Heading into the 2024 NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need upgrades at both left guard and center, and there are a couple of prospects who could be perfect fits in the first round.
Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson is the top center in this year’s class, while Duke’s Graham Barton brings the versatility to play all five positions in the offensive trenches. Both are expected to be first-round locks, but with the Bucs currently slotted to pick 26th overall, they might have to move up the board if they want to land one of them.
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds believes the Bucs should do just that, comparing Powers-Johnson to Ryan Jensen and Barton to Ali Marpet, two of the best offensive lineman Tampa Bay fans have seen over the years:
Watching Powers-Johnson’s tape, the 6-foot-3, 323-pound mauler looks like the second coming of Ryan Jensen. He’s a physical, nasty finisher in both the run and the pass game. Interviewing him at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, Powers-Johnson revealed that his favorite center to watch and emulate was Jensen.
After Wirfs, the best offensive lineman Licht has ever selected was former Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet, a super smart, super tough, super athletic left tackle out of Hobart College. Watching Barton at Duke and interviewing him at the Combine, the 6-foot-5, 313-pounder looks, plays, and even talks like Marpet. It’s uncanny how Barton looks like Marpet 2.0.
It’s hard to argue with Reynolds’ case, as the Bucs desperately need to improve their play along the interior after struggling mightily for much of last season. The ground game in particular was borderline nonexistent for much of the year, and if Tampa Bay wants to get the most out of quarterback Baker Mayfield on his new three-year contract extension, he’s going to need as much protection as he can get.
Moving up for one of this year’s top interior blockers might be the move the Bucs have to make to shore up their biggest need on offense heading into the 2024 season.
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