We're inching closer, people. While some expert picks have remained unchanged, there were quite a few flips in the direction of Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. The athletic could-be corner, could-be safety has ESPN's Todd McShay on board in his latest mock draft, along with four other experts slotting Fitzpatrick to go seventh to the Bucs.
The full list of who the experts have the Bucs taking in the first round is below. But again, we want to hear from you. Tell us what you want the Bucs should do with their first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft:
Vote here.
NFL.com
Daniel Jeremiah (January 28) – DE Marcus Davenport (UTSA)
Bucky Brooks (January 30) – DE Marcus Davenport (UTSA)
Lance Zierlein (January 30) – DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
Chad Reuter (February 6) – G Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)
CBSSports.com
Chris Trapasso (February 12) – DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
Trapasso: "Fitzpatrick will give the Buccaneers what they desperately need -- length in their secondary. He can play safety on occasion or lock down off-coverage duties as an outside corner. He's even twitchy enough to stay with bigger slot receivers."
Jared Dubin (February 9) – S Derwin James (Florida State)
ESPN
Todd McShay (February 6) – DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
McShay: "Fitzpatrick is a shutdown cornerback with the versatility to play safety and can be plugged in immediately."
USA Today
Nate Davis (February 6) – DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
Davis: "The Bucs secondary is due to be gutted by free agency, with CB Brent Grimes and S T.J. Ward among vets set to hit the open market. Fitzpatrick seems to project as a safety, but he could certainly see time at corner or in the slot and would be an asset in just about any capacity for a Tampa Bay defense that ranked last both overall and against the pass in 2017."
Bleacher Report
Joe Tansey (February 12) – DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
Pewter Report
Scott Reynolds (February 12) – DT Vita Vea (Washington)
Reynolds: "Vea's presence would not only increase the production of Tampa Bay's defensive ends, he would also occupy a double team on most plays, which would allow Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to get freed up for even more one-on-one pass rush situations. Because of his movement ability, Vea could also be moved around the line to play three-technique defensive tackle or even defensive end in some situations if the Bucs wanted to go with a big defensive line that consisted of Vea, McCoy, 340-pound defensive tackle Stevie Tu'ikolovatu and 295-pound defensive end Will Gholston."
