Offensive line is the one area on this Buccaneers team that needs addressed in this draft. The Bucs need to find a starting tackle and preferably someone that is versatile enough to play both the left and right side.
Free agent Joe Haeg who was signed last month is more of a depth tackle and is not someone that you want to start 16 games a season.
The Bucs should take an offensive linemen with their 14th pick in the upcoming draft. Check out this article on who might be available when the Bucs are on the clock,
https://tampabayprosports.com/2020/04/08/bucs-should-look-for-offensive-line-help-in-the-first-round/.
There are four running backs in this draft that will be taken in the first three rounds.
JK Dobbins of Ohio State should be the first running back off the board and will probably be gone by the time the Bucs 45th selection comes up in round two.
Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin, Andre Swift of Georgia, and Clyde Edwards Helaire of LSU are the other top three backs in the draft, and all three will be sitting there when the Bucs pick in the second round.
So who would be the best fit at running back for this Bucs team?
Jonathan Taylor is a very durable back. Five foot ten inches and 218 pounds, Taylor runs a 4.54/40.
Taylor finished his career with the most rushing yards in NCAA history running for 6,174 yards in just three seasons. Taylor also caught 26 passes for 252 yards and five touchdowns.
Taylor has good power, good quickness and acceleration, and is light on his feet.
Despite the heavy workload, (988 touches), Taylor had no significant injuries in his time at Wisconsin averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
Taylor did have 18 fumbles in his career, and needs to become more of a threat out of the backfield with better route running. Taylor is not very quick laterally.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire came out of nowhere this season and surprised every one with his performance.
Helaire is a small back at five foot eight and 209 pounds, but runs a 4.55/40.
Along with Deandre Swift, Helaire is the best pass catching running back in this years draft class.
Helaire ran for 1414 yards this past season averaging 6.6 yards a carry. Helaire also caught 55 passes for 453 yards and a TD.
Helaire would be a great fit in this Bucs offense just for his pass catching ability alone as the Bucs have not a true pass catching back since Charles Sims.
Brady makes good use of the running backs in the pass game, so the drafting of Helaire would seem to be a good fit.
Helaire is a punishing runner that can move the pile and is very good in space.
The big knock on Helaire is he seems to be a one year wonder at this point, as he only has one good year on his resume.
Helaire also needs to work on his pass blocking, and that is something that if he can’t grasp, he won’t see a lot of playing time should he end up in Tampa.
D’Andre Swift of Georgia is the best pass blocking back in the draft, but was still used extensively as a pass catcher in the Georgia offense catching 56 passes for 513 yards and four touchdowns.
Swift had to sit behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michael before getting his opportunity, and over the last two seasons Swift ran for 2267 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Swift is another guy that has very powerful legs and can move the pile. Swift has good acceleration and had quite a few explosive runs while at Georgia, and can be used as a three down back.
The knock on Swift is he never had to carry the ball more than 200 times in a season, so we don’t know how he would hold up with a heavy workload.
Swift also had some nagging injuries that could scare some teams off.
Swift had seven fumbles in 513 touches in his college career.
Every one of these backs would look good wearing a Buccaneer uniform.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire has a small advantage over Swift and Taylor as he is the better route runner, and while his pass blocking is not on the level of Orlando Pace, he can get the job done.
