicide for the organization and once again is bozo Licht not getting above mean line leverage and value for the organization!!! The Glazers are so clueless to cap , personal and football operations it’s mind boggling . Your in pretty tough cap shape and is Winston plays well he will be close to 30 mil and with Lichts current contracts and no pro bowl players ( Evans) , a rookie qb gives your 4 years of relief . Considering Winston’s life stunts !!!

  8. Lordcornelius Says:

    Just did a mock on first pick which always gets my hopes up lol. Traded down to 10 for another 2/3

    10-D White ILB
    2A-J Simmons DT
    2B-Garett Bradberry OG/C
    3A-Chase Winovich DE/OLB
    3B-Miles Sanders RB

    May the gods be so kind

  9. AlteredEgo Says:

    Big uglies 1st and 2nd round

  10. Defense Rules Says:

    @straightcashhomey … “A long piece on why the @Joe’s (with all their ‘inside information’) think that the Bucs’ front office continues to deliberately run the financial Jurassic structure and bookkeeping that they do.”

    Wow, you’re like a junkyard dog with a bone homey. I wonder if people who’ve been doing this for years & years & years MIGHT have a different take on ‘contract restructuring’ than you do. MAYBE they’re of the mindset that restructuring ties you to a player (because of the upfront $$$) for several years. And MAYBE they don’t see anyone on the Bucs team (who’s on their 2nd contract) who they want to get tied to for several years. Jameis? Not hardly; he’s on a 1-year ‘try-before-buy’ deal. Donovan Smith? Ali Marpet? Ryan Jensen? JPP? GMC? LVD? None of the ‘youngsters’ in that group have even made the Pro-Bowl yet, much less All-Pro. The ‘old-timers’ have fared better, BUT … oh ya, they’re old-timers.

    There’s only ONE player on the Bucs I’d be willing to commit to long-term right now: Mike Evans. And before all is said-and-done, I have a suspicion that he’ll get a restructured deal so we can break free enough money to (1) pay our draft picks; and (2) sign 1 or 2 more quality FAs (who could start for us). Only time will tell.

    BTW, BEFORE you call ME an idiot again, wait until you graduate from 2nd grade. Hopefully your thought processes will improve somewhat by then.

  11. AlteredEgo Says:

    DR… if Jameis doesn’t earn a long term contract, ME could very well be traded next year

  12. Anonymous Says:

    Draft the rb from FAU

  13. Billy Says:

    @Lord
    If Garrett Bradbury lasts until the 3rd that would be a miracle.
    Several Mocks have him going in the 1st round.
    If all that happened I’d be stoked.

  14. Kobe Faker Says:

    “LC

    Nice mock

    We are going to need a great draft for us to be playoff caliber

    3-4 starters/ instant production

    *some points

    BA didnt resign hump because he likes runningback screen game vs slot reciever bubble screens…miles sanders is the next Kareem Hunt

    GMC is still here. No one has replaced kwon in FA which means Bowles is going Mlber in the 1st round…dont sleep on devin bush if we trade back and miss Dwhite. Agree with you. Bowles wants 2 linebackers to start in the 3-4 defence

    No starter RG in FA. Agree with you they will draft RG

    After the draft, they get their veteran corner and safety to complete the defense”

    Kobe “male cheerleader” Faker

  15. Tackleblockwin Says:

    I really like Qadree Ollison. He is about 6’2” and 230. Pair him with Barber and have a smash mouth running game that wears down opponents. We might be able to get him day three of draft. I guess I’m done wishing we find a quick little back who can turn the corner and runs routes like a WR. Let’s be different and bring smash mouth ball back.

  16. First Down Tampa Bay Says:

    If we waste ANOTHER pick on a RB I will be very, very unhappy. We’ve spent way too much draft capital on RBs the past two seasons. Way too many holes on the roster to take a gamble on arguably the most bust-prone position on the field.

  17. SCBucsFan Says:

    Peyton Barber is our #1 until someone with skill arrives

  18. rrsrq Says:

    If the Bucs no about him, so do other teams, like the Raiders, how many picks do they have? One name, Mike Mayock knows college football hidden gems

  19. What the buc Says:

    I wouldn’t take a RB at all. You can get Anderson as a FA. He’s not the long term solution but you can’t fix every position in one draft. Barber did well with the worst run blocking line I’ve seen in a long time. Get a right guard and he’ll get you 1000+ yards. The problem with our run game is blocking. Jones had the worst luck as he was hit in the backfield almost every time he got the ball. He’s a guy that needs a hole to run through. Part of the problem was that we were so predictable with Rojo. He pretty much came in to run as he couldn’t catch or pass pro.

  20. BucEmUp 7 Says:

    It would be a good pick

  21. Jamaal Stanley Says:

    Y’all might wanna listen to Kobe on this one. Say what you want about him not being able to Barkley’s strap,all I know is Penn State’s run game didn’t fall in his absence. All Barkley haas has on Miles is one extra gear that give him a little more top end speed. Hands,feet i.e shiftiness and cutting along with power they equals. We’ll be lucky get him.

  22. straightcashhomey Says:

    @DR…

    Pusswaa….

    I know kitten you don’t want me to refer to all the other aliases where I have used both voluntarily, and voluntarily….where you have exceedingly taken a backseat which you are very used to…..prior.

    After all, you’re the one who decided to open your piewhole in contradiction, and, as always, ur research has been poor, you’re shortsighted in anything meaningful, you CONSTANTLY ask (beg) for LordCorn to back you up on things that you think, or he might think more. It’s pitiful, consistent, weak. Check all the prior threads.

    NO ORIGINAL thoughts….coming outta you @DR, at all, certainly not with respect to how this cat knows to run a P/L, a balance sheet in business….all the above for the short bus crowd.

    Tell me @DR….where did your MBA come from again?..

  23. catcard202 Says:

    In the 3rd… Sanders is still a reach, IMO…But I’m openly weary of 1yr wonder producers.

    Game Tape& what the players college coaching staff & opponent coaches have to say about a player, will give you more insight to future NFL potential than spandex FB & beauty contest combine testing will ever do so!

    I’m 100% all-in on the Benny “SnellYeah” Train in the 3rd…3yr SEC stud & perfect bully back to pair with Barber & RoJo…

    No RB in this draft class runs with as much violent intent or was schemed for more on a week-by-week basis over their career, than Snell @ UK…(Henderson @ MEM / Montgomery at ISU could be argued – but doing what he did – 3yrs straight yrs of over 1000yds (or more) & 13td’s (or more) against SEC defenses..Doing what he did in the SEC…It just means more.)

    ~3900yds & 48tds in 3yrs…& didn’t play until 3rd game of FR yr.

    If Bucs are going to draft a RB on testing #’s or give a bonus for being stuck behind Shaquan Barkley for 3yrs…Maybe Bucs FO should take a deep-dive look at Johnathan Thomas @ Penn St., over Miles Sanders.

    Thomas has arguably better underwear NFL RB measurements & more explosive analytics/test scores…5-11, 217lbs, 19reps, 39.5in vert, 10-8 broad, 1.53-10yd, 2.64-20yd, 4.40-40yd…With fluid in on-field drills….Was a Special Teams contributor & is a good fit for rotational back – with the right mind set to handle being roster chess piece & role player – week to week.

    I mean, If we are kicking tires on low mileage RB’s…Thomas still has the rubber twigs & mold flashing left on his…He had next to no touches over 4yrs in college – (18 carries for 129yds & 1 TD for a career.)..While grinding everyday stuck behind Barkley & Sanders on PSU depth chart.

  24. Z31 BUCS Says:

    straightcashhomey Says:
    “I know kitten you don’t want me to refer to all the other aliases where I have used both voluntarily, and voluntarily….where you have exceedingly taken a backseat which you are very used to…..prior.”

    Tell me @DR….where did your MBA come from again?..”

    ((((((((((((((((

    Is this English?
    Really hard to tell.
    It is always hilarious when someone tries to throw a slam like asking where an MBA came from…….. but the same person is unable to speak English.
    DR is well respected around here, unlike this garbage post.

  25. Phred Says:

    Eyes on the prize. Current skill players are adequate. I would focus like a laser on the trenches, both sides. Remember when Denver’s O-line made every running back look like Barry Sanders? Remember when the Buc’s D-line made Kurt Warner look like Trent Dilfer?

    It’s not sexy, but if the Bucs have an O-line that can open holes for the rusher and consistently give Jame 4+ seconds in the pocket, our skill players are good enough to make opponents pay.

    With the new rules hindering coverage, we need a D-line that can put the opposing QB on his back multiple times a game and keep runners below 100 yards per game.

  26. Tampa Bay Demon Says:

    Phred Says:
    “Remember when the Buc’s D-line made Kurt Warner look like Trent Dilfer?”

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Hahaha, VERY well said, Phred.
    Yes we remember it VERY WELL.

  27. Owlykat Says:

    catcard202 knows what he is talking about. Snell is the best pick for a RB. We have to have one third down back on this team who can recognize blitzes and block to protect Jameis, has hands for passes like Brate, can run with true power between the Tackles and spell and backup Barber. If we can open big holes we already have three change of pace explosive backs that can take it to the house. If we trade down we will have enough picks to add a Guard and Tackle to the Offense and a DE and/or DT plus a MLB to our Defense. Get a Veteran Free Agent CB and we will be in good shape for BA to turn around our losing culture and get us to the playoffs.

  28. SkBucsFan Says:

    Exactly Phred. For 3 years in a row in the 2000’s Denver lost its “star” RB to free agency , yet they found a way to replace them. They invested in their O-line to protect their QB. The same goes for building up D-lines. This isn’t rocket science Licht.

  29. Pa Privateer Says:

    I would love to pick up Miles Sanders in the 3rd round, but only if we traded down in the 1st to pick up extra 2nd round and/or 3rd round pick.

    We desperately need to come out of this draft with DE, DT, RG, RT, MLB, CB, and S. Doesn’t have to be in that order, but we need all of those positions added to the roster.

  30. Arian Nation Says:

    The best under the radar RB since Alvin Kamara is Darrell Henderson from Memphis. One national analyst, Bucky Brooks called him the best receiving back in this class with 63 career receptions for a 15.5 yard average. 1st team AP All American. 2014 Mississippi High School Player of the year.

    5’9″ 208 Lbs
    1909 yards rushing (2018)
    8.9 yard avg
    82 yards longest
    22 TD’s
    295 yards receiving for 3 TD’s
    Draft combine results

    4.49 40 yard dash
    33.5 vertical
    22 reps bench press
    121 inch broad jump

  31. Tampa Bay Demon Says:

    ^^ Interesting thought, A.N. — We haven’t had much luck lately drafting RB’s. Maybe he would be a good fit, to work along with Peyton Barber.

  32. Arian Nation Says:

    Kiper says Henderson is the 3rd best back in the draft but I’ve seen him mocked as high as the 7th round.

    I’m no expert but I believe he may drop to the late 3rd or early 4th round.

    Licht loves to parlay late round picks to move up a little is the mid-rounds.
    Maybe that late round pick they got for DJax could be used for a budding super star.

    Thanks DeSean.

  33. Lordcornelius Says:

    Kobe –

    Bush is a great option in a trade down as well. Agree we need to nail this draft badly and get 3-4 impact players