The 2019 NFL Draft is underway in Nashville, and FTW’s lead NFL writer Steven Ruiz is grading picks and offering analysis on how each player will fit with his new team.
No. 1: Devin White, LB, LSU
Analysis: Devin White is a good football player. The best linebacker in the class, even. He has tremendous tackling range and makes a difference in the passing game as a zone defense. BUT … linebacker isn’t exactly a position of great importance, and the Bucs had to use a premium pick to get him. Why not trade down and hope he falls to you — and just take Michigan’s Devin Bush as a consolation if he doesn’t?
GRADE: D
No. 39: Sean Bunting, CB Central Michigan
Analysis: I’m at a loss. It’s not just that the Bucs passed on the draft’s best man cover corner (Greedy Williams), but they also passed on several other cornerback prospects with better film against better competition in order to draft Sean Bunting. He’s a great athlete with good coverage skills, but this is a bad value. A trade down would have been a smarter move. This cornerback group is deep.
GRADE: D+
94. Buccaneers: Jamel Dean, CB Auburn
Analysis: Jamel Dean has the size and speed to develop into a top man corner, which is what Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is looking for here. His athleticism didn’t always show up on tape, however.
