The Bucs And Connor McGovern
April 12th, 2019
Joe wouldn’t bet on center Ryan Jensen being on the Bucs in 2020.
That’s just salary cap reality when you look at the Tampa Bay offensive line, as well as Jensen being older than Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith, and how Jensen performed last year.
Combine that with the Bucs’ urgent need for a quality starting right guard, and enter Penn State mauler Connor McGovern. He’s a rather unique prospect because he excelled at guard and center in college, and he’s not undersized at 6-5, 308 pounds. He played close to 320 last season.
McGovern, largely viewed as a second-round pick, seems like such a Jason Licht kind of pick. Penn State? Check. Versatile? Check. Allegedly nasty? Check.
The scouts seem to like that McGovern has real NFL strength. NFL Network draft guru Charles Davis was crowing recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio about McGovern as a “strong, aggressive, beat-you-up-in-a-phone-booth” guy.
Also throw in that Bruce Arians’ son Jake was talking on his podcast months ago about how you draft starting guards in Round 2. That’s significant to Joe because it seems Jake Arians often parrots his dad’s philosophies and thoughts.
Joe would be pleased to see the Bucs draft a guy like McGovern in Round 2. It’s a fit for a team that’s probably going to win via its offense for at least a year or two.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
This would be an excellent pick. We need to get younger along both the Dl and OL. McGovern would be a day 1 starter at RG at the very least
April 12th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
OK..with that…big uglies with the first two picks…then whatever
April 12th, 2019 at 12:11 pm
I see this guy mocked in R3 a lot. Lot of solid interior lineman for R2/R3 in general and we better get one because that IMO is actually our most obvious hole on the entire team:
RG.
RT we have Dotson who has been average or better when healthy plus Cappa/Benecoch behind him and Benecoch was solid at RT vs RG.
Cappa’s body frame makes me think OT not OG.
Get a pure plug and play OG please and stop f*cking around with these experiments and hopeful developmental guys.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:23 pm
I was on board until I read the words “largely viewed as a second round pick” + “seems like a Jason Licht kind of pick” = disaster.
Joe, any chance the Glazers ask Jason to pick up some donuts then change the locks on the War Room on day 2? As excited as I am to see the next RoJo/Aguayo/Spence/ASJ I’d really prefer the Bucs add a future starter at the top of Rd 2 and not a trivia question as to who is the worst NFL kicker of all time.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Would really like to see Chris Lindstrom (sp) from BC fall to us @39
April 12th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
That would be a heck of a pick. That’s a great mention, I’m ashamed I haven’t given this player for the Bucs more thought.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:28 pm
#Repost – LUVMYBUCS Says
January 18th, 2019 at 2:57 pm ←
Potential Upgrades: Offensive Line
Draft Prospects
• *Cody Ford – G/T, Oklahoma | Height: 6-5. Weight: 301.
• Connor McGovern -G/C, Penn State | Height: 6-5. Weight: 301.
• *Bobby Evans – LT, Oklahoma | Height: 6-5. Weight: 301.
• *Isaiah Prince – RT, Ohio State | Height: 6-6. Weight: 306.
• Tytus Howard – OT, Alabama State | Height: 6-6. Weight: 306.
Cont… Elgton Jenkins G/C Miss. St, | Height: 6-4. Weight: 301. !!!
April 12th, 2019 at 12:30 pm
@LUV
I see Elgton available to us in most R2 mocks. Him or LIndstrom are my ideal R2 guys or Garett Bradberry. All 3 seem to have pro bowl type upside and immediate starting ability
April 12th, 2019 at 12:37 pm
Jensen is definitely overpaid but I don’t think he performed poorly last year. He needs to cut down on idiotic penalties. Without those he is a solid center.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:42 pm
Conner McGovern (Penn St) or Chris Lindstrom (Boston College)
Would love either pick in that 2nd round spot.
We need to improve the trenches!
April 12th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Trade back with the #5 pick to get some extra 2md or 3rd round picks.
There’s some real gold in those rounds.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
LC
Haven’t checked out many mock lately; so thanks for the update.
Everything that I’ve heard about the mental make-up, and practice habits.
Leads me to believe – he would be a perfect fit for the BUCS.
I lost a lot of LUV for Bradberry during the Senior Bowl. He was easily overpowered by almost everyone he faced. He moves well and has quick feet, so he probably is better suited for a zone-based scheme. But for power based or even combination schemes. He just doesn’t have the upper body strength or leverage to hold the point of attack.
April 12th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Dewey Selmon Says:
April 12th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Would really like to see Chris Lindstrom (sp) from BC fall to us @39
_______________________
YES!!!
April 12th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
I don’t care what there names are OL & DL….as long as the turn into long term starters…which should be priority #1…just don’t too cute JL & BA…..KISS
April 12th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Per walterfootball.com
Here are the players the Bucs have met with(Conner McGovern is not one of them). I think this should give you an idea of the players and positions the Bucs are targeting(especially the multiple visits):
Sorry, Joe doesn’t allow anything more than small excerpts of others’ work to be posted on the website. Joe respects that other sites produce their big bodies of work for their audience and traffic. Joe expects the same courtesy. That said, the Bucs have drafted plenty of players in the past that they didn’t meet with after the Combine. –Joe
April 12th, 2019 at 1:36 pm
@LUV
Good to know. I think he’ll go R1 so probably won’t be an option. I just know he tested really well.
@Wausa
Per Joe’s point the Broncos had never even met with Bradley Chubb before picking him last year
April 12th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
Easterling gifted us DT Ed Oliver, G Chris Lindstrom, and DE Jachai Polite in the 3rd. Wouldn’t mind that at all.
April 12th, 2019 at 2:31 pm
Absolutely on board with drafting the best inside OL player we can get our hands on with the high 2nd rd pick.
” a strong, aggressive, beat-you-up-in-a-phone-booth guy.”
Yea – that’s exactly what we need.
Especially considering that last year – All of the Bucs “guards” besides Marpet were actually OT projects (Benenoch, Cappa, Liedtke)
April 12th, 2019 at 2:34 pm
In my opinion it would be nice “IF” we could trade back into the bottom of the 1st Rnd. (packaging Mc93 or next years draft capital ) To make sure we get the OL that we need and also locking him down for the extra year because he would be a 1st Rnd pick. This would help the cap in the future with the high priced OL that we already have.
April 12th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
manziel
those 3 would be perfect for our 1st 3 picks…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
April 12th, 2019 at 3:44 pm
Wow…for the first times in recent memory folks are on the same page about the positions in the first 2 rounds
April 12th, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Anyone would better than Caleb Cannotblock
April 12th, 2019 at 4:48 pm
To be fair to Caleb… the OL more than any other position/unit must all pleas one and the Ol has been a mess forever!
April 12th, 2019 at 4:48 pm
The draft network has him listed as a 4 round value. Walter football has him going 3-5 round. He ranked 5-7 best G/C in most rankings.
A high 2nd for this guy is just not good value. There will be better players in needed positions available for the Bucs at two. If he’s still available in the 3rd or 4th round pick is a different story.
April 12th, 2019 at 4:51 pm
WaltersFootball is good and I like them but year over year I like Great Blue North Draft Report … not much hype just the facts and pretty solid rankings
April 12th, 2019 at 6:28 pm
Ah, these Bucs under Licht aren’t thinkng 2020. He is thinking about his own arse and how he can draft now to make it look like he’s planning for 2020. I think Jason will draft a RG but I think that’s it. If the Bucs were a winning team thinkng forward more than a year, I’d agree…look at a Center. Geeze, that is sad to say.
April 12th, 2019 at 6:33 pm
I think you wait until round 3 for a guard unless you have a 1st round grade on a guard that drops to us early in round 2. Chances are that a guy that we have a 1st round grade on at another position will drop to us in the 2nd. I would double up on defensive front 7 players.
April 12th, 2019 at 6:39 pm
Dont discount this years defense for the Bucs. Mike Smith was a specialist when it came to turning chicken soup into chicken sh!t. Our defense is going to support Jameis for the first time in his nfl career
April 12th, 2019 at 7:06 pm
Joe, don’t underestimate Todd Bowles and his influence on a defense. He’s a really smart coach.
April 12th, 2019 at 8:11 pm
This is why I want to trade back in the first round and pick up an extra 2nd and 3rd. There is a lot of value in the first 3 rounds. I would rather have say the 11th pick in the first and still get a day one starter with how deep this draft is and have two 2nds and 3rds and hope you get two starters from those 4 and the other 2 can contribute and show promise to become a future stater. Or trade a second and third we acquire to move back into the first to catch a guy that is falling that shouldn’t be
April 12th, 2019 at 9:19 pm
Except for the fact that he’s projected by just about everyone as going in round 3 at the earliest. I’d rather have Chris Linstrom, eric McCoy, or Michael Dieter over this guy.
April 13th, 2019 at 7:00 am
So the Bucs are already conceding that Cappa was another bust?