Draft Intel: Offensive Tackles Run Expected In Teens
April 26th, 2023
Oklahoma OT Anton Harrison.
When folks gather at Big Storm Brewing’s slick new Ybor City location to watch the draft — tomorrow night! — Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht may find himself in a pinch.
Well-plugged-in Albert Breer of SI.com has been asking around with his solid front office contacts to get a lay of the land of how the first round will shake out.
Breer’s intel suggests a run on offensive tackles will come before the Bucs are on the clock at No. 19.
A potential theme to watch for Thursday night: teams jockeying for offensive linemen between picks Nos. 10 and 19. I’d bet, at this point, that Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. and Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski will be gone before then. And from there, you have the Eagles, Titans, Packers, Patriots, Jets, Commanders, Steelers and Buccaneers in a nine-pick stretch all potentially looking for linemen.
The hard truth is there won’t be enough to go around. Tennessee’s Darnell Wright and Georgia’s Broderick Jones, to me, would be near locks to go in that range. After that, a team might reach a little to grab Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron (a high-character left tackle who might wind up at guard or right tackle in the pros) or Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison (whom a lot of teams are quietly high on).
Breer expects maneuvering by teams to get in position in the upper teens to grab a tackle.
Would the Bucs be one of them? Joe doesn’t think so. It seems a stretch to believe that a team in the teens ahead of the Bucs may reach for someone like Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison.
If the Bucs do reach for Harrison, Joe won’t be upset. Oklahoma pumps out good offensive linemen. If you are going to gamble and reach, may as well do it to an offensive line farm like Oklahoma.
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April 26th, 2023 at 4:16 am
Don’t reach by giving up current of future choices for a lineman. We need picks, we’re not a Wirfs away from a superbowl like 2020.
April 26th, 2023 at 6:27 am
If Harrison is the top tackle on the board when we pick I hope we just grab an edge. Harrison plays so high and I don’t think you can teach a guy how to drop their ass low at this level.
April 26th, 2023 at 6:47 am
Jason Licht will figure it out and will draft the best available player at a position of need. Like always.
April 26th, 2023 at 6:54 am
@Duane – agree about Licht drafting best player available on the regular. His only black eye in my opinion is when he goes after special teamers like Aquayo, Darden, Dexter Jackson (the bad one) etc. Seems like Licht tries to get too cute in those scenarios.
April 26th, 2023 at 7:01 am
So, with all these QB, OT, Edge players going early the Bucs should get a shot at one of the best TEs, WRs, RBs, S, CB, LBs………
There are 22 starting positions……so if you are picking at 19….there are 3 top players at their positions available.
If 4 QBs and 2 OTs & 2 Edge players are gone then there will be many top players at their position at 19.
Things are looking good for our choices or a trade down.
April 26th, 2023 at 7:03 am
Actually at least 4 top players at 19…..
April 26th, 2023 at 7:44 am
Dah… there is ALWAYS a run on the elite tackles. ALWAYS. My fear is the Bucs over draft one. Be patient and trust your board and scouts
April 26th, 2023 at 7:50 am
I remember the year we got Wirfs, there were 4 stud tables that year, and we had to trade up to snag him, the last of the 4. Mebbe 10 or 11?
April 26th, 2023 at 7:53 am
There are OTs like Tyler Steen, Jaelyn Duncan, and Harrisons’ teammate like Wanya Morris that could 100% be added to our roster and potentially take Wirfs’ place at RT or bookend him from the left while Wirfs stays at RT.
April 26th, 2023 at 8:42 am
Draft OL. A great OL makes life easier and matters the most. Yeah Yeah I know OL line isn’t the most needed. Until you DON’T GOT ONE.
Just ask Mahomes (loser of 2021 superbowl) and Brady 2022.
April 26th, 2023 at 9:07 am
If there is a run on OT please don’t reach. Either trade down or pick up a value need at another position (LB, edge, safety, DT, TE)
April 26th, 2023 at 9:23 am
Unfortunately Harrison is a good match for the Steelers too and they have met with him.
April 26th, 2023 at 10:30 am
I agree that we should get a tackle at number 19. However I would not reach to get somebody who has a second round town grade and take them at 19 just because they fit a positional requirement. Unlike some previous years draft where we had very few starting holes on our roster to fill, this year we potentially have holes in the secondary the defensive line edge rusher as well as tackle. So I would rather us get one of the top players at their position rather than go for the number four or five best tackle and reach
April 26th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
As a retired / out of work former general manager like the rest of yall, I’m just here resting on the laurels of all of my past draft successes. Like the rest of you, there’s really too many to talk about and bragging ain’t my thing. Usually.
Here’s my advice, but like I’ve said you already know it: Best player available…within reason. Hopefully that guy will mesh with our needs which are, literally, every position on the field save for right tackle. Or is it left? Wherever Wirfs is is the position of least need. And don’t draft a backup unless you are planning a trade.
April 26th, 2023 at 3:36 pm
My opinion is that pass rush is our greatest need if you factor current season and the next few seasons. Draft for the pass rush at 19, please. I prefer a lineman to a linebacker but get the best one you can.
April 27th, 2023 at 4:08 am
Harrison would be ideal for us! I don’t think he would be a reach as some of you believe. He may not last to 19.