Pro Days Won’t Influence Licht
April 29th, 2014
NFL fans are so hungry for any morsel of football information that anything resembling even a rumor in the offseason is treated like the kickoff for the opening weekend.
It has gotten to the point that pro days are telecast live before breathless fans, thinking a pro day can make or break a player.
Hogwash, said Bucs general manager Jason Licht today at One Buc Palace. While he did admit pro days are a part of a large puzzle, pro days, unless under rare circumstances, will not sway Licht in his decision to select a player.
“We try not to let the pro day dictate where the player gets massaged up the board or not,” Licht said. “Opinions have changed only if Lovie and I haven’t had a chance to see a lot of the player, especially underclassmen. [Evaluating] underclassmen is where your biggest mistakes are made. If scouts really haven’t had a full evaluation [of an underclassmen], we are all kind of starting from square-one. But pro days and the combine, we may tweak here or there but you have to be careful with major moves.”
As Licht later noted, the core evaluation of a player first and foremost is game tape. The foundation of the player’s resume is how he plays on Saturdays in the fall.
In short, no Mike Mamula-type pick for Licht.
April 29th, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Well, than hopefully he does the right thing and selects Bridgewater
April 29th, 2014 at 3:03 pm
I’ll admit Johnny’s pro day won me over. I know it’s not supposed to but it did. It’s like when a hot hooker tells you you have the biggest D she’s ever seen. You know she is full of it, but cant help but be flattered.
April 29th, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Throwing in helmet/shoulder pads was kinda cool, almost seems like that should be common practice considering you’re never going to throw a pass in an NFL game without those items.
I thought Licht kinda hinted towards Jonathon and Mike Evans a little bit in the presser but only time will tell.
April 29th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Wonder why they bother going to all these pro days, and bringing guys in and stuff.
If it doesn’t change anything……………
April 29th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
They go to the pro days to learn just like every other team does.
Pro days are scripted, game film is not.
That’s all Licht is saying.
April 29th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
That will be a good sign for Louisville’s QB who has three years of great film but is slipping on many charts since he had a bad Pro Day. As long as Tedder says he can make a Franchise QB I would be for picking Teddy Bridgewater in round one if Carr and Bortles are gone.
April 29th, 2014 at 6:07 pm
I hope that means we’ll draft Bridgewater if Watkins isn’t there.