“Best All-Around Cornerback”
April 13th, 2016
Draft chatter and a slap at Bucs cornerbacks from former Tampa Bay tight end Anthony Becht
Former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht, who calls college football games for ESPN and works on the Buccaneers Radio Network and for Buccaneers.com, has stamped approval on two cornerbacks that might be available when Tampa Bay drafts at No. 9.
Perhaps most stunning about Becht’s assessment, as seen on Buccaneers.com, is he says both of these future NFL corners represent “tremendous upgrades” to what now lives on the Bucs roster. He also said they’d be instant “game changers” for the Bucs defense.
Ouch!
Did Becht forget Brent Grimes is in town? Damn, these college guys haven’t practiced yet! Joe wonders what Alterraun Verner or Johnthan Banks would think about this.
The draft prospects Becht crowed about are Vernon Hargreaves out of the University of Florida, and Eli Apple from Ohio State.
Becht says film study reveals Hargreaves plays faster than his 40-yard dash time, “whether it’s up in press, or off coverage.” Becht is not concerned about Hargreaves’ tackling skills and says his instincts in coverage are elite. Hargreaves will be a “dynamic” player on “Day 1,” per Becht.
He went on to call Apple a true lockdown corner.
April 13th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
A little Jack in your coffee this morning Anthony?
April 13th, 2016 at 12:20 pm
Grimes will be 33 years old before the season starts. Joe, tell me how his presence would reduce the need to draft a 21 year old in any way possible.
April 13th, 2016 at 12:33 pm
Could we benefit from drafting an elite corner? Sure, we could. But our greatest need is for an edge-rusher, so unless we’re going to be sending Hargreaves or Apple on corner-blitzes on almost every down (which would be ridiculous), we take the best edge-rusher available with our first pick.
April 13th, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Bpa William
April 13th, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Hargreaves got dominated by bigger WRs. So when you got Julio and kelvin and Greg Olsen in your division, good luck. Banks would be our only option. Bucs are gonna move up for Ramsey. Dirk and Jason gave hints. Ramsey will never leave the field and xan cover anyone in the NFC south and will change the mentality of the entire defense just like Jamies did with the offense. Glennon must be traded* and when he does I think it’s all but done. Remember Jason and Dirk said last years draft class was unrealistic. Maybe there focusing on a big time player this time around and taking the opposite approach everyone is just assuming. “Trade back trade back”. Falcons moved up for Julio(with mike smith and Dirk on the staff) and that paid dividends cause he is still worth the ransom amount of picks they gave up. Falcons burned themselves with garbage picks like Peria Jerry. Let’s get Ramsey and get this turn around started.
April 13th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
William the rate of busts are high at any position. Your argument is the Dominik method of ‘Our biggest defensive need is a safety to cover Jimmy Graham. It’s better to take Mark Barron than to draft a MLB in Luke Keuchly because we already have Mason Foster.’
If a CB is the BPA, there is a need for it, unless you think Grimes, Verner and Banks will all be in a Bucs uniform in 3 years.
April 13th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
@Tom
Taking Barron was because Schiano needed a safety to run his defense the way he needed.
How many times does this need to be stated. smmfh.
That one isn’t all on Dom
April 13th, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Hargreaves and Stanley are likely going to be the highest rated players on a bunch of NFL boards when the Bucs pick at 9 – I would be happy with either one – both will be good if not very good NFL players.
I will trust Licht to do what he thinks is best for the team – but the consensus of grades on DEs outside of Bosa and Buckner (who will both probably be gone at 9) is that none are top 10 worthy.
April 13th, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Dylan
I agree with you but I think it will all boil down to what the Chargers do. If they skip Ramsey then the Bucs can potentially trade up to #4 with Cowboys and give them #9+ Glennon+a 6th round pick.
It’s the only scenario I can imagine that doesn’t include giving up next years 1st round pick.
April 13th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
Okay lets be clear neither of these young pups are better than Grimes ten years of experience walking freshly in the door. As a Nole I would be delighted to see Ramsey in Buccs uni. After rappin wit my homie SB I’ve warmed up to the notion of taking VH3. When they use terms like”instinctive”, “great technique” and read WRs routes well you get my attention. All things the said about Revis when he was coming out of school. But y’all better go back and watch some film of Grimes from last season. Dude snatching that ball away from some big time ends yo.
April 13th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Pick Bill Polian said Bosa should not be drafted in the top ten. IJS.
April 13th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
If we can’t get Ramsey, Bosa or Stanley at #9 I hope they can somehow trade down to the middle of the 1st.
There is a huge lack of Blue Chip players in this year’s draft but a ton of depth.
Go Bucs!
April 13th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Tom, Joe is not saying we should not pick a CB, he is questioning how a rookie would be better than two guys that have been to the pro bowl and a third that looked like an up an comer befor Lovie came to town.
April 13th, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Fin their rookie year, day one no less.
April 13th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
Looks like a pretty significant drop-off in terms of potential game-changers after the first 10 or so picks. Personally don’t see either Hargreaves or Apple being in the Top 10 … Ramsey’s the only CB in that elite group IMHO. Bucs have a ton of options while they’re sitting at #9 … there is at least one DE, DT, LB, CB, OT (among others) worthy of a Top-10 pick this year. Just depends on what the first 8 teams do. After that, just pick the BPA who meets one of our primary needs.
April 13th, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Ok Mighty Joe here me out bro I’ll only be here for a second. I will never forgive the idiot (whoever the blame goes to) for giving up Revis one of the best corner in the league. Here’s why…I had a fricking 17 yr old flashback of Ricky Proehl jumping over Brian Kelly in the in the 1999 NFC Championship. I remember slamming my brew on the ground saying I guess white men can jump. Then after the disappointing lose I start thinking DAM we have never had a lock down corner EVER in TAMPA History.
Ok before you poster blow a gasket! The Barber and Kelly was good at times. They even excelled in Kiffin’s scheme but a TRUE fan remember getting dumped on in the old black and blue. The Barber going to the HOF no doubt I will bet the house on it but I can’t help remembering getting MOSSED. Before Randy came to the league our corners got bullied by receivers.
Y’all posters bragging about how long yall been a fans ( I ain’t missed a snap since 97) how come I’m the only one that seem to REMEMBER….Sterling Sharpe, Antonio Freeman, Dorsey Levens, and Farve shredding that Tampa2 and our small corners.Mike Holmgren!
The Lions had Barry HOF Sanders but Herm and Morton gave our little corners the blues. Da Bears had C.Way and they couldn’t handle him.
My point: I TIRED OF GETTING MOSSED!
April 13th, 2016 at 2:28 pm
Off topic Joe I’m watching Americas Game last night just reminiscing about the good old days and I see Simeon Rice bull rush Johnathan Ogden to the ground with one arm week 2 of 2002. Now here’s what came to mind. Didn’t Simeon just steam roll a HOFr and he can’t get in.? Well what did he do? Before Rice came to Tampa he was all the Cardinals had on Defense. Him and Aneis. A 10 sack a year dude so what’s the deal why can’t he get some justice. Is it the media? Ala Charles Haley. It’s like he’s only remembered for his days in TAMPA. His size speed and athleticism is still the prototypical guide line for pass rushers in the league TODAY. Wassup with that Joe? Was he bad with Tampa Media?
April 13th, 2016 at 2:51 pm
CB in round 2-3.
DEFENSIVE END rd 1
April 13th, 2016 at 3:25 pm
I agree with JBF…..rookies dont come in the league and take over a true vet in a position but rarely. Kwon was a rare bird and it shows how special that kid really is. I like proven versus yet to be proven type players…just call me Jon Gruden. <@)
I like Apple over Hargraves everyday if I had to choose. I agree with what Dave said DE first then CB.
We need an edge rusher badly.
April 13th, 2016 at 3:46 pm
I don’t think Buc fans truly watched the games last year. If they did, they’d know for certain, our no 1 priority is to get a pass rush..any kind of pass rush, put an electric fan on the field..do something. If not? Opposing QB’s are going to continue to order burger/fries and eat them while completing accurate passes.
April 13th, 2016 at 7:54 pm
@celly So when did Greg Schiano run the draft for the Bucs again? Oh right, he never did that, Dominik did. If you think Mark Dominik should get credit for his stellar drafting of Lavonte David that year then maybe just maybe you can consider the blame for the Barron pick in the same way instead of somehow passing it onto Schiano.
@McBuc If you spend your top 10 pick on a player purely because he would play slightly more in year one than a another player that is better you are an idiot.
April 13th, 2016 at 8:49 pm
Trade up for Ramsey or trade down for more picks.
VH3 maybe
No DL worthy of #9.
MG8 should bring more picks, hope he gets to start for a contender.
April 13th, 2016 at 11:58 pm
Why are we still talking like lovie is still the hc with leslie frasier at dc? Mike smith will blitz like every other nfl team does n create pressure that way and im fine with that. If our cbs walk down and play man at the scrimmage its possible opposing qbs wont have open guys on 3 step drops. Kwon alexander and david in blitzes how can u ignore that? Ayers akeem spence mccoy gholston/smith is a decent dline if we can accomodate them with blitzes. Whats so hard about blitzing on third downs lovie? By the way the best man to man/run support cb in the draft is william jackson. Hargreaves is quick but likely to get hopped over or burned deep. Jackson has the speed and size to stick with the fast wrs in the south. If we get noah spence thats 3 lbs that can provide a heavy blitz. Grabbing a de whos name is not lawson or spence spells disaster. Bosa improved his combine numbers at pro day but what will really show up on the field? He is a question mark. Buckner has a bull rush.. thats it. If he gets stuffed he wont be near the qb. Lawson i’ve been on repeat about has counter pass rush moves and relentless hands and fight to the ball. Our cb and wr situation is actually the dark areas of our team in 3 years.
April 14th, 2016 at 7:58 am
Im so sick of people saying VH3 is a inch or two short of being a good corner. Seriously? Name a guy besides Sherman that is a tall and successful CB in this league. There isn’t very many. The majority of CB are around 5″10 to 5″11″. That’s the average height so don’t gimme that crap.
It’s more about your skills than your height. Just ask Revis, Grimes, or even Tampa’s own Ronde Barber that. It helps to be a couple inches taller but i don’t think it’s a huge disadvantage. As long as your athletic and you can jump, (which VH3 has showed he can) than you can hold your own against the taller guys in this league.
How.much did the “DUCCANEERS”ADVANTAGE work out for them last year? Not much because it’s more about your skills than your height. VH3 will do just fine in this league, you watch.
April 14th, 2016 at 9:54 am
@demboys…I agree….the only reason why so many people say they prefer ramsey over vhg is because of size and speed…other than that vhg is better than ramsey in every other skill category…people act like we didn’t witness barber match up well against taller receivers for years….Julio and kb would give any cb a hard time…they are match up problems for everyone…I think vhg is better than any de not named bosa that’s projected to go in the first round…imo vhg will have a similar impact as a rookie that marcus peters had with the chiefs….GO BUCS!!!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:51 am
[…] also is high on cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (you can read his breakdown here), and he says DE Joey Bosa is an “intriguing” possibility and a guy the Bucs should […]