The Buccaneers traded with the Minnesota Vikings, acquiring the 94th overall pick in the third round to nab Humboldt State guard Alex Cappa. The Buccaneers surrendered their 104th pick in the fourth round and 180th pick in the sixth round to make the deal.
Cappa is a 6'6" offensive lineman and at 304 pounds, ran a 5.39 40-yard dash at the 2018 NFL Combine as one of a select few Division II prospects invited. He won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year award in 2017 and was a four-year starter in college.
Most draft analysts have commented on Cappa's 'nastiness' in the trenches, which seems to have been somewhat of a trend as far as the Bucs' recent offseason acquisitions go. Tampa Bay picked up center Ryan Jensen in free agency, who has also been touted for his 'nasty' style of play.
Tampa Bay has had recent success with small-school guards, specifically. One needs to look no further than current guard Ali Marpet to see the proof. Marpet entered the league in 2016 at right guard after being a three-year starter at left tackle with Division III Hobart College. He spent the 2017 season at center and with the Bucs' addition of Jensen in free agency from Baltimore, Marpet is moving back to guard, albeit on the left side. Cappa will now be able to compete for the opportunity to play on the opposite side of Marpet at right guard during the 2018 campaign.
Cappa is the sixth guard to go so far in the 2018 draft and is the first guard Tampa Bay has drafted (who was listed as a guard coming out of college) since 2008, when they took Jeremy Zuttah out of Rutgers.
The Buccaneers now hold picks 117, 144 and 202 of the draft going into Day Three.
