todd mcshay mock draft – Page 2

Todd McShay changes it up for Ravens in 2-round mock draft

Draft analyst Todd McShay gives the Baltimore Ravens an interesting pick in the first round to shake things up in the 2020 NFL Draft.

As we get nearer to the 2020 NFL Draft, mock drafts are becoming a bit predictable for the Baltimore Ravens. With the Ravens having done nothing to address inside linebacker this offseason and few good options remaining, most mock drafts have sent Patrick Queen or Kenneth Murray Baltimore’s way in the first round.

ESPN’s Todd McShay noted that in his two-round mock draft, giving the Ravens TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock at No. 28 instead.

We’ve all been handing either Queen or Murray to Baltimore in this spot, and if either were available, one would still be the pick. But with no inside linebackers on the board within range, I’m instead turning my attention to the defensive front. Trading for Calais Campbell and bringing Matthew Judon back on the franchise tag do wonders for the edge rush, and new signee Derek Wolfe helps the interior a bit, but Blacklock’s quick hands and burst fit what the Ravens want up the middle.

It’s an interesting decision to have Baltimore draft a defensive lineman after they brought in Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe while re-signing Jihad Ward and Justin Ellis this offseason too. Right now, the Ravens’ defensive line might be one of their deepest position groups.

There’s a case to be made for Baltimore still drafting defensive linemen this year since half of their depth chart is only under contract for the 2020 season and the rest are only signed through 2021. But it’s hard to see them doing it in the first round with so many more pressing needs remaining. While the Ravens have certainly stuck to the BPA model, Blacklock seems like a stretch at the end of the first round anyway considering Luke Easterling of Draft Wire ranks him the 11th best interior defensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, wide receiver Tee Higgins, cornerback A.J. Terrell, center Cesar Ruiz, and running back D’Andre Swift were all still on the board when the Ravens picked and all look to be better options for Baltimore given their most pressing needs. But the Ravens have proven before they’ll take the player they love if he’s the highest rated on their board.

Click on the next page to see who McShay gave the Ravens with their two second-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Why the Bucs’ backfield is ‘ready for a redo’

See why NFL.com believes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in need of an upgrade at running back this offseason.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the league’s most high-powered offenses again in 2019, averaging 28.6 points per game, tied for third-most in the NFL. Much of the Bucs’ offensive success can be attributed to their passing game, with star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin carrying the bulk of the load.

As fun as it is to see Tampa Bay air it out time and again, the fact remains that their backfield is a major area of weakness. The addition of a dual-threat running back who can run and catch would add a new dimension to this offense, and likely take some pressure off the quarterback, whoever that may be in 2020. Jeremy Bergman over at Around the NFL wrote about Tampa Bay’s strange backfield, and why they are in need of an upgrade this offseason.

Per Bergman:

“One of the league’s strangest backfields is ready for a re-do. Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay’s leading rusher from 2018, is hitting free agency, leaving 2018 second-round pick Ronald Jones to front the Buccaneers’ backfield. RoJo enjoyed a sophomore bump last year (203 touches, 1,033 yards from scrimmage) and looked good doing it, but the 22-year-old isn’t ready to shoulder the load. Tampa Bay should be active in free agency and the draft’s early goings in its search for a pass-catching back, like Chris Thompson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jonathan Taylor or potentially even David Johnson, if Bruce Arians’ old bell-cow were to become available.”

Jones had his first-career 100-yard rushing game in Week 17’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons to close out the 2019 season. A high second-round pick in 2018, Jones hasn’t lived up to his billing yet. In fact, Todd McShay predicted in his post-combine mock draft that the Bucs would use the 14th pick in April’s draft to take Georgia standout running back D’Andre Swift.

Tampa Bay could certainly use help in the backfield. We’ll just have to wait and see whether the team makes upgrading the position a priority come free agency or the draft.

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Todd McShay’s post-combine mock draft has Bucs taking an SEC star running back

See who Todd McShay likes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the 14th spot in his latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

With the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in the books, teams can now focus on their draft boards and upcoming pro days in anticipation of April’s NFL draft.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the 14th pick in the draft, and in his first mock draft post-combine, Daniel Jeremiah over at NFL.com liked LSU edge K’Lavon Chaisson going to Tampa Bay. Today, Todd McShay over at ESPN released his post-combine mock draft, and he has a surprising and exciting pick at 14. McShay believes the Bucs will draft Georgia star running back D’Andre Swift.

Per McShay:

“Swift is explosive, and while Ronald Jones II looked good at moments in 2019, the Bucs could use some explosion in the run game. Hand him the ball, and watch him make one cut and turn on his 4.48 40 speed. Tampa Bay was bottom-third in rushing last season and ranked 17th in receptions by running backs. Swift, one of the best pass-catching RBs in the class, would help in both areas. But keep an eye on QB and edge rusher too. If Jameis Winston doesn’t return and Love or Herbert slide, this could be a good landing spot. And with all of the Bucs’ potential losses to their pass rush, reaching for someone such as LSU defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson here could be in play.”

That would certainly be a major get for the Bucs and an upgrade at the running back position. While second-year RB Ronald Jones performed admirably last season, it took until Week 17 for him to have his first-career 100-yard game for the Bucs. Jones, the former second-round pick, is still young, but Swift has playmaker written all over him. The Georgia Bulldog had 1,218 rushing yards on 196 carries to go along with seven touchdowns in 2019.

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Todd McShay’s new mock draft won’t rule out the Bucs taking a QB at 14

See why Todd McShay thinks the Buccaneers could go a number of ways in the first round of April’s NFL draft.

Now that Super Bowl LIV is over and the 2019 season is officially in the books, we can turn our attention to April’s all-important NFL draft, where team’s who missed out on hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this year will look to find the missing piece to their Super Bowl puzzle.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who hold the 14th pick in the draft, will be one of those teams. The Bucs finished just 7-9 in 2019, but their strong finish down the stretch has many people thinking playoffs next season. But, there are a lot of decisions that the front office needs to make between now and then, namely, what to do with quarterback Jameis Winston.

The Bucs also have to deal with the fact that they have a number of big-name free agents hitting the open market, especially pass rushers. So, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Todd McShay has the Bucs thinking defensive end in his latest mock draft. McShay predicts Tampa Bay will select K’Lavon Chaisson out of LSU with the 14th overall pick.

Per McShay:

“Pass rushing was a strength for the Bucs in 2019, but they are now faced with free agency for Shaquil Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh, Carl Nassib and Beau Allen — and expect Barrett to get paid after his incredible season. No matter how it shakes out, Tampa Bay will likely now need help getting after the QB off the edge, and a strong late-season push from Chaisson (4.5 sacks in his final four games) has him in play in this range. He’d bring a lot of speed to the front.”

The Bucs hit a home run last year when they selected a defensive player out of LSU in the first round — linebacker Devin White.

Despite the convincing case for Chaisson, McShay doesn’t rule out the possibility that the Bucs go with a quarterback.

“But don’t rule out a quarterback if GM Jason Licht decides Jameis Winston isn’t in the team’s 2020 plans. If Herbert is already off the board, Utah State’s Jordan Love, who is rising after the Senior Bowl, could be another option.”

It’s going to be an interesting offseason in Tampa Bay.

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Todd McShay’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft has the Buccaneers adding size to their defensive line

See who Todd McShay foresees joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It’s not the holiday season until we get our first Todd McShay NFL mock draft.

With the Heisman Trophy ceremony out of the way and the College Football Playoff set — as well as the NFL regular season winding down — we can finally turn our attention to next year’s draft as we try and figure out where the nation’s top prospects will land.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s looking more and more likely that they’ll be picking in the middle of the first round. The Buccaneers were 3-7 at this point exactly one month ago, but they’ve gone on a four-game winning-streak since then to bring their record back to .500. Where once it looked like the Bucs were for sure going to look the draft for a new quarterback, it’s starting to look like Jameis Winston will return next year.

So, what position should the Bucs target if they don’t go quarterback? According to McShay’s first mock draft, he has Tampa Bay taking South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw with the 17th pick.

Here’s what McShay had to say about the (mock) selection:

“The Bucs still need to answer the ‘Is Jameis Winston our quarterback?’ question, and that offensive line shouldn’t be ignored. But with no value available on the board at either position, we turn to the best available player: Kinlaw. Ndamukong Suh, Beau Allen and Jason Pierre-Paul are all set to hit the open market, so Tampa Bay could use Kinlaw’s versatility and twitchiness on that defensive line.”

Kinlaw would certainly help fill the void in the defensive front should the Bucs lose Suh or others in the offseason. Suh only signed a one-year deal with the Bucs, so finding a true replacement for Gerald McCoy is still a priority for this team. Kinlaw looks to fit the bill.

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