The start of free agency looms and with it, draft speculation heats up as April approaches. Evaluations commence from NFL pundits and trades begin to materialize, shuffling the order of teams selecting in Round One of the Draft. Names will begin to fall and rise on prospect compilations by team needs addressed in free agency and individual Pro Day performances. Is is projected that the Buccaneers will go offense or defense in the first round at 19th overall? See the full list of draft predictions for the Bucs below at pick 19:
NFL.com
- Pick: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
- Comments: Tampa Bay could very well lose Jamel Dean to free agency. Porter Jr. is a long-limbed press corner who can fit into the Buccaneers' scheme as an early starter.
CBS Sports
- Pick: CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
- Comments: Cam Smith is a volatile prospect among talent evaluators, but I hold him in high regard. If Tampa Bay allows one or both of Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean to leave in free agency, then Smith steps right in to play immediately.
The Draft Network
- Pick: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
- Comments: Tampa Bay is in dire need of corners, and Joey Porter Jr. has all the clubs in the bag to become an All-Pro down the line. Teams have concerns about his motor, but it was simply too easy for him at times in the Big Ten. Facing better competition should bring out the best in his game. Competing in a veteran locker room will help too.
PFF
- Pick: T Broderick Jones, Georgia
- Comments: Given that they are rebuilding in the post-Brady era, perhaps the Buccaneers would be a good candidate for a trade down here to acquire more picks. If they stay where they are, Jones would make sense as a Donovan Smith replacement.
Sports Illustrated
- Pick: Edge Myles Murphy, Clemson
- Comments: "An immediate impact player as a freshman, the Georgia native demonstrates quick, first step-explosion, along with great strength and versatility. Murphy has been utilized on the outside to set the edge and has kicked inside when needed, showcasing multiple ways how he can be implemented at the next level."
