The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of draft needs, but there’s a general consensus as to which side of the ball those needs lie on — defense.
Tampa Bay’s passing defense in particular was brutal, ending up bottom five in passing yards per game. Injuries were a part of that, but between an ineffective pass rush off the edge, middling play from the inside linebackers spot across from Lavonte David and a lack of defensive back depth, the Bucs need to make some changes. Some have suggested that the Bucs go after an ILB like Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell, but others think that going further back in the secondary could be the answer.
Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. seems to think so, as he pinpointed safety for the Bucs in his newest mock draft a few weeks out from the NFL Draft. But while many have the Bucs targeting Georgia safety Malaki Starks, Kiper has Tampa Bay zeroing in on South Carolina Gamecocks safety Nick Emmanwori.
Here’s what he had to say about Emmanwori’s fit with the Bucs:
“Good luck throwing downfield on Tampa Bay with Emmanwori and Antoine Winfield Jr. locking down the third level. Emmanwori is a baller. He has the traits to make plays, picking off four passes last season. He has the speed and explosiveness to drive on the ball, running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash and jumping a ridiculous 43 inches in the vertical at the combine. And he has the 6-foot-3, 220-pound size to outmuscle receivers and hang with tight ends. The Bucs gave up 54 passing plays of 20 or more yards last season, eighth most in the NFL. Adding Emmanwori would help contain some of those big plays.”
Emmanwori is an interesting prospect. He lit up stat boards at the NFL Combine, scoring a perfect 10 on his Relative Athletic Score — something he shares in common with Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum. He may take some developing at the next level, but he put up an impressive 57 solo tackles and four interceptions last year as a member of the Gamecocks. The Bucs are looking for that production, and they may like what they see in Emmanwori.
Tampa Bay will almost certainly target the defense with their first round pick, but what position it will go after remains to be seen until Draft Day.
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