Rondé Barber Gives “B” Grade To Bucs’ Cornerbacks Draft
May 1st, 2025
“Jason, those are good grades. Chill out.”
Last week the Bucs drafted cornerbacks in Rounds 2 and 3. The greatest Tampa Bay cornerback of all-time is excited, though not over-the-top crazy about them.
After giving an “A” grade to the first-round selection of Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka — and later giving a “B+” grade to Tampa Bay picking edge rusher David Walker in Round 4 — in between Barber dropped a “B” grade on cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish.
Speaking on the WFLA-TV production known as The Rondé Barber Show, Barber said he loves the Round 2 pick of Morrison out of Notre Dame but has concerns about his injury history (hips). Barber called him an excellent player who takes the ball away and Barber likes his “little bit of aggression to him.”
As for Parrish, the speedster from Kansas State University, Barber said he watched him play a lot in college because of a family connection to the school.
“He has a willingness to put his face on people,” Barber said of Parrish’s tackling. “I think he’s going to be a productive player pretty quickly for us.”
Barber projects Parrish, Christian Izien and Tykee Smith will battle for the nickel position, and he likes Parrish there because of common disadvantages that come with safety types like Smith and Izien covering receivers in the slot.
Barber did not comment on what players, if any, he preferred the Bucs’ choose in Rounds 2 and 3.
May 1st, 2025 at 1:38 pm
I trust Barber’s grades over any of the pundits. B is solid haul
May 1st, 2025 at 1:50 pm
Lay off the coffee Swisscheesedefence
May 1st, 2025 at 1:50 pm
I won’t take anyone’s word, I’ll just wait until the end of the season and look at the results.
May 1st, 2025 at 1:55 pm
How can it be a B if the Bucs spent a 2nd and a 3rd on CBs?
I think A- for at least the effort.
May 1st, 2025 at 1:56 pm
I like our depth at the CB position. Bowles knows how to coach up DBs. With so many OLB, we’re bound to find 2 that can apply pressure.
Pass defense should be a strength by mid-year and going into the playoffs. This could be our year.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:04 pm
I like that the Bucs doubled up on DBs with man coverage skills and I trust their taste in players better than my own but I like what the Chiefs did in rounds two and three better which is take dancing bear Omar Norman-Lott and then ball-hawking baddie Nohl Williams.
I won’t knock the Bucs for any of their picks, each makes sense as a person and a player but the Bucs failed in one area. They did not add a monster DT that can plug right into the rotation. That is something the Bucs could have and should have done so I’ll give them a B. If that leviathan UDFA from Florida pans out plus Tez Johnson makes an impact the grade will be amended to an A+. A roster with both by far the biggest and smallest players in the league is fun to think about.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:09 pm
A grade of “B” is a good start. They have time to develop and progress to an “A” grade, like Ronde did. Agree with Ronde that Parrish seems best suited for the nickel position based on having better speed than the other two, and his willingness to tackle. Not that the other two are slouches, Tykee will be a beast at safety, I believe. And Izien provides good depth at nickel back or safety.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:18 pm
From what I understand these were not hip injuries they were congenital defects with his hips that were surgically corrected.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Thank you SC! There are no hip injuries, he couldn’t get both hips corrected in high school cause he would miss out on a scholarship, so he had one hip done in HS and the other done in college after he established himself.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:33 pm
@slypirate
Curious to see why you think this, I don’t see this at all and actually think the lack of development of our DBs (e.g Jamel Dean, Dean and also Jamel D) has been the most consistent part of our defense in the worst possible way.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Barber is not just best Bucs CB ever, he’s the best NFL CB ever.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:55 pm
Sick of hearing about these “injury concerns” on Benji. U would think as much as Ronde is plugged in with our staff he would of got a better understanding of his surgery which is NOT from a injury. If u think for a sec that Licht and his elite group of scouts didn’t do there homework on him your fooling yourself.
May 1st, 2025 at 2:58 pm
@BakerBowl:
Bowles has his con’s for sure. You picking to attack one of his obvious strengths is a wild take
May 1st, 2025 at 2:58 pm
Baker bowl are you serious??? Bowles has coached up Davis, Bunting, Dean, McMillan, Winfield, Izien….some of you all just say anything on this site….
May 1st, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Baker bowl
Here’s why that was spoken.
AWJ – 2nd round
Jamel dean – 3rd
Carlton Davis – 2nd
Mike Edward’s – 3rd
Zyon – 5th
Tykee – 3rd
Izien – UFA
That’s why.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:01 pm
And Bunting. Thank you TombsEN
May 1st, 2025 at 3:05 pm
Ronde’s words don’t match his grade.
What he says about the players would indicate at worst an A- grade.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:05 pm
I agree with whoever said Bowles has done a good job on teaching DB’s.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:09 pm
OK, I have no problem being proved wrong: I posed it as a question and gave my opinion because I did not have an answer. However:
Davis – wildly overpaid now, glad we don’t have him anymore, thought he was average (outside of our SB run)
Bunting – don’t watch him enough to comment
Dean – Can’t say too much more than what I’ve said so many times on here – I don’t like him as our CB1
McMillan – DB???
Winfield – Great player, great guy, Bowles hit
Izien – Still developmental, CB1? no CB2? he can battle for it
I don’t think I’m right about too much, I have opinions but I’m always hearing and seeing new info and takes that shift my thoughts.
I still don’t see how that is Bowles’ ‘obvious strength’, I think Bowles is great at dialing up creative blitz coverages and packages that cover up our poor pass coverage ability.
Again – I don’t think my opinion is the one and only truth and it’s not concrete, but please tell me how our DBs have been developed at an elite level by Bowles.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:11 pm
Jordan Whitehead:cant judge off this past year
May 1st, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I see how Bowles has been good at developing these guys, so I guess I will be less harsh on him, hand up, I was wrong.
With that though, Zyon – Yes (if he can continue down the path he’s on), AWJ – yes, those other guys though – middle of the pack DBs.
I don’t put much stock into draft positions, you can find elite players and potential HOFers at virtually every spot in the draft. I think the credit to Bowles should be for his ability to create defensive schemes that play into these guys’ strengths, not necessarily his ability to develop them into elite NFL DBs
May 1st, 2025 at 3:14 pm
@Baker Bowl:
What is your definition of developing DB’s on a elite level. How about the gact that all the players that have been mentioned are or have been starters
May 1st, 2025 at 3:16 pm
Izen and Zyon are my examples to you. Both were projected to be role players or developmental
May 1st, 2025 at 3:17 pm
@deweyselmon
It was not because of the scholarship, it was because he had to wait for his growth plates to stop growing, then he could have surgery without side affects.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:18 pm
SlyPirate Says:
Bowles knows how to coach up DBs.
Please explain when he accomplishes that?
I’ve seen no evidence so far.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:18 pm
I’ll believe the awful cover no one pass defense is fixed when I see it
May 1st, 2025 at 3:21 pm
@BBowl and Scheese
Reading comprehension isn’t your strong suit/troll
May 1st, 2025 at 3:21 pm
@Nav (NAV > J Cole by the way)
Izien and Zyon are good examples so I concede. IMO if he is as much of an impact as you guys on the other side of this discussion are suggesting, we would have better play making from that group – 4th last in passing yards allowed, 4th last in INTs.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:22 pm
Draft grades mean nothing a week after the draft was completed.
This is all conjecture, including what I have to say about it.
I think the mid season record is a good point to start the assessment.
And more likely a few years out.
But if things go south, we might have a new HC by then.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:23 pm
**TROLL COMMENT**
Reading comprehension was actually my highest score on every standardized test I ever took.
In all seriousness, I’m not a troll, just a non-ball knower having a discussion based on what I witnessed as a fan, always willing to change my opinions though.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:25 pm
@BBowl
Thank you. Now, we are entering a different topic
May 1st, 2025 at 3:26 pm
@BBowl
Clearly!
May 1st, 2025 at 3:27 pm
A B grade obviously means there were players available at CB that Barber preferred….And he was reluctant to mention them…..thus making his grade more difficult to assess.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:31 pm
1st off, I don’t think Tykee will be battling for the nickel position.
That will be Izien and Parrish. Tykee is playing safety and that will benefit everybody.
Morrison and Parrish are obvious upgrades over Hayes and funderburke.
We now have starting caliber (at least) corners and safeties.. and some depth…we did NOT have that last year.
Whether these guys grade out as B picks or A+ or flops is yet to be determined but these guys (Morrison and Parrish) look to be a couple of the best CB’s, if not THE best in the draft.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:36 pm
Buctooth, he couldn’t have both hips done at the same time because he would miss too much time and not enough tape/playing time to get a scholarship to ND. we are both right.
May 1st, 2025 at 3:43 pm
Bowles should have Ronde come around for OTAs and provide a clinic on proper form tackling…
May 1st, 2025 at 3:48 pm
I was waiting to hear Rhonde say he thought Parrish was too small. I loved that pick, dude is feisty and physical
May 1st, 2025 at 3:57 pm
@Nav
Since we’ve established Bowles can coach DBs, what are your thoughts on the CB room as a hole?
Why should I have more faith in this group that ranked so poorly statistically last season?
Also, explain Jamel Dean to me. What am I not seeing that shows he’s deserving of his contract and starting spot?
May 1st, 2025 at 4:08 pm
Tykee Smith won’t be competing for nickel, because he’s the new safety. Ronde, didn’t you get the memo? That’s why they didn’t draft a safety even tho Whitehead was let go. Thought you were in the know bro?
May 1st, 2025 at 4:23 pm
Ronde’s bound to be tough on cornerbacks. Magic Johnson probably thinks Steph Curry is a B+.
May 1st, 2025 at 6:43 pm
His “B” grade is either completely meaningless, or it could actually say A LOT. It tells ME that he is just more “meh” than anything else, since I don’t believe HE, given his position within the organization (and etc.), is going to absolutely just CRUSH THEM, by giving them a B- or C grade, or anything like that.
May 1st, 2025 at 7:25 pm
Took Ronde 3 years to be come a full time starter.
Same with John Lynch and Dexter Jackson
Brian Kelly – 4 years.
Those guys were instrumental in our 2002 Super Bowl and in that season.
Love the podcasts but maybe we’re a bit impatient with developing cornerbacks and safeties?
May 1st, 2025 at 7:30 pm
BakerBowl
The reason why draft position is important is that it gives you a sense of the level of player they are supposed to be. The key point is that they are all starters and several have exceeded their draft position expectations. Some more so than others. I think I listed almost every DB we’ve drafted since Bowles got here, although I’m unsure if whitehead was missed. Obviously last year wasn’t his best while battling injuries, but the same thing can be said about AWJ.
May 1st, 2025 at 7:38 pm
In my opinion, the biggest 2 influences for why our pass D has been poor the last couple of years (especially last year) are injuries and the lack of a pass rush with 4 guys. Everyone always has something to say about scheme, but the scheme was primarily influenced by those 2 factors.
And I do remember another one I missed above, Josh Hayes (6th round) who is t a true starter, but filled in on several occasions last year. Getting production from a 6th rounder is still value!
May 1st, 2025 at 7:56 pm
@Tombs
“some of you all just say anything on this site….
Most of it though comes from a hatred of Bowles that simply will not disappear regardless of results.
Except for SwissCheese. He’s negative about everything. I suspect somebody urinates in his coffee every morning for him to be such a sourpuss.
May 1st, 2025 at 9:29 pm
Was Bowles here when Whitehead was drafted? Man, I was so disappointed when he came back here and turned into a bust. Speaking of DB development, it took Mark Cotney and Mike Washington 3-4 years to mature into talents. This was back in the Dark Ages when the Bucs stunk up the planet.
May 1st, 2025 at 10:21 pm
*Baker Bowl – I would argue that our poor pass defense of late is more due to our lack of consistent pass rush, vs the secondary not playing good enough.
Of course I’m also referring to when our starters are healthy / playing there… when it’s the Funderburk show, all bets are off.
May 1st, 2025 at 11:12 pm
As for Davis, Dean and SMB, I wouldn’t say any of them are all-pro / top tier DBs, but I do think Bowles squeezed out of them the most he could. Dean is a common punching bag but when healthy, he’s actually been a pretty decent DB. I know there’s at least one year he led or was tied for most passes defended.
Now, if you wanna criticize the fact that none of them can catch and get INTs, that’s completely fair. Bunch of butterfingers!
May 2nd, 2025 at 12:38 am
I heard Licht talk about Morrison, and he said the type of injury he says, that once a player heals, they are good to go 100% without restrictions, apparently he had the same injury in high school on the other side and fully recovered. It’s fair to point it out, but it doesn’t sound like it should be a lingering issue. I really like this pick – his size, production, he’s someone that might play early if he’s at full speed to start training camp (and it sounds like he should be).
Parrish is a bit more of a wildcard, which you’d expect from being a round later. Last year though Smith didn’t really, in my mind, didn’t sound like a great fit at slot – and I thought he was going to be a safety, but he ended up being pretty good. Parrish meanwhile seems like someone who should profile in the slot, but in college he mostly played outside. So maybe there’s more of a transition period, but he’s got the physical skills to be in the slot – and I like the idea that it frees up Smith to move back to safety.
I will say the two corners would make me think Todd is going back to aggressive man-to-man defense, but I don’t want to get my hopes up.
May 2nd, 2025 at 4:05 am
A reminder that even if you’re a HOF’er, grading draft picks in the days after the draft is abject nonsense.
May 2nd, 2025 at 4:24 am
Et Tu Ronde?
Would prefer just his opinions on our dudes. Grades make it sound like every talking head at BSPN. Which he is not.
Go Bucs!