Bucs meet with Pitt safety ahead of draft

Draft visits are ramping up and it looks as if the Bucs are putting some focus on the defensive side of the ball.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are doing their due diligence at the defensive back position.

The Draft Network’s Justin Melo reported on Monday that Bucs have recently met with Pitt safety Brandon Hill. Hill was a two-year starter for the Panthers.

Tampa Bay’s interest in a safety makes sense, as the team has recently seen the departure of both Mike Edwards and Keanu Neal and will possibly lose safety Logan Ryan in free agency. Hill is rated at a third-round value by The Draft Network, but they particularly praise his ability to tackle — something the Bucs would much appreciate with Antoine Winfield’s pending shift to free safety. Hill is quite fast, running a 4.43 at the NFL Combine, but he is currently playing at a small weight of 195 lbs and the report mentioned concerns with his overall ball production over his two years as a starter.

Licht has found value in safeties on Day 2 before, so it’s possible he could go for a player like Hill in third round. With the draft coming up, the Bucs should be scheduling more visits, so it will be interesting to see what other positions the team will focus on as the end of the month nears.

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