Once in a while, media outlets will look back on a draft class and issue a "re-draft" which, essentially, is re-picking that draft class based on how those players panned out in the NFL. For the most part, re-drafts are done a few years down the road, because it's difficult to judge a player after short time in the league.
Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke took on the tall task of re-drafting the 2015 class. His selections were very favorable to the Buccaneers.
Burke still had the Bucs drafting Jameis Winston first overall, making Tampa Bay one of four teams he believes would still pick the same player one year after the fact.
The Buccaneers only had one first-round pick in 2015, but Burke believes that they landed three players that should have gone in the first round. He had left tackle Donovan Smith going No. 20 overall to the Eagles and guard Ali Marpet being selected by the Patriots at No. 32. Tampa Bay landed both players in the second round.
Burke referred to Smith as the "best rookie left tackle in the league," after the former Penn State standout started all 16 games for the Buccaneers.
There very well could have been four Buccaneers to fall in Burke's first-round, had it not been for the Colts' 3-4 scheme.
"If he wasn't a mismatch for their 3–4 scheme, Kwon Alexander would have been the choice here," Burke wrote about the Colts' NO. 29 pick. "The Bucs' rookie racked up 93 tackles, 3.0 sacks and two INTs out of a 4–3 alignment. For the Colts' purposes (Denzel) Perryman is a better fit."
The Bucs drafted Alexander in the fourth round.
Burke isn't the only analyst to acknowledge the Bucs rookies' success, either. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah listed them as the best rookie class in the league in January. For Burke's full re-draft, click **HERE**.
