The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a few different needs on defense at almost every level — they’ll have to look at edge rushers, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties. They could attack one of those positions in the first round of the NFL Draft — or they could pick a player that could do both.
NFL Network’s draft expert, Daniel Jeremiah, held his annual pre-NFL Combine press conference with reporters from all across the nation. BucsGameday was present, and we asked Jeremiah which players at the NFL Combine could potentially fit in Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme.
Jeremiah pinpointed two defensive players from the SEC — Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell and Georgia’s Mykel Williams. Campbell is a linebacker and Williams is an edge rusher, but both players are versatile and can play multiple positions.
Here’s what Jeremiah said about both players and how they can fit in with the Bucs:
“Well, aggressive guys that can blitz from anywhere. Jihaad Campbell would be sure as heck fun
to watch there just with all the different things he can do, and fast and explosive and smart,” Jeremiah said. “That’s a good combination for him for Coach Bowles to be able to play with there.
“[Mykel] Williams from Georgia would be another one. You can do a lot of different things with him in terms of rushing him inside, rushing him outside. He’s athletic enough if you want to drop him. He can do a lot of those things as well.”
It’s true that the Bucs could use versatile players like Campbell and Williams. Todd Bowles’ defense relies on his edge rushers dropping back into coverage and his linebackers coming in to blitz — he likes using various combinations of blitzers to keep the offense guessing. Both players could offer that sort of versatility, and the Bucs could fill a big need by picking at edge rusher or linebackers.
On top of that, players like Campbell and Williams have multiple ways to beat you — and Jeremiah thinks those traits could work well in Tampa Bay.
“I love it when you have pass rushers that can win from different entry points,” Jeremiah said. “I think those guys can both win from a variety of entry points.”
