TAMPA, Fla. – The Bucs finished the NFL Draft Weekend without making a trade. For GM Jason Licht, it was his first draft in 11 years, and he didn’t wheel and deal. Assistant GM John Spytek says that’s just how it went.
“When there were guys that we refused to pass up on, and we had trade offers, and when there were situations where we thought maybe we could move back a couple picks and still get our guy, the phone didn’t ring,” John Spytek Bucs Assistant GM said, with a smile. “So, what are you gonna do?”
Is it the best player available or needed?
The Bucs braintrust had said going into the draft that their goal was picking the best player available when it was their turn to choose. Well, in this case, this NFL Draft, it was the best player available for the Bucs’ needs. It all seemed to work out, and normally, that doesn’t happen.
“What are you gonna do,” Spytek asked. “You can’t pass! You guys (reporters ) would kill us if I was up here talking about passing. We picked our guys.”
The Bucs wanted to get bigger and stronger in the interior of the offense line, and that need was met with the first-round pick of Center Graham Barton from Duke.
Next, the Bucs wanted to get a player or two who could attack opposing quarterbacks from the outside. The Bucs took edge rusher Chris Braswell out of Alabama.
Depth was a little light in the secondary, so the Bucs picked safety Tykee Smith out of Georgia in the third round. The Bucs know had McMillan not been injured last season he wouldn’t have been available at that spot.
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“It’s a really hard position to play,” Spytek said. “But in particular here, we stress them mentally. We stress them physically with the amount we blitz.” The Bucs feel Smith fits this bill.
Everyone knows the Bucs offense goes, as long as the wide receiving duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are on the field together.
The question mark all season long last year was who is the Bucs number 3 receiver? They were hoping for Russell Gage but Gage got hurt during the joint practice with the Jets last August and was ruled out for the season.
Trey Palmer showed flashes, but Tampa Bay liked a number of receivers in this draft and chose Jalen McMillan from Washington. McMillan dealt with a knee injury last season but still went over 1,000 yards and nine touchdown passes.
The 4th round found the Bucs taking small but shifty running back Bucky Young from Oregon. Head Coach Todd Bowles said they want to run the ball, and new offensive coordinator Liam Coen believes they can do it with some tweaking of the offensive system. Coen said he’s a big fan of the incumbent Rachaad White but wanted to get White some help. Now they’ve got that in Young.
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In the 6th round, the Bucs went back to the interior of the offensive line, drafting guard Elijah Klein from UTEP. This is a spot that certainly is up for grabs.
The Bucs final pick in the 7th round is Washington Huskies tight end Devin Culp.
Culp goes 6’3″ 231 lbs and ran a 4.47 40 at the NFL Combine. The Bucs really like to pick up Huskies players. Vita Vea, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Cade Otten, Greg Gaines, and McMillan earlier in this draft.
Bucs 2024 draft picks.
1 #26 Graham Barton Center Duke
2 #57 Chris Braswell OLB Alabama
3 #89 Tykee Smith S, Georgia
3 #92 Jalen McMillan Wr Washington
4 #125 Bucky Irving RB Oregon
6 #220 Elijah Klein G UTEP
7 #246 Devin Culp TE Washington
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