Talking Chris Godwin

January 17th, 2018

Mike Mayock dishes.

Joe had a chance to chat with arguably the best, most knowledgeable NFL draft guy in the business, the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock.

As usual, Mayock will broadcast the East-West Shrine Game Saturday from the Fruitdome in St. Petersburg on NFL Network and Joe talked with Mayock at one of the game’s practices this week. Joe is breaking the interview into five parts. The first three will offer Mayock’s thoughts about current Bucs players and the final two installments will be about two players fans should have on their radar with the Bucs picking at No. 7 in the April draft.

Today, Joe talks with Mayock about wide receiver Chris Godwin.

JoeBucsFan: Not sure how high up you had Chris Godwin ranked last year but it sure seems the Bucs got a steal with him.

Mike Mayock: Yeah, I think they did, and yeah, I think I was low on him.

Joe: Really?

Mayock: I didn’t think his play speed matched up to his time speed at Indy. I think I had him at a third or fourth round and to be honest with you, he’s a better player than that.

Joe: Well, he was a third-round pick.

Mayock: Oh, I know he was but if I looked at him as a third round [pick], he out-played a third round [grade]. He sure looks like they’ve got something.

Joe: The thing you said about the speed didn’t really match from game tape to the combine; you are hardly the only person who said that.

Mayock: Well, I was surprised how fast he ran at the combine. I forget his number but it was faster than what he showed on film. But at the end of the day, he has really strong hands. He’s a tough kid and he fights for the football. I love what you saw from him as a rookie.

22 Responses to “Talking Chris Godwin”

  1. bucsfan99 Says:

    I just really hope we draft the right guy that will make a impact on this team.

  2. Bayers Says:

    He’s going to canton soon

  3. derrickbrooksforGM Says:

    yeah great pick up, still went 5-11 and didn’t address real needs… yeah great we got Godwin, wooooofreakinhooo…

  4. Tom Says:

    I think the Bucs picked two really good players in Howard & Godwin, but the trouble was they didn’t pick for need. Needed DE, RB & CB, & OL

  5. Dewey Selmon Says:

    there is straight line speed and football speed. He really doesn’t look that fast, maybe it is deceptive? But he is awesome at contested catches and will be a favorite of #3 for years to come.

  6. Pa Privateer Says:

    Meh, can’t hate on Mayock or anyone for a lower grade ranking on Godwin.

    Licht likely had a late second grade on Godwin. So Licht was correct in his draft board.

    If DJack was not on the team Godwin would have had an eye opening year and Mayock would have been all agog talking to JBF about Godwin.

    IMO, If there is someway to trade DJack for an extra Draft pick, we should do it.

  7. Finals or Bust Says:

    Chris Godwin’s emergence gives us flexibility. Hate to say it, but Mike Evans has too much potential to be a head-case and a problem for Winston and our Buccaneers. If we EVER get an opportunity to trade Mike Evans for something we really need, I’d be a willing fan to say goodbye to Mike Evans because Chris Godwin IS. THAT. GOOD.

  8. mike10 Says:

    Finals, you’re high on a Wednesday morning talking about trading ME.

    And Pa, why trade VJax, it’s not like we have a shortage of money. We just need to start using him right. They few times we got him the ball in free space, he looked amazing – Pats game comes to mind. With a running game, where there are more ppl in the box/ more room for Jax to work & (god willing) improved deep-ball accuracy from Winston, he’s a weapon!

  9. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    On the surface it looks like we don’t need Jackson…..but if Evans or Godwin get hit with an injury, we are limited….

    I do agree that we could use the money for Jackson for another player of need….but in no way should we trade Evans…..he is a big target for Winston….he usually stays healthy (don’t jinx him, please) and he is a fantastic possession receiver.

    It’s great to have cheap players at skill positions like Godwin, Barber, Howard & Brate as they average out the salaries of higher priced players.

  10. Lord Cornelius Says:

    All I know is Godwin had the measurables of a #1 WR and dominated guys like Adoree Jackson in college – who were top rated CBs in that draft. Made no sense to me he fell that far but happy as hell we got him. Huge steal man.

  11. Mort Says:

    I was all over him pre-draft and this man has done nothing to make me feel like we didn’t get a freakin steal. I was screaming at the TV to take him in round 2. Loved that we got him in round 3.

  12. Pickgrin Says:

    Hell of a steal at pick #84.

    Godwin cost us a good running back in Hunt who the Bucs would have picked in the 3rd – but Licht had a significantly higher grade on Godwin.

    I’m glad it went down this way even though Hunt may well have helped us have a better season in 2017. Long term we are better off. Its harder to find 1st round Receiver talent in the 3rd round than it is to find a very good RB in the 3rd round.

  13. Rrsrq Says:

    Not trading D-Jax, it’s called depth, if any one goes down and we have traded away D-Jax or as some would suggest ME, then where are we, back to Bobo. Plus you still got ME and Godwin on rookie contracts

  14. Jarod Lauderdale Says:

    Mike 10 is right . get a strong running game & not only can jameis Winston finally be truley able to start running real play action passes but we can start getting our wr’s in space ! Opens up the playbook as well..that’s why I say getting a really good back in this draft is key to our success ! And I’m a defensive guy and I’m saying that..think about it , with the chit defence we had this past year we still were close enough to win alot of games we lost..hell , move up to draft Barkley ahead of Cleveland’s 4 pick and then go all defence or take Chubb & move back up to top of second for sony Michel & we r off & running..go get tre Boston then we have 2 really good safeties get a strong point of attack DT in FA and corners corners corners in draft

  15. TDTB Says:

    DJax is a “me” player. Get him out in a trade for CB/DE help.

  16. JabooBuc Says:

    In his defense, nobody looks fast in a Penn State uniform.

  17. Rod Munch Says:

    I think everyone was shocked that Godwin ran as fast we he did at the combine, on tape he didn’t look like a low 4.4 guy. I’m no expert obviously but Godwin did look very good on tape, he looks like a natural, smooth, professional WR – sort of a perfect #2 – which isn’t a knock in the slightest as you need two WRs starting.

  18. Rod Munch Says:

    You dopes that still want to run D-Jax out of town are just not very smart people. Without D-Jax the Bucs are one injury away from starting Humphries again, which they did in 2016 and was a complete and total disaster. The self importance and ego of people who say I don’t like the way that guy acts on TV so you need to get them out of our locker room… dummy, it’s not your locker room.

  19. cmurda Says:

    @ Rod. I agree. I have seen just about enough hate directed D Jax’s way. He had a disappointing year. There’s a multitude of reasons. He was clearly one of the leaders in our locker room. I just read him say that Winston needs to just be himself and stop impressing everybody. He’s exactly right. Let’s let him finish his contract. D-Jax is a great #2 WR. We have lead the NFL in choir boys the last 10 years. How many playoff games have we been in? This is football and we all want success. Gimme all the Talibs and Pacman Jones’s. I’ll win Championships and the choir boys can watch my team on TV. That’s when a coach comes into play. That’s what separates the Belichicks from the Lovie Smith’s. Keep these guys in line enough. That’s all. Keep it legal off the field. How has that worked out when Blount was with the Pats? Talib in Denver? Michael Bennett in Seattle? I can field a playoff caliber team with just our castoffs.

  20. teacherman777 Says:

    As smooth as Jerry Rice.

    That’s right!

    Chris Godwin floats!

    Now get him off of special teams before he rips up his knees and we lose him forever!!!

  21. Easy Says:

    Yea I think we got a good player in Godwin. He reminds me of Sanu in the fact he’s physical and fights for the ball with the ability to shed off smaller DBs.

  22. FortMyersDave Says:

    Too bad Licht, Koetter and the glazers could not acknowledge mistakes as readily as Mayock and act upon them. If they did, perhaps everybody would not be complaining about the Bucs “status quo”; a bunch of coaches who would be fired if on almost all of the other NFL teams and a locker room full of under performing busts that the GM and coaches simply left on the roster to poison the locker room….