The Buccaneers could’ve taken one of this year’s top running backs in round two, but instead chose to go with Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to help bolster their secondary.
Tampa Bay eventually found a running back in round three in the form of Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who could provide a spark as a pass catcher. But it was the Winfield pick that had Mel Kiper naming the Bucs as one of his big winners from Day 2.
Per Kiper:
“I had the Bucs among my winners after Round 1, and I love this pick, too. The 5-foot-9 Winfield is a ball hawk and versatile player who could line up as a center fielder, slot corner or even down in the box. He’s just a ball player. He has some durability concerns — he missed huge chunks of the 2017 and 2018 seasons — but this is a bet on his upside. He could slot in as Tampa’s free safety.”
There’s no questioning Winfield’s athleticism, and don’t forget that his father Antoine Winfield Sr. was a Pro Bowl cornerback in the NFL. Let’s just hope durability issues don’t become a concern for the younger Winfield.
Kiper spent the majority of his time talking about the Winfield selection, but did chime in with his own thoughts on the Bucs’ decision to draft Vaughn in the third round.
“The Bucs also got some help for Tom Brady with Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn in Round 3. He didn’t catch many passes in college (42 over the past two seasons), but he has some potential.”
[lawrence-related id=31600,31595,31583,31570]