12 Bucs Targets Who Starred At The Senior Bowl | Pewter Report

The Bucs have drafted over two dozen Senior Bowl stars since Jason Licht turned common supervisor, together with exterior linebacker Chris Braswell and defensive again Tykee Smith within the second and third rounds final 12 months. After spending the week in Cell, Alabama scouting this 12 months’s expertise, listed below are 12 gamers that match the Bucs’ techniques that might – and may – be focused by the staff main as much as the 2025 NFL Draft.

UCLA edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo and Miami tight finish Elijah Arroyo deserve honorable point out, particularly Oladejo, who I’m excited to return and watch extra tape on main as much as this 12 months’s draft.

Marshall Edge Mike Inexperienced

Inexperienced, who was Pewter Report’s first-round decide for the Bucs in our first mock draft, shined on the Senior Bowl and left Cell after two dominant practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. His demolition of Oregon offensive deal with Josh Conerly throughout Wednesday’s follow was the exclamation level on a Senior Bowl that might see Inexperienced grow to be a Prime 15 decide, which might have him off the board when the Bucs choose at No. 19.

The nation’s main sacker had 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss and three pressured fumbles final 12 months at Marshall. He can win so some ways on the line of scrimmage and has an unlimited array of cross rush strikes for a participant with simply two years price of beginning expertise. Inexperienced actually needed to work on his run protection in Cell and confirmed an excessive amount of physicality in taking over tackles.

Boston School Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku

Whereas Mike Inexperienced was the headliner at edge rusher in Cell, Ezeiruaku was the opening act. The nation’s second-leading sacker with 16.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and three pressured fumbles practiced simply two days after which left Cell with a strong second-round draft grade. Like Inexperienced, Ezeiruaku needed to point out that he may very well be bodily towards the run and did simply that in 11-on-11 durations the place he would slam into tackles and crash into tight ends to show he may set the sting successfully.

Ezeiruaku had 30 profession sacks at Boston School and 47 profession tackles for loss, displaying he can completely stay within the backfield. If the Bucs go along with a defensive again or a defensive deal with within the first spherical, drafting Ezeiruaku within the second spherical makes an terrible lot of sense if he’s nonetheless on the board at No. 54. He would possibly even be the sort of cross rusher Jason Licht trades up for within the second spherical.

Oregon ILB Jeffrey Bassa

Oregon ILB Jeffrey Bassa – Picture by: USA At the moment

Bassa was the perfect linebacker in Cell and his pace simply made him stand out like he was glowing on the sector. A four-year starter for the Geese, Bassa totaled 236 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions 4 passes defensed and two pressured fumbles. His pick-six at Texas Tech sealed Oregon’s street win throughout his junior season. Bassa isn’t the largest linebacker at 6-foot-1, 226 kilos, but it surely’s all muscle and it’s clear that he isn’t allergic to the load room.

A former security, Bassa has labored exhausting to construct up his physique and placed on the required energy and measurement. But he’s been in a position to preserve his agility, fluidity and pace throughout his weight achieve course of. Bassa is likely one of the greatest protection linebackers within the 2025 NFL Draft and that was on show, as was his management means in Cell. I’d like to see Bassa in crimson and pewter on Day 2.

Toledo DT Darius Alexander

Alexander had 9 sacks in three seasons as a starter at Toledo, together with 3.5 final 12 months and a 58-yard pick-six. He additionally had 13 profession cross breakups, which exhibits he can have an effect on the passer in different methods apart from sacks and pressures. The Toledo standout, who checked just below 6-foot-4, 304 kilos, has lengthy, robust arms and fast, highly effective fingers.

Alexander does an important job of shedding blockers and penetrating the backfield, in addition to having actually good ball consciousness when it comes to rapidly discovering the ballcarrier. He was Professional Soccer Focus’ fourth-ranked defensive deal with in 2024 with a 90.2 total grade. Alexander’s inventory is on the rise after a dominant week on the Senior Bowl and he can be an important slot in Tampa Bay on Day 2.

South Carolina ILB Demetrius Knight II

Knight struggled to seek out the sector after three seasons at Georgia Tech, so he transferred to Charlotte for the 2023 season the place he notched 96 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three interceptions, together with a pick-six. Knight then transferred to South Carolina the place he recorded 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, pressured three fumbles and an interception final 12 months.

After a tough day in protection on Tuesday he bounced again and had a very strong week. Knight, who’s the thirty second total prospect on the Professional Soccer Focus massive board and the top-rated inside linebacker, informed Pewter Report that he had two interviews with the Bucs in Cell, Ala. I like different linebackers higher, however I can see why Tampa Bay can be concerned about him as a Day 2 decide.

Ole Miss CB Trey Amos

Ole Miss CB Trey Amos – Picture by: USA At the moment

Amos didn’t dominate the best way that Toldeo’s Quinyon Mitchell did final 12 months en path to turning into a first-round decide by the Eagles. However he did show the expertise that has him as a possible first-round choice within the two days he practiced earlier than leaving Cell with a minor leg harm. At simply over 6-foot and weighing 195 kilos he has sufficient measurement to play exterior in Todd Bowles’ protection, which is the place he performed virtually completely in school, as a late first-round or early second-round decide.

Amos started his profession at Louisiana the place he was a three-year starter earlier than transferring to Alabama. However he struggled to see the sector because of the expertise there and transferred to Ole Miss for the prospect to start out in 2024. There he had his greatest season with 50 tackles, three interceptions, 13 cross breakups and a pressured fumble for a really proficient Rebels protection. Amos earned an 85.7 Professional Soccer Focus grade final 12 months, which ranked twentieth amongst all school cornerbacks.

Florida State CB Azareye’h Thomas

Thomas carried out properly on a very unhealthy Florida State protection final 12 months, and at occasions was the lone shiny spot. I didn’t like the truth that he solely had two profession interceptions in three years in Tallahassee, together with only one final season, however he was a cross breakup machine and had a career-high 10 in 2023. Final 12 months he wasn’t challenged a lot as a result of he was such a shutdown cornerback and had 4 cross breakups.

All he did in Cell was breakup passes it appeared. He didn’t have an ideal week of follow on the Senior Bowl, however at 6-foot-1 ½, 194 kilos and the third-longest arm size amongst cornerbacks (32.5 inches), Thomas was one of many standouts in follow. He’s already thought-about a Prime 50 decide and will sneak into the underside of the primary spherical with a quick 40-yard sprint time on the NFL Scouting Mix. If he’s there within the second spherical I may see the Bucs being .

Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel

Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel – Picture by: USA At the moment

Oregon’s Tez Johnson was probably the most uncoverable receiver in Cell, however at 5-foot-9, 156 kilos, he’s simply too small to play wherever however the slot on the subsequent degree. And I don’t assume he can be a slot in Tampa Bay, which already has a few smallish receivers on their roster. I favored the play of TCU’s Jack Bech, Illinois’ Pat Bryant and Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins, who’re three greater, possession receivers, however Noel actually stood out to me through the Senior Bowl practices. I want he was greater than his 5-foot-9 3/4, 196-pound body, however Noel performs like he’s a lot greater within the slot.

Noel, who received the Nationwide Crew large receiver of the week honors, is aware of find out how to get open and create in house. He has a psychological and bodily toughness about him and performs hungry. Noel exhibits great focus in tight protection and is aware of find out how to deliver down the ball in contested catch conditions regardless of being below 6-foot. I wouldn’t thoughts seeing him in crimson and pewter within the center rounds. Tampa Bay may use an improve at WR4 on the depth chart behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan.

North Dakota State G Gray Zabel

The Bucs can deal with the left guard place in free company by re-signing Ben Bredeson and permitting final 12 months’s sixth-round decide, Elijah Klein, to compete there as properly. However can famous offensive lineman aficionado Jason Licht resist temptation to draft Zabel within the second spherical if he’s nonetheless on the board? Licht has drafted loads of small college Senior Bowl standouts, together with Ali Marpet (second spherical, 2015), Alex Cappa (third spherical, 2018) and Cody Mauch (second spherical, 2023) earlier than.

Zabel, who like Mauch was a left deal with at North Dakota State, made a seamless transition to protect in Cell and appeared dominant in cross safety and within the run sport. He had a Day 2 grade coming into the Senior Bowl and leveled up a sure-fire second-round decide. Left guard isn’t a urgent want like a number of spots on protection are, however Zabel may very well be the subsequent Mauch and will solidify Tampa Bay’s offensive line for years to come back.

USC IOL Jonah Monheim

Monheim has expertise everywhere in the offensive line, enjoying 716 snaps at proper deal with and 286 snaps at proper guard in 2022, then 762 snaps at left deal with and 53 snaps at proper guard in 2023. In 2024, Monheim was moved to heart the place he performed all 807 snaps. He excelled in cross safety with simply two sacks allowed in school, which got here in 2023, and solely 4 quarterback hits over the past three seasons.

There’s nothing spectacular about Monheim’s sport. He’s simply an extremely strong and versatile participant and that was on show in Cell as he was taking snaps at each heart and guard in follow. The Bucs are anticipated to lose Robert Hainsey in free company, however Monheim, who’s 6-foot-4, 307 kilos, would make a superb substitute on Day 3.

SMU RB Brashard Smith

SMU RB Brashard Smith – Picture by: USA At the moment

I wasn’t watching operating backs in Cell, as I used to be focusing totally on defensive gamers. However each time I noticed a operating again flash in follow it was the child with the SMU helmet. At 5-foot-9, 195 kilos, Smith is constructed like Bucky Irving and performs in site visitors like Irving does, too. Smith has an uncanny imaginative and prescient to have the ability to see holes develop on the line of scrimmage and escape routes materialize on the second degree. And like Irving, Smith is hard for his measurement and has a stunning knack for breaking tackles and operating over linebackers.

Smith was a switch from Miami the place he was underutilized as a large receiver, catching 69 passes for 770 yards and 4 touchdowns. However SMU made him a function again and he turned in a monster 12 months with 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns whereas averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Smith has implausible fingers and had 39 catches for 327 yards and 4 extra scores. He doesn’t make as many defenders miss as Irving does, however he has extra pace and may return kicks. Smith may very well be a Day 3 steal.

Oklahoma State ILB Nickolas Martin

Martin had a monster 2023 season, main the nation with 83 solo tackles and 140 whole stops with 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, a pressured fumble and a fumble restoration. He additionally had two interceptions that season. Martin had a knee harm that restricted him to simply 5 video games in 2024, and he had simply 47 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack, a pressured fumble and a fumble restoration, along with two cross breakups.

It looks as if Martin performs 100 miles per hour when he flows downhill to make tackles within the backfield. He’s an extremely instinctive and decisive linebacker who can be rated greater if not for his actually brief arms. Martin was the smallest linebacker in Cell at 6-foot, 222 kilos, however didn’t play prefer it. But his 30 5/8 arms and 62-inch wingspan had been noticeable and can trigger him to be drafted late on Day 3.

LIVE Bucs Mock Draft Pewter Report Podcast Sunday 9:00am ET

Pewter Report has a particular Sunday episode of the Pewter Report Podcast as Josh Queipo and Adam Slivon host a LIVE Mock Draft on February 2 at 9:00 a.m. ET. Upon getting back from Cell, Ala. throughout Senior Bowl week, Queipo and Slivon will conduct a Senior Bowl-only seven-round Bucs mock draft with gamers that participated within the practices for the school all-star sport.

Bear in mind, the Bucs have drafted a slew of gamers from the Senior Bowl below common supervisor Jason Licht, together with final 12 months’s second- and third-round picks, Chris Braswell and Tykee Smith.

Queipo and Slivon will supply up Pewter Report’s perception and evaluation and reply Bucs followers’ questions through the particular Sunday version of the Pewter Report Podcast – energized by CELSIUS, the official vitality drink of Pewter Report.