With the first round of the NFL draft starting on April 27, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go into the upcoming season needing to fill a few holes.
While there are not many glaring deficiencies for a team that finished second in the NFC South with a 9-7 record, missing out on the playoffs due to tiebreakers, the Bucs can certainly use an influx in talent at a few areas.
With running back Doug Martin dealing with missing the first three games of the season while finishing up his four game suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy, and considering his injury history, the Bucs going with a running back in the first round is a possibility.
Since this is one of the deepest running back draft classes in some time, they might be able to afford to sit on it, but it is expected that with the 19th overall pick, they will target one of the top running backs, most likely Florida State’s Dalvin Cook.
A high caliber runner that is compared Edgerrin James, one of the best running backs in recent history, Cook would be able to help the Bucs immediately.
As a Seminole, Cook used his good field vision and breakaway speed to amass 3,456 yards over the last two seasons, along with 19 rushing touchdowns.
A two time All-ACC player and a 2016 All-American, Cook has heaps of potential.
What can hold him back from reaching that potential are injuries and a spotty past. His hamstring was a problem throughout 2015, and he had shoulder problems in high school. This, combined with reported run-ins with the law make Cook a potential risk.
Those legal issues stem from a 2009 robbery charge and a 2010 firing and possessing a weapon on school property charge, both of whom were dropped. He also was charged with misdemeanor battery outside of a bar in 2015, and was found not guilty. While these issues seem severe, since Cook has had two of the charges dropped and been found not guilty of the other, it can be viewed as a needed growth in maturity, something that will happen as he gets older.
Learning to not allow yourself to get into these situations will be key, and the Bucs dealt with another person viewed to be a “problem child” when joining the league, quarterback Jameis Winston, who has turned into a model citizen as a member of the team.
Barring a trade by the Bucs to jump up and grab one of the two higher rated running backs, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey, the team will likely grab Cook at 19, then focus on improving their depth at both offensive and defensive lines, as well as their secondary.
With cornerback Brett Grimes turning 34 before this season begins, looking at a replacement in the second round is possible. Players like Florida’s Jalen Tabor or Quincey Wilson, or Colorado’s Chidobe Awuzie are all potential picks for the Bucs in the second or third rounds.
Whatever happens, the weekend will add young talent to Tampa Bay, which should help an already young team make the leap into being a real contender in the upcoming