Time to look into Draft prospects for the NFC South, where the BUCCANEERS have become the dominant team pretty much heading the division since the signing of TOM BRADY. And at least in the regular season they have hardly seemed to miss Brady. Post season… that’s another story but let’s not get greedy. Let’s check it out.
CAROLINA: Early last season it looked for al the world like BRYCE YOUNG was gonna be a huge bust in the NFL. Then after standing on the sidelines watching vet ANDY DALTON pass the team into repeatability YOUNG was reinstated to the starter’s role and looked like a legit NFL QB. Now they have to build a stronger team around him. The team has 8 Picks overall and if used wisely that’s enough to perhaps drive the team to a .500 record. So let’s get after those first 3 Rounds of Picks starting withPick 8.
Pick 8 MATTHEW GOLDEN WR Texas No, I don’t think this is a reach at all. GOLDEN came on strong for the Longhorns last season running the 2nd fastest 40 at the Combine @4.29 seconds. He has soft hands and outstanding traits. He’s 5’11/190 but the team already has bigger guys in Thielen & Legette. This is the deep ball threat to stretch those secondaries out, hopefully leaving other open targets 10-15 yards downfield.
Pick 57 JARED WILSON OC Georgia Another KIRBY SMART product who got the starting CENTER job last year full-time and absolutely shined. He’s a solid 6’3/310, with nice big 10″+ hands for snapping the ball in cold or wet conditions. Best of all he showed his athleticism by running a 4.84/40 at the Combine, which was the fastest 40 of any OL group member. I see an instant starter here all things being equal in Training Camp.
Pick 74 TY ROBINSON DL. Nebraska There is some question as to whether he’s about 296 lbs. at the Sr Bowl or the 288 lbs. he weighed at the Combine. But either way he has nice athleticism and can back up along the entire DL except at NT. Quick off the snap during Senior Bowl week. Not sure I would expect him to be a Pro Bowler any time soon, if ever, but he could end up a solid DL rotation member.
ATLANTA: 2024 was a very disappointing season for the FALCONS who felt like they had their answer at QB when they signed KIRK COUSINS as a VFA. But perhaps we should have been a bit suspicious when they drafted MICHAEL PENIX in Round One of the ’24 Draft. COUSINS did not work out, perhaps because he was never 100% healthy trying to come back from his Achilles tear. The team only has 4 Picks, 2 in the Top 100 so they will have to do roster work based on VFA with a bank book that shows them already $5-million over the Cap. Their top 5 Cap cost players currently have about $125-million in salary coming to them this league year. OUCH! Let’s use their 2 top Picks now.
Pick 15 MYLEK WILLIAMS DE/ER Georgia This team still needs to figure out how to generate more pass rush even after trading for MATTHEW JUDON last year. WILLIAMS at 6’5/265 should be a solid DE/ER with the ability to fill multiple roles.
Pick 46 QUINCY RILEY CB Louisville Vet starting CB from college ranks. Not a big name, but should fit into multiple secondary roles and in essence be a starter for them. A solid addition to a largely mediocre secondary crew beyond BATES & TERRELL.
NEW ORLEANS: The SAINTS are yet another team that is in big need of a total roster retooling for a team, which GM MICKEY LOOMIS has spent into a $39.5-million financial hole “OVER” the Salary Cap. The also have one of the oldest rosters in the League. Vet QB DEREK CARR accepted a couple of contract modifications this past week which almost gets them within the Cap. Many of their best players are well over 30-years old. They are already facing a bit over $50-million in Dead Money for 2025. This is a mess, and flirting with a flat out disaster. They have 8 Draft Picks and had better use every one of them effectively.
Pick 9 TYLER WARREN TE Penn State A multi-dimensional player who should be able to step into a starters role as an inline TE, who will catch a lot of balls and block for the running game. He’s a GRONK kid of athlete/player.
Pick 40 MARCUS MBOW OL Purdue An athletic prospect who at 6’4/210 may get shot at OT if RAMCZYK’s career is over because of his knee injury, but could also get a job starting at OG if needed there. He has starting potential and could help their Cap situation as well.
Pick 71 J.T. TUIMOLOAU DR/ER Ohio State Athletic defender who can rush the passer, and even drop into shallow coverage. Many scouts think he has more athleticism and a better chance to shine in the NFL than teammate Jack Sawyer. Nice talent add, but they will try to develop him into a more consistently productive player than he has been in college.
Pick 93 ISAIAH BOND WR Texas Banged up at times and fell behind teammate GOLDEN last season for Texas. But he’s still fast (4.39/40 @ Combine) and highly regarded based on his perceived potential. He could have a chance to see a lot of playing time as WR3.
TAMPA BAY: On to the strongest and best run team in this division. GM JASON LICHT has pretty much worked miracles keeping this team on top in the post-Brady era. BAKER MAYFIELD has finally emerged as a high end NFL QB. Now if he can just thrive under his 3rd OC in the last 3 years. They will have to rework or trim some player costs as they only show a bit more than $5-million of Cap space. But they will live and die on what they can add with another solid Draft, which has been LICHT’s forte’. They have 6 Picks. Here are their top 3.
Pick 19 JAMES PEARCE OB/ER Tennessee Showed at the Combine what a pure athlete he is. But the stat sheets don’t reflect his traits every week. His ceiling should be immense, but they will have to figure out how to move him around and motivate him to be more urgent on every snap. Boom or bust in my mind.
Pick 53 JACK BECH WR TCU I am leaning pretty strongly towards them losing VFA CHRIS GODWIN. BECH showed in Sr Bowl and Combine action that he’s a big play receiver with athletic tools and a lot of “want to” in his effort. Could replace GODWIN and shine almost immediately.
Pick 84 NOHL WILLIAMS CB Cal Nice sized (6’0/200) defender who has shown a nose for the ball in coverage. Has improved a bit each season as a collegian. Needs some refinement and is not an elite athlete, but has some tools to work with in a secondary which needs some new blood on the Corner opposite young riser ZYON McCOLLUM.
Far from the strongest division in the NFL but the BUCS still look like the cream at the top, and a feisty weekly opponent for a lot of other teams around the League. I don’t think I see any other team in this division being above .500 when the 2025 season ends.
Cheers to you all Pigskin Paul
Looking to head over to the AFC South next up for the end of this week.
