“Wide Open” Draft Expected; Bucs Could See Top-7 Talent At No. 19
April 17th, 2025
“Tom, watch and learn.”
Joe likes how true NFL insider Peter Schrager approaches his draft chatter/projections because it’s all about what he’s hearing from GMs and front office types.
And now that Schrager has just moved to ESPN from NFL Network, he’s seems to have opened up more than he was with “The Man.”
Schrager joined The Pat McAfee Show this week and talked about how the draft is “wide open” after the first three picks, noting he texted with team executives all through watching The Masters golf tournament last weekend.
Schrager said he hasn’t been getting pounded this year with questions from GMs wanting to know what he’s hearing about players with an eye toward urgency and potential trades.
It’s a unique draft class with when matched up with team needs.
“I had a GM tell me who Jacksonville takes at No. 5, you could easily see [taken] at No. 17 or 18,” Schrager said. “After you get out of those top-3, it’s not that it’s a dropoff, it’s that it kind of plateaus and it’s, ‘Well, what do you need? What do you want? Who did you like?’ which makes the draft all the more interesting.”
Joe loves the guessing-game nature of every draft, but especially this one. And the Bucs are a total guess. They’ve got needs but not urgent needs. Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht did a good job of building depth in free agency.
Fans may not care about adding veterans like Charlie Heck, Anthony Walker, Jr. and Kindle Vildor, but they were important signings.
April 17th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
In Licht. we Trust. I have faith that he will draft the right guys.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
Trade back a few spots for CB Trey Amos, pick up another 3rd rounder, take money recently opened up on cap restructures for Trey Hendrickson instead of the joke Ramsey thing, trade this year’s 2nd and next year’s 4th to Cincy for him, use both 3rd’s this year on ILB and S/DT.
You’re welcome.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Agree, this draft will be fun. This will be one of those drafts where the mocks will be further off in general than usual. And I put the Bucs draftee grading system and processes up against anybody’s. I think Licht/Bowles/scouts really have this dialed in now. I’m hoping when the season comes around, we find that we got some real steals in this one all the way down to late day three.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:24 pm
Thin draft for elite talent, but deep in solid players.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
TRADE DEAN AND SOME PICKS FOR JALEN RAMSEY!!!!
April 17th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
BPA, if not then trade back.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
Jasons got this…he knows how to do it now…no kickers or punters this draft. Theres a difference between tactically selecting and throwing darts at said player for whatever….he’s got it down now. Trust the process….and if theres a trade down, dont be disappointed.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
Whether S/CB/or ILB I’m good with any, but expect ILB and would be surprised if it is not one of the 3.
I also expect D-Line and WR later and maybe O-Line.
I always say draft D & O line every single draft but they only have 6 picks this year so it’s a bit interesting.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:50 pm
Definitely an interesting one.
Last year pre draft, if you would have told me Barton was on the board at 26… I would have laid good money he was the Bucs pick.
This year no clue. I hope they don’t pass on Ezeriraku or a stud DT to draft a S though. OLB, DT, Campbell or CB please unless those good options top of their board are gone, in which case I will accept Starks who just seems inevitable.
April 17th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Yeah, I agree Joe, something about this draft feels different.
April 17th, 2025 at 3:13 pm
JL and his staff have done a great job since he arrived from NE! If they can find some defensive gems then the Bucs will compete with everyone this year. Bring it home Jason! Bring it home!
April 17th, 2025 at 3:23 pm
Those were def good depth signings. That helps out on draft weekend.
April 17th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
Lewis, why would you “trade Dean and some picks for Ramsey”? You could probably get him for a 7th round pick right now. He’s going to be cut and the new team can negotiate a cheaper contract.
April 17th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
I have some picks I would like them to take (and some, like Shemar Stewart, that should be radioactive)… but In Licht we trust!
April 17th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
There’s more and more chatter about QBs in rnd1. Some say up to 4 now, up from 2. If QB’s start going, then some defensive talent could fall to the Bucs!
April 17th, 2025 at 5:16 pm
The one pre-draft thing Licht said that I believe, and that I think most other GM’s believe, is that after a few picks the draft levels out and then it’s a free for all. Unless someone “hears something” about a specific player they want being taken before they pick I don’t think there will be a lot trades but more time on the clock maximizing the thought process on who a team wants.
April 17th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
Bucs could see a top 7 talent at #19. Not only could that happen, it should happen. There will be a run on QBs, and LTs which we don’t need. After Carter, their isn’t much seperation among the remaining edge rushers. There should be a top 7 talent, maybe 2, or more top ten talents. Bucs should get an impact player for sure.
April 17th, 2025 at 8:05 pm
Let’s be real. The stud OLBs we really want will be gone. Like how verse and chop went last year. It will probably be a few picks right before us.. gotta go BPA imo and not reach for DE when we have plenty on the roster
April 17th, 2025 at 8:21 pm
Scott…”gotta go BPA imo and not reach for DE when we have plenty on the roster”R
What! Who are they other than Reddick?
PS
Scott, JTS is gone.
April 17th, 2025 at 9:23 pm
Gotta think by Monday morning they’ve got their top (5) candidates figured out.
I don’t think anyone is really thinking Will Johnson CB will be there at 19 but maybe he could be. He was going top-5 all year in pre draft mocks made by people.
He’s a guy on my I would gladly take him board though!
April 17th, 2025 at 10:45 pm
The point I was making that Edge rushers are one of the highest paid premium positions. The best will be gone probably, and we may have to reach for one in the first round if thats what they want. Braswell steps right into the JTS role. Draft another early mid rounder and keep churning. Yaya has turned out good.
April 17th, 2025 at 11:34 pm
With the good depth this year, no reason to take an injured or injury prone player!
April 17th, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Exactly … Signing Walker Jr, Heck, Vildor
Also Re-signing Nelson, Gaines, Merriweather, Hall, Opeta
Did wonders for our depth and opening up this Draft.
Would be awesome to see JL swing another FA dunk with this cap space left as well. Hoping we trade up in the second to grab a top CB.
What would be amazing is a trademark Licht Surprise that shocks us all;
Say a draft day trade that puts the whole league on notice a move we don’t expect, or a move in the Summer.
Key is getting impact players that can contribute right away; the better those players are the better we’ll be.
If I’m JL .. I’m going all in on drafting the best S, CB, DT, ILB, WR we can. An Edge would have to beat out Braswell and Nelson; apart from Walker why bother until our holes are filled.
Let’s go JL … Go all in on S, CB, and DT .. whether by trade, premium pick, whatever it takes LFG.
If we acquire a Premier CB and S, and another stud DT, there’s no doubt we win the SB in Cali
April 18th, 2025 at 4:48 am
Totally agree about this draft being unique.
Also agree with Hodad and others too. We really should see a top player at 19. Only guessing, but Licht already has a few angles going and we will get the right person.
I am thinking that there won’t be a lot of QBs taken in the top 20 picks after Sanders, Dart, and Ward. But I have been wrong before.
April 18th, 2025 at 6:40 am
how about this. giants need qb – bucs need defense. trade down to #34 with giants. get a 3rd (they have 2) 4th rd swap, and a 5th or 6th.
April 19th, 2025 at 9:34 am
If the latest rumors are correct and more than 2 QBs are taken before the Bucs pick, I don’t see any team willing to trade up for the Bucs #19 slot.