Whereas the 2025 NFL Draft continues to be two months away, everybody concerned within the soccer world – from coaches, executives, and scouts to followers – could have their eyes glued to what unfolds in Indianapolis, Indiana this week. The 2025 NFL Scouting Mix might be in full swing, which affords most of the prospects who might be drafted a chance to interview with groups and showcase their athletic means by going by way of numerous drills measuring their measurement, velocity, and energy to play on the subsequent stage.
Almost a 12 months in the past, I checked out which prospects the Bucs would have their eyes on after analyzing what NFL Community’s Daniel Jeremiah needed to say on his annual convention name. Jeremiah lately held it once more, going over which gamers would match on the Bucs’ protection in addition to his evaluation of different gamers who might be seeking to have huge weeks and may very well be choices when Tampa Bay is on the clock.
Daniel Jeremiah Shares Greatest Draft Suits For Todd Bowles’ Bucs Protection
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs will discover each avenue to enhance the workforce earlier than subsequent season, particularly on the defensive aspect of the soccer. Whereas Pewter Report’s focus this previous week was on free company matches, that goes considerably on the again burner this week.
With prime school prospects from all around the nation congregating in Indianapolis, it’s only proper to have a look at who may very well be long-term options for the holes on Tampa Bay’s roster. When Daniel Jeremiah was requested particularly about which defensive gamers would match head coach Todd Bowles’ protection, he shared some attention-grabbing perception into two guys who might match the invoice.
“Well, aggressive guys that can blitz from anywhere,” Jeremiah mentioned this previous Thursday. “Jihaad Campbell would be certain as heck enjoyable to look at there simply with all of the various things he can do, and quick and explosive and sensible. That’s mixture for him for Coach Bowles to have the ability to play with there. That’s the very first thing that jumped off the highest of my head right here once I’m fascinated about these sorts of gamers.
“[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. Those are a couple of names to me that just kind of jump out as pretty dynamic players that are – I love it when you have pass rushers that can win from different entry points. I think those guys can both win from a variety of entry points.”
Alabama ILB Jihaad Campbell – Picture by: USA As we speak
Jeremiah’s evaluation of the sorts of gamers who would match is spot-on when it from a entrance seven perspective. Campbell is essentially the most highly-regarded inside linebacker in his class and possesses the flexibility to line up wherever and do no matter is requested of him. Whether or not getting after the quarterback (5 sacks in 2024) or dropping in protection with a prototypical, muscular body, he has the skillset and athletic traits to be subsequent within the lineage of dominant Bucs’ inside linebackers.
Relating to Williams, he’s one other participant who has the traits to blossom into way more. Whereas not projected to fall to No. 19, if he did, normal supervisor Jason Licht might need a troublesome time not pulling the set off to pick out him.
“Mykel Williams, gosh, I just wish we could have seen him healthy,” Jeremiah mentioned. “If he doesn’t get hurt in that Clemson game and we see him at full strength, I think we’re talking about him as another top 10 lock who has a lot of freaky qualities to him, freaky traits to him. He can really get off the ball. He’s got a lot of power and violence as a rusher. He can set the edge.”
Whereas not a completed mission and a bit uncooked, he might shortly change into somebody who climbs up draft boards like Travon Walker did to change into the primary general choose in 2022.
“I think the Travon Walker experience and seeing how he has continued to develop with the Jags, I think that’s – when it’s all said and done, I will be more surprised than not if he’s not all the way up in the top 10,” Jeremiah added.
Bucs Will Have A lot Of Choices To Improve Secondary
Past simply the linebacker positions, the Bucs might be wanting lengthy and laborious at which gamers might assist the workforce handle the secondary. Including ball manufacturing and depth are the important thing explanation why this want is excessive up the listing. Past security Antoine Winfield Jr., cornerback Zyon McCollum, and nickelback Tykee Smith, there aren’t any different projected locks to start out in Tampa Bay’s defensive backend subsequent season, though Christian Izien is available to fill within the gaps the place wanted.
Cornerback Jamel Dean is perhaps let associate with security Jordan Whitehead. Cornerbacks Bryce Corridor, Tavierre Thomas, and Troy Hill in addition to safeties Mike Edwards, Kaevon Merriweather, and Ryan Neal are all free brokers who don’t encourage a ton of confidence enjoying prolonged snaps. After revamping the secondary with many of those additions final 12 months, Jason Licht might look to the draft early and sometimes so as to add extra upside and potential to a room battered by accidents and restricted with playmakers.
Daniel Jeremiah analyzed this 12 months’s secondary class by detailing two gamers Bucs followers ought to familiarize themselves with.
South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori – Picture by: USA As we speak
“Quincy Riley from Louisville would be in that third-round range as a good one who kind of plays with a little bit of that edge that they like there in Baltimore,” Jeremiah mentioned. “So these are a number of the corners. Whenever you have a look at the protection group, second-round safeties that I – late first spherical, by the way in which, South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori, if he was there, I’d flip the cardboard in.
“I think he would be a fun player for them to play with. He’s big. He’s physical. Plays more near the line of scrimmage. He makes a lot of plays buzzing underneath the ball, and he’s a physical, firm tackler and an aggressive, aggressive dude. I would be excited about that at the end of the first round.”
Riley made our newest Pewter Report mock draft after we noticed him on the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Emmanwori is without doubt one of the prime security prospects and had a giant 12 months for South Carolina with 88 whole tackles and 4 interceptions, two he ran again for pick-sixes.
Nonetheless, these two gamers simply scratched the floor of fellows Jeremiah is a fan of, which ought to present optimism that the Bucs might land one among them at every place group. Beginning with security, three gamers on every day of the 2025 NFL Draft may very well be an attractive choose.
“[Malaki Starks is] someone that can play in the nickel, can play high as the safety,” Jeremiah mentioned. “In order that one could be the primary one I’d speak about as somebody who can vary and play excessive. Xavier Watts is one other one from Notre Dame who matches in there.
“One of my favorite guys in the safety group who is going to be third, fourth round, maybe you get him in the fourth round is Craig Woodson from Cal. He plays in the deep half. He can play downhill. He can open. He’s a smooth mover. He’s got speed. He’s a firm tackler, and he’s really, really smart. Talking to the folks at Cal, they rave about his intelligence and leadership. He’s someone.”
Assessing the cornerback place, Todd Bowles and Jason Licht like a little bit little bit of every part. Discovering gamers with above-average measurement, athleticism, ball manufacturing, and soccer intelligence is a tough process, however a number of gamers stand out on Days 2 and three of the NFL Draft.
California CB Nohl Williams – Picture by: USA As we speak
“Corner-wise for a little more of the depth guys, we talked about Trey Amos is one of my favorites out of Ole Miss; [Jacob] Parrish, Kansas State,” Jeremiah mentioned. “When it comes to having some instruments, some uncooked instruments to work with, however it’s important to be a little bit bit affected person, Darien Porter from Iowa State, top, weight, velocity. He can play the ball down the sector. He simply is a little bit bit tight, however you may have some issues to work with there.
“Another Cal kid, Nohl Williams, who has a ton of production, and I think is ready to play right away. You can watch the Auburn game with him. [Had] a pick-6 against Cam Ward in that [Miami] game. Feisty, physical. Maybe a little quicker than fast. We’ll see what he runs, but he is another one kind of in that third, fourth round range.”
After discovering a draft gem who checked all the packing containers by drafting Zyon McCollum within the fifth spherical in 2022, this class might very effectively line as much as be one the place Licht does some double-dipping within the secondary.
You should definitely observe PewterReport.com and PewterReportTV this week for our evaluation of those gamers and extra after seeing them reside from Indianapolis, Indiana.
