Richard Sherman Picks His “Steal Of The Draft”

April 9th, 2022

Cornerback Richard Sherman is no longer a Buccaneer (thankfully), but his podcast is still on Joe’s regular playlist.

Sherman has been studying NFL prospects, likely in advance of a full-time media career, and he declared Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary out of Auburn “the steal of the draft.”

McCreary has been knocked by the draft-guru crowd for having short arms. Sherman’s film study of McCreary led him to say that’s an “archaic” measurable and Sherman praised how sticky McCreary is in man coverage.

Sherman also loves McCreary’s patience and how he showed up against NFL-level competition in college. Sherman added that McCreary shaking off a couple of bad plays and maintaining his technique and fundamentals immediately proves he’s NFL-ready and it’s a major positive rather than getting beat serving as a red flag.

Sherman also agreed with the premise that McCreary carries himself with the appropriate swagger needed for a corner, “Let your nuts hang.”

At 5-11, 190 pounds with short arms, McCreary is not the long corner that general manager Jason Licht seems to prefer. But if his coverage skills are that good, then Joe’s is Sherman’s camp. Ignore the ruler.

It appears that McCreary could be in line to be an early- or mid-second-round pick.

31 Responses to “Richard Sherman Picks His “Steal Of The Draft””

  1. Jaymiss Pick6 Again Says:

    “Let your nuts hang.” Mine do but it’s not from my swagger – just old age.

  2. JGhotier Says:

    Jalen Pitre, Sam Williams and Skyy Moore too

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Everything hangs on TBBF…..

  4. JGhotier Says:

    Jalen Pitre and Sam Williams as well

    If you look at just coverage stickiness and not just measurable sand arm length and such….(outside of Stingley tape from THREE years ago, he’s the best in the class up there w/ Sauce. It’s true. Watch the Alabama game against Metchie and Jameson Williams, among others

    I’m talking strictly coverage, stickiness, in phase coverage throughout the play and route.

    2 years ago AWJ was my guy outside of non-first rounders in the entire Draft and Pitre I get the exact same feeling as w/ AWJ

  5. Daniel Says:

    There should be a really good cornerback at 27. Also a wide receiver that could beat out Gage for the 3rd receiver spot which in our offense makes him a starter. We may have a shot at the best off ball linebacker in Devin Loyd or a safety that can beat out everyone except for Winfield.

  6. Joe in Michigan Says:

    About the same size (a little taller) with the same 40 time as Vernon Hargreaves. That’s not what you want in a 1st Rounder, IMHO. I’d hope the Bucs would take a bigger, faster CB in the mid-rounds.

  7. Drebucsfan Says:

    Not too sure this guy is better than the young man from Clemson or the really good cornerback from Alabama who’s flying under the radar..anywho anybody is better than the cheerleader from Washington or big clumsy Dean!

  8. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Second round, maybe.

  9. Goatfarmer Says:

    I sure wish Sherm could have come to us in 2019 when he still had some in the tank. Love that dude.

  10. Bonim Says:

    Does he have T-rex arms or something?

  11. BringBucsBack Says:

    I wish more women would ignore the “too short” rule!

  12. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Bonim: McCready’s arms were measured at 28.88″ at the Combine, tied for the shortest arms among DB’s there (from what I’ve seen, anyway). The guy he tied with is 5′ 8″ (Marcus Jones of Houston).

  13. HC Grover Says:

    Nahhh! Get Beef.

  14. Trucker Buc Says:

    God, I get it but for all the good Grimes did, still traumatized by drafting a 5’ 10” corner in 2016 that didn’t pan out. No thanks. Hard pass, Joe.

  15. SOEbuc Says:

    Not sure. 19 days is a long time in the Bucs front office.

  16. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Joe(s): Please do an article about Troy Andersen of Montana State (if you haven’t already). Big (6′ 4″, 243), fast (4.42), and loves football (has played several positions, calls himself “a football player”). He could be a pass rushing OLB in his rookie year, then move to ILB when the need arises. Probably a 2nd Round pick, I’d guess.

  17. HC Grover Says:

    There is one WR in the draft that also plays RB like Samuels.

  18. lambchop Says:

    We need to stop taking gambles on raw talent, intangibles, high ceiling, upside, etc. early in rounds. Just get the sure thing. You can gamble in the late 3rd to 4th Rd onward.

  19. lambchop Says:

    I understand there’s no sure thing, but what I mean is a guy who currently shows you his talent. Rather than trying to find the hidden gem or the steal of the draft, just get best available at a position of need.

  20. Cleanhouse Says:

    Why dig on Sherman, classless- guy literally came in off the couch to play immediately to his own physical detriment. We owe the guy our respect.

  21. GOB Says:

    If Andrew Booth Jr. Is still available, it would be a steal for the bucs. He purportedly can play both man and zone, with equal competence. He also has the distinction of being the only ACC corner to not give up a pass of 20 yards or more, something the bucs struggled mightily to stop. Blame it on injury if you like, but with the blitz scheme they run, you need help at corner.
    They’ll probably go defensive line. They are old and slow on the D line.

  22. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Lambchop: The WHOLE draft is a gamble. “Sure fire”, top 10 picks bomb out just about every year.

  23. GOB Says:

    Joe in Michigan speaks the truth.

  24. Leopold Stotch Says:

    I’m good with best DT, Booth or this kid for the first pick. As much as we knock Dean, he’s solid and good. I’d say we’ve had some good luck with Auburn corners

  25. Goatfarmer Says:

    Idea!

    Let’s draft a kicker from FSU!!!

    s a r c a s m

    There’s a few on here that would believe this to be serious

  26. adam from ny Says:

    i’m not totally nuts about this guy…

    those “yoga pants” the nfl makes all the players wear as a uniform are contradictory to low hanging fruit

  27. 1#bucsfan Says:

    That’s a tough one Joe. Which position to draft in the 1st rd. I think the 100 year old saying still applies here today even in a passing league. TRENCHES babe. I think we need Dline. Shaq n vea need help. At the same time tho I’ve never bin sold on our corners. Smb n dean im not sold on them. Even davis gets us in trouble some times. We also need a TE. Gronk will play we got Brate but like last year gronk went down Brate who I love didn’t really step up that big for him. Beats lost a step but his hands are still good. Big decision I trust JL will make the right calls

  28. VabucSINCE’97 Says:

    No more corners from Auburn please god damn

  29. Dman Says:

    Like McCreary and he’d be a perfect compliment to Dean and Davis. Thought he was most fluid CB at the combine. All he did was make plays at Auburn.

  30. BUCman Says:

    Richard Sherman – talent evaluater! 😂😂😂😂😂

  31. Jason m Says:

    We need a Lock down nickel mire than anything. Teams shred us in the slot and middle of the field. I like this pick this guy in the first or second. We gave guys that can play in the outside we need a dog to cover the cooper kupp type players that kill us out of the slot.