“Special” Rookies
July 29th, 2025
Another one.
Jason Licht did it again.
That’s the word from prickly Pete Prisco of CBS. Yesterday, Prisco was snooping around One Buc Palace and while there, he studied Bucs practices with a sharp eye.
One of Prisco’s key observations? He believes this year’s Bucs rookie class, selected by the AC/DC-loving general manager Licht, should be “special.”
Emeka Egbuka is beginning to look like a veteran receiver. He’s that good. And wow, with him and Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the field together? They are going to tear up defenses.
Joe is almost as impressed by cornerback Jacob Parrish. Even in rookie minicamp he looked like he belonged. The way Parrish has practiced, Joe doesn’t know how Todd Bowles won’t find a way to get him into the starting lineup on defense.
So far, it sure looks like a high-quality draft class Licht and his gang brought in.
That’s one reason why Joe is stoked. The Bucs are good. And these damn good rookies ought to make the Bucs better.
July 29th, 2025 at 12:28 am
Do we worry that maybe our drafts lean toward undersized players who have talent and skill but aren’t built to withstand the pounding of a looong NFL season? I’m nowhere near as knowledgeable as many/most on this board but it’s a nagging concern I’ve had given injury issues some of our high picks earlier have missed so much playing time and now with Walker’s season scrubbed before it begins… maybe some teams who always seem (purely superficially) to have bigger than average, more physical hard hitters on the roster. Again I don’t have the answers just asking the question.
July 29th, 2025 at 6:57 am
Joe writes about what Joe sees and what stands out to Joe. –Joe
July 29th, 2025 at 7:16 am
Superbowl
July 29th, 2025 at 7:34 am
I know this is a Licht lovefest, but recognition for the likes of Tom Hardie, Andy Spyer, and their team of collegiate & pro scouts is in order.
Along with Mike Greenberg & Rob McCartney. I honestly believe we have one of the better front offices in all of sports and I think some teams around the league having been trying to mimic our style/approach. I know Spytek is going to try replicate his Tampa success in Las Vegas, so there’s at least one for sure.
July 29th, 2025 at 7:36 am
Well our injuries don’t follow that pattern:
David Walker is it to have undersized but he hurt his knee in underwear football. That happens anybody and it’s very random.
Chris Godwin had someone land on his foot in such a way to dislocated his ankle and broke some bones. He’s a solidly built character and not a shrimp of a receiver. Could happen to anybody. Antoine Winfield Jr might fall into that category more so but he hasn’t been injury prone for the most part. We have plenty of injuries to the secondary but our corners are larger than average. I think our injuries are pretty well spread out between our larger and smaller guys. Bucky was a little dinged up for a couple games last season but he bounced back strong. Tez Johnson is small, and there’s a worry there per many fan’s posts, but we won’t really know how durable he and Bucky are until they played a few seasons.
July 29th, 2025 at 7:38 am
Godwin will miss the entire season. Bucs will never see all three WR’s on the field at the same time. I just don’t see the depth. Besides Evans, these Bucs WR’s are ordinary. Licht blew the Godwin signing. It was time to let him go.
July 29th, 2025 at 7:44 am
Go clean that pig pen you call a room and quit stealing tablet to spew hate grandson
July 29th, 2025 at 8:12 am
Seems like a good to very good group. Will any of them develop into a superstar? I hope so because that’s what we need to win championships.
July 29th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Am I starting to respect Prisco? Hmm. Could be!
Go Bucs!
July 29th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Great character players also….unlikely to end up in jail….
July 29th, 2025 at 8:33 am
No one is mentioning Elijah Roberts. Even Prickly Pete had nothing on the 5th rounder…Any word? Is no news good news?
July 29th, 2025 at 9:57 am
should tez johnson get his weight up a little bit He may be the true WR steal of the draft . He has a knack for getting open and moves like bucky. To do that behind the line is one thing with bucky – but to have that at receiver now and again equals game changing plays. He is not a regular rotation 1 ,2 , 3 receiver but a spark plug
July 29th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Jeff Says:
Godwin will miss the entire season. Bucs will never see all three WR’s on the field at the same time. I just don’t see the depth. Besides Evans, these Bucs WR’s are ordinary. Licht blew the Godwin signing. It was time to let him go.
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We’ve got a Hall-of-Famer in Evans, Egbuka who clearly IS special for a rookie, able to play ANY of the WR positions, can block, and per Ronde Barber who did some film study, Egbuka has better hands then Godwin, and Godwin has great hands. And we’ve got McMillan, who scored one or more receiving TD’s in five consecutive games to end the season. That makes him tied for the second-longest streak by a rookie in NFL history. Only Randy Moss did better.
Behind McMillan on the depth chart we’ve got Sterling Shepard, Trey Palmer, Ryan Miller, Rakim Jarrett, and Kameron Johnson. There’s plenty of depth. Godwin can take his time and come back when he’s 100%.
If you “just don’t see the depth”, check to make sure that your head is not stuck up some other part of your anatomy.
July 29th, 2025 at 10:32 am
MikeBuc Says:
July 29th, 2025 at 9:57 am
should tez johnson get his weight up a little bit He may be the true WR steal of the draft . He has a knack for getting open and moves like bucky. To do that behind the line is one thing with bucky – but to have that at receiver now and again equals game changing plays. He is not a regular rotation 1 ,2 , 3 receiver but a spark plug
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I forgot to mention Johnson in my post just above, but yeah, Licht should get charged with Grand Theft for getting him in the 7th round.
If I recall correctly, Tony Dungy looked at some of his film and said he could come in right now and play slot receiver.
July 29th, 2025 at 11:09 am
we need more pass rush
July 29th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Jeff day drinking and smoking don’t look good on you, go crap on another teams site and take your negativity with you, no depth? Puff puff PASS.
LFG!!! Bucs
July 29th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
@jeff
You don’t get it.
The Bucs are Gods team!
Some things are more important than money!
Like honor and loyalty!!
July 29th, 2025 at 4:56 pm
Everyone’s special until they turn on the lights and put on the pads