“I Like The Fact That He’s Raw”
March 1st, 2018
Jason Licht approved
The NFL Draft is always a gamble at defensive end, and it’s especially a gamble when the touted prospect needs significant work.
See Gaines Adams, Noah Spence and DaQuon Bowers.
If the Bucs have their draft desires set on a DE with the No. 7 overall pick — or later in the first round after a minor trade down — Marcus Davenport out of the University of Texas at San Antonio might be their best option.
But there’s only one problem. Everybody who studies him seems to think he’s not a plug-and-play stud.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht weighed in yesterday in front of Joe and assembled media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
“Pretty impressive raw guy. He’s raw, but he’s very explosive, strong, plays hard,” Licht said. “I like the fact that he’s raw because, you know, there’s still big upside with him. He’s a good player.”
You know what else is raw, the deep wound Bucs fans got experiencing last season. Most need quick healing, so a raw draftee might not be the best fit for Licht’s immediate job security and the patience of Bucs fans.
Frankly, if Davenport is the top player on the Bucs’ board when they draft in the first round, Joe would love to see Licht make the pick. Joe wants a GM who has the best interest of the franchise as his No. 1 goal, not personal job security.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:03 am
@Joe
Love all these articles coming so fast. I really do love the site and I come here probably 5+ times a day.
Davenport is raw, but so was Marpet coming from a small school. At this point, if Davenport is the pick at #7, then I can accept it.
I want NT Vita Vea, but I will accept DE Davenport
March 1st, 2018 at 11:04 am
No way. Poor, poor technique. Poor competition at the college level. Middle of the 2nd round, acceptable.
Go Bucs!
March 1st, 2018 at 11:05 am
And, we’re supposed to expect THIS coaching staff to bring him up to speed?! Maybe Buckner can mold the kid, I don’t know.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:08 am
Raw? Says who really? Even given that does MD have the right physical makeup, does he have a severe case of the nasties(hope so) is he catchable and do we have the coaches to coach him up? Odds are the choice is more dependent on the quality and demands of our coaching staffs than on MD’s natural makeup.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:11 am
Hard to develop potential on a dline captained by the mentally weak soft cancer93. Fix the real problem first before ruining any more kids. Erradicate the disease
March 1st, 2018 at 11:13 am
You said it right Joe..That no playin Buc Defense is still raw from last year. Where offenses just waltz into our endzone..repeatedly..time and time again. Alls I’m sayin is..this is totally unacceptable for a pro Fottball team. Darnright Shameful!
I was so shocked DC Smitty was not sent packin. Did Putin call the Glazers to keep him?
March 1st, 2018 at 11:18 am
This kid is as RAW as it gets. Hard pass. This coaching staff has not proved their ability to groom talent at DL or CB. I watched his tape at the Senior Bowl practices, sheesh.. horrible.
Do a little homework on Nathan Shepherd. You want a project, I’d feel more comfortable w this small school guy.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:21 am
Absolutely not, this guy has bust written all over him, we gotta go Derwin James or Mincah Fitz because they simply are the BPA when we’ll have our pick let’s not force pass rushers even though it is a dire need…
March 1st, 2018 at 11:22 am
He’s definitely intriguing.
Marpet was raw – but he dominated at the senior bowl. Then again Marpet was a late R2 pick.
Davenport struggled Day 1 of the Senior Bowl; and everyone dogged him on twitter. He tweeted he needed to improve and that the O-line got the best of him.
Day 2 / 3 he dominated per all accounts and was one of the best players out there. That says something to me. For one; it shows how quickly he could adapt / take coaching and hang with the top collegiate players. Second it shows the guy can take criticism and will use it as motivation. Seems like a good mental makeup.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:27 am
I heard the audio and It did not seem like a total endorsement for the kid!!!! It was more of a maybe!!!!!! Seemed like NFL GM Licht said interesting prospect
with a good get off!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!
March 1st, 2018 at 11:27 am
chubb….nelson….trade down draft taven bryan…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
March 1st, 2018 at 11:29 am
Trade down – then consider it.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:30 am
Trade down – then consider it.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:30 am
No one in the Bucs organization cares what the fans think. See ticket prices, abuse to long time season ticket holders, and the complete cluster hump the organization has been since the firing of Gruden.
The Glazers need to hire a true football operations CEO and totally step away from active engagement. Everything they do turns to sauerkraut.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:42 am
It take more than 1or 2 years to develop a player dumb ass
March 1st, 2018 at 11:43 am
I’m really starting to like Rasheen Green out of USC. 285 and has the frame to add more weight… explosive, knows how to use his hands, and can get after the QB.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:43 am
First rounders (top 10) should not be major projects!
March 1st, 2018 at 11:44 am
Calais Campbell, round 2, pick 50 – you never know. Cliff Avril went 92nd, we got Dexter jackson
March 1st, 2018 at 11:53 am
I like tim settle from virgina tech. Now that mccoy is on the downside of his career, settle will be able to step in seemlessly. Joe look into him.
March 1st, 2018 at 11:54 am
Can we trade TrollMax to Joe Brown’s Fan?
March 1st, 2018 at 11:56 am
Based on what I’ve heard from Licht so far this off season, I’d fire him right now if I was a Glazer. Before he does something stupid. Mistakes made now will reverberate for years.
The history of whole civilizations turns on small events, a Parthian spear, a cross in the sky, a great general of an evil system shot by one of his own men as he rode between camps. With a few good pieces instead of the Carters, Bakers, Cherili, and Sweezies, and a forward looking draft where you take guys who’ll pay you off for a decade instead of a year or two, Koetter may take us to the playoffs next year and Super Bowls (note the plural) and Crystal Trophies (plural) in the future.
Or we have another bad year in free agency, trade up for a quick fix, a player like Barkley who plays great on a 4-12 team but is injured for 2/3s of the time the next four years before he retires, and Koetter, Smith and Licht give way to Sashi Brown, Hue Jackson and Rob Ryan.
March 1st, 2018 at 12:05 pm
William Gholston was raw, when the Bucs drafted him in 2013. And guess what……after 5 NFL seasons…he’s still raw.
March 1st, 2018 at 12:11 pm
I believe Tim Settle is the best DT in the draft. I like him, but I doubt the Bucs draft him.
March 1st, 2018 at 12:28 pm
Chubb, Nelson, Via or Bradley at 7 (Bradley could be the next Kuechly)
March 1st, 2018 at 12:32 pm
if the bucs were smart, they would’ve told gholston to add 10-15 pounds and kick him inside next to GMC 2 years ago since his strength is stuffing the run!!!!!…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!
March 1st, 2018 at 12:39 pm
NC State Kentavious Street 6’3 285 DE 2 day pick he’s going to go crazy at the combine, I saw reports he’s going to run in the 4.6s which is insane for a guy his size, his film isn’t bad either
March 1st, 2018 at 12:40 pm
813bucboi
LakeLandBuc Says:
January 21st, 2017 at 9:32 pm
Will Gholston should be a DT instead of a edge rusher. He’s a good tackler, but he’s a poor sacker, coming off the edge.
LakeLandBuc Says:
January 21st, 2017 at 9:32 pm
He can easily be a 6’7 300 LB DT. We need our Edge Rushers to get pressure on the QB.
March 1st, 2018 at 12:54 pm
The old tale of people seeing Big Foot walking through the woods, that was just Davenport on a camp out. Dude is a MONSTER.
March 1st, 2018 at 1:06 pm
I still dont understand the reasons why the big draft media is hyping him up as a Top 10 pick. I just dont see it.
As far as the #7 pick goes, I’m warming up to Vita Vea at #7. Always loved him but thought #7 was a bit too high.
It remains the same for me tho. If Chubb isnt there at #7 then entertain trades. If none of the trades are worth it then I guess I will be hoping for Vea as the pick.
March 1st, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Many draft “experts” are mocking Chubb falling to us, at #7
It all depends on how things play out.
I have even seen drafts that show Saquon Barkley there at #7
March 1st, 2018 at 1:35 pm
LAKELAND
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!!!!!…..
I don’t understand what their doing at one buc place…..its as if everyone is clueless…..
we need some real football people in the building(front office)…..all these guys who have never played a down in the league don’t know what it takes to win or how to build a team……
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!
March 1st, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Bucs cant afford to bet on an unproven rookie, who is being labeled “raw”. Raw is coach speak for “not ready” or not Pro level yet but has potential. We cant afford a top 10 pick that is not ready.
If Nelson or Chubb are not there at 7, trade DOWN!
March 1st, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Guzzie Says:
March 1st, 2018 at 12:39 pm
NC State Kentavious Street 6’3 285
Guzzie- Nice eye….I think Street will ball at the next level too. Chubb gets all the press but Street played well too.
If I were Licht, I would blow up the entire line and try to rebuild around #93 with bad character guys like Mo Wilkerson. I hope the nasty rubs off as it would help #93 game. I like Kony Ealy too and think the Bucs need to look at him. I hope Buck can bring the big nasty to this front 4.
March 1st, 2018 at 1:54 pm
cause TB is a hotbed for developing DLmen BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
Any posts with a Licht quote I read it like it’s a joke. Much more entertaining this way.
March 1st, 2018 at 2:09 pm
charley casserly has Davenport going before Chubb.
March 1st, 2018 at 2:34 pm
Maybe in the second. This dude got worked at the senior bowl. Chubb, Nelson or Derwin or trade back
March 1st, 2018 at 3:13 pm
There is not a DE that will solve the Bucs problem that will be there and is worth the #7 pick. The worst mistake the Bucs can make is to reach and grab a DE just so they can say to the fans and media, “look, we got a DE!!”
Bad teams do this and thus have the same holes to fill and the inevitable additional new holes year after year after year.
Stop the madness.
The Bucs do need to go all in on both lines this offseason – but they need to do it in a very smart way that is supplemented by a strength in numbers philosophy – meaning, they need to import 4 DE’s this offseason to better the odds of one or two of them making a positive difference.
Simple steps to a terrific offseason:
1. Sign Norwell.
2.Draft Q. Nelson if he’s there at #7.
3. Pat self on back for creating a terrific offensive line
4. Devote all remaining picks and free agent resources to bringing in a hoard of defensive linemen to battle and compete for their jobs
Nothing more. Nothing less.
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!
March 1st, 2018 at 3:15 pm
LakeLand
Previous Assessment of DE/DT – William Gholston
June 5th, 2016 at 8:51 am ←
3-4 Look
(LOLB) Noah Spence | Kourtnei Brown
————(LILB) Kwon Alexander | Daryl Smith
(LDE) Gerald McCoy | George Johnson
(NT) Akeem Spence | Clinton McDonald
(RDE) Robert Ayers | William Gholston
————(RILB) Lavonte David | Jeremiah George | Josh Keyes
(ROLB) Jacquies Smith | Howard Jones
Malik Jackson
Position: DE/DT
Height: 6-4 Weight: 284 lbs.
Drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 5th round (137th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Career Stats
TKLS: 108
SACKS: 14.5
Vs.
William Gholston
Position: DE/DT
Height: 6-6 Weight: 281 lbs.
Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 4th round (126th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Career Stats
TKLS: 88
SACKS: 7.0
Side Bar: Gholston has the strength and discipline to consistently set the edge – in run support. He versatile as exterior & interior pass rusher. He needs to improve his hand strength, speed, and placement. If he does look for a big year.
March 1st, 2018 at 4:09 pm
Well if they don’t make a move for a good player at End that might be a sign they are drafting one in the first round.
If that’s the case I hope they are trading up for Chubb. Top Ten pick and the word “project” do not belong in the same sentence IMO.
If neither of those two are the case then hopefully they have a good feeler out that their will be somebody wanting to trade up with us…… Then we can take one of those 225 lb OLBs to play DE in our defense woohoo!!
March 1st, 2018 at 4:14 pm
Sorry LUV, I think you kinda wasted your time with that post trying to piece together a 3-4 look. Buckner already stated we were going to remain a 4-3 base team. Maybe something along the way changes that but I wouldn’t bet on it.
March 1st, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Luv, also you forgot about Beckwith. I’m hoping he looks even better thi# year after a really nice rookie season.
March 1st, 2018 at 4:27 pm
I’m glad Licht thinks he’s raw, and needs time to develop, because Licht doesn’t have time on his side. Take a sure thing with the 7th over all pick in the draft, not a project!
March 1st, 2018 at 4:48 pm
Anyone saying this kid can’t play hasn’t turned on the film. Simple as that. And yes he played at a small school, but so did K.Mack. Plenty of good players played at smaller schools. Besides drafting Agyayo (just terrible) Licht has been pretty damn good in the draft! Free agency, not so much.
March 1st, 2018 at 4:57 pm
Sure, we all do.
But that’s a fairytale right now. Licht is in year 5, with a losing record, and no extension in sight. His job security is directly linked to the Bucs performance this season, no way around it. He doesn’t have the luxury of building anymore…
March 1st, 2018 at 4:58 pm
Agreed Chris K. I’m not big on Davenport based on what I’ve heard but if Licht thinks he is worthy of a Top 7 pick I’ll support it based on Lichts track record.
It will hurt a bit for me if he picks Davenport over Nelson though. But I’ll trust they did their homework.
March 1st, 2018 at 4:59 pm
Unbelievable…….That’s the scarry thing.
March 1st, 2018 at 5:53 pm
JimmyJack
Lol – U gotta look at the orginal date on the post brotha
March 1st, 2018 at 6:10 pm
Nobody develops defensive talent like Smiley Smith & Licht’s Out. Laughable Señor Licht. You’re funnier than George Carlin without trying to be!
March 1st, 2018 at 6:55 pm
If Licht drafts Davenport with the seventh pick he should be fired on the spot! And keeping the four three with only one ready to play DE—Chubb—is nuts when you have five ready to play 250 pound DEs who can all play OLB that we can easily get in the draft to go with Via, or Stevie T who we already have. Smith has been saying we could also play a 3-4 has failed to ever make that a reality! With the present draft he better put up or be fired too.
March 1st, 2018 at 8:20 pm
Kentavious Street Is a 2nd round pick? I thought he was the 4th best def lineman coming out this season for NC St and was expected to go in rounds 7/UFA. I do think he could raise after the combine and be a steal. So could Dts BJ Hill and Will Richardson.
Current NC ST draft eligible player 2018 draft:
Defensive end Bradley Chubb is No. 1, defensive tackle B.J. Hill is No. 83, tight end Jaylen Samuels is No. 84, offensive tackle Will Richardson is No. 104, defensive tackle Justin Jones is No. 130, running back Nyheim Hines is No. 156 and defensive Kentavius Street is No. 226.
March 1st, 2018 at 8:20 pm
Joe
DaQuon Bowers tore the muscle off his pelvic bone! BAD injury!
Gaines Adams had congenital heart disease. It Sapped his strength. Then it killed him!
Noah Spence. Hmmm🧐
March 1st, 2018 at 9:29 pm
Wasn’t Brian Price the one with the pelvic bone issue? Sure has been a lot of defensive line busts the past 15 years for the Bucs.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:39 am
I agree with Joe. They were saying a lot of the same stuff about Ali Marpet, coming out of Hobart. Buckner would be able to get him ready, if they think he has the potential. IMO
March 2nd, 2018 at 4:43 am
As with Viti Vea … NOT AT #7