Louis Riddick Names Most Underrated Bucs Draft Pick
May 4th, 2025
Bucs rookie edge rusher David Walker, the fourth-round pick.
Joe has a word of advice for the four-letter when it comes to their NFL draft broadcasts.
Joe didn’t watch BSPN’s coverage of the draft and never does unless forced to. Joe tries to watch NFL Network but is often too busy at One Buc Palace and misses chunks of it.
Since, Joe sure has read and heard a lot about BSPN’s pseudo-coverage of the draft, including how the four-letter’s draft coverage could be better described as “Browns Pick A Quarterback In The Fifth Round TV Show.”
Joe heard No. 1 overall pick quarterback Cam Ward was damn near ignored.
So here is the advice Joe would offer, free of charge: More Louis Riddick, less Mel Kiper (who Joe read and heard fully embarrassed himself the entire weekend).
Riddick, the former Nick Saban/Bill Belichick defensive back and NFL player personnel executive, is a smart, well-reasoned, thoughtful observer and evaluator of talent. Each year after the draft, Riddick offers up his most underrated non-first-round draft pick for each team.
In Riddick’s eyes, Bucs’ fourth-round draft pick David Walker of Central Arkansas will be making an impact before his rookie contract is finished.
Joe saw how the Bucs reacted when they selected Walker, the outside linebacker who had 82 tackles for loss in four years at Central Arkansas. That 82 tackles-for-loss stat still makes Joe’s head spin.
Joe doesn’t care what level of football it is if a guy racks up 82 tackles for loss. That is impressive.
When the Bucs picked Walker, his new position coach, Larry Foote, jumped out of his chair and bear-hugged Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht yelping, “That’s how you win a Super Bowl, baby!”
For coaches and suits to react that way to a fourth-round pick, that tells Joe the Bucs really think they got a diamond that just needs polishing.
Time for the 4th annual list of my one favorite non-first round prospect (tried to NOT select obvious 2nd rounders as well) from EACH team in the 2025 draft that could be a significant contributor/starter within the next 2-3 years:
ARZ: Cody Simon – LB – OHST
ATL: Xavier Watts -…— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) May 1, 2025
May 4th, 2025 at 12:04 am
he would know
May 4th, 2025 at 1:54 am
Could not care less what Reddick thinks. For that matter I would have to get a monthly check from BSPN to allow there crap to be played by anyone in my humble abode.
Go Bucs!
May 4th, 2025 at 2:16 am
I am VERY excited about this guy, I have read a ton of articles on him and it was at the senior bowl where ppl really started to like this guy and alot of ppl kept saying “someone is gonna get a steal” -IN LICHT WE TRUST. 💯👏💪
May 4th, 2025 at 3:08 am
It’s all about improving the putrid 29th ranked Pass Defense. Go Bucs!
May 4th, 2025 at 6:06 am
Optimistic that Walker will make an impact too. Excited to see what he does.
May 4th, 2025 at 6:57 am
A fierce pass rush always makes your secondary look great.
May 4th, 2025 at 7:05 am
I think he will be our best pick up this draft….my excitement is just as big as the draft room…82 tfls you need that kind of dog mentality to fix our putrid pass defense the pressure this guy will bring in our defense is going to cause a lot of turnovers
May 4th, 2025 at 7:22 am
His video shows so many instances where he EASILY beat his man.
Well is that going to translate — got no idea. If it translates a 1/3 of the time that we saw on tape — that will be a big win for 4th round draft choice.
I just have concerns that he takes himself out of position a lot for the NFL. The video’s suggest that most of his disruption was done when he just beat the tackle or tight end to the outside.
I did not see the spin or inside moves as being generally effective (maybe 2 plays out of 50 shown).
Seems like he could have the success of a JTS in our system. So solid to very good for a 4th rounder but obviously not that great for an end of the 1st rounder like JTS.
May 4th, 2025 at 7:24 am
If Walker was that domonate, why did’t he make a move to a bigger program?
May 4th, 2025 at 8:24 am
Having dumped both legacy cable and streaming cable, whatever comes over the antenna is what I get, which is espn simulcast on abc. Agree with Joe, their draft “coverage” consists of little more than b-roll recordings for each player and a bunch of trite banter that any of us could come up with while half drunk. How about some actual reporting from each team’s draft room for reactions, or infographics on each team’s short/long term needs vs. the selection? Their panel just sits around and slobbers the same way over every selection. Lame.
May 4th, 2025 at 8:33 am
If Larry Foote went nuts with Licht over this pick, then mebbe the Bucs did get a diamond in the rough. It will be fun to watch what Walker does.
May 4th, 2025 at 8:50 am
“Browns Pick A Quarterback In The Fifth Round TV Show.”
Funny sht! Nicely done, thx
May 4th, 2025 at 9:00 am
I hope DW can produce this season. If the Buc’s can find a way to get pressure/sacks with a four man rush, they will be able to compete against everyone! Then who knows what is possible!
May 4th, 2025 at 9:02 am
Hopefully David Walker will make it where I don’t need Johnny Walker on game days!
May 4th, 2025 at 9:15 am
Hodad… 😆😆😆
… and then kick the TV suddenly needing use of a walker.
May 4th, 2025 at 9:18 am
feel like licht has gotten it down to an art on which round he can wait to get these guys.
May 4th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Ah yes Lou. A credentialed experienced scouting and personnel mind. Agree that Walker will have a solid rookie year for us. Not sure why another team didn’t snatch him up in the mid to late 3rd round after the Senior Bowl performance.
May 4th, 2025 at 9:53 am
“A fierce pass rush always makes your secondary look great.” A great secondary also makes your pass rush MUCH better.