Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Two sleeper wide receivers?

After the fanfare of their Jameis Winston selection, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quietly added depth to their receiving core in the later rounds of the 2015 NFL draft.

The Bucs picked up Kenny Bell of Nebraska in the fifth round and Kaelin Clay of Utah in the sixth round. With 28-year old journeyman Louis Murphy as the only viable option for Tampa Bay’s third wide receiving threat, Bell and Clay will be given ample opportunities to contribute. That being said, what can we expect from these two rookie pass catchers in 2015?

Between the two of them, I think Bell has a better chance to make an immediate contribution. While Bell does not have the massive size of fellow Bucs’ receivers Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, he is long and athletic at six-foot-one inches. Bell’s sub 4.4 speed will also be an asset that can take the top off of any defense too preoccupied with providing safety help to either of Tampa’s better known receivers.

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I really like Bell’s ability to locate the football at its highest point and using his 41 1/2 inch vertical leap to snatch it out of the air. Pairing Bell up with a quarterback like Winston who loves to throw jump balls to big athletic targets seems like a good bet in my view.

In addition, Bell’s consistency at the collegiate level tells me that he brings a certain level of professionalism to the game. Bell was the Cornhusker’s leading receiver in each of his four year in Lincoln. In the storied 124-year history of Nebraska’s football program, no receiver has ever amassed as many receptions (181) and receiving yards (2,689) as Bell.

Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Kenny Bell (80) catches the ball to score a touchdown against the USC Trojans during the first quarter in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

While I am certainly not expecting miracles from Bell, I do think he can be a nice complimentary player that will have his moments to shine in the Bucs’ offense. As for Clay, I see him more as a kick and punt return man to begin his pro career. In 2014, Clay was named first-team All Pac-12 as a return specialist. The junior college transfer accounted for four special teams touchdowns this past season for the Utes.

Hopefully for Bucs’ fans, Clay can help the Buccaneers improve upon their big play capabilities on special teams. Tampa Bay did not score a punt or kick return touchdown last year and were ranked 20th in the league with a 22.8 yards per kick return average. Explosive plays on special teams would undoubtedly help the Bucs gain a much needed edge in the field position battle. Consistently enjoying good field position would obviously enhance the development of number one pick Jameis Winston.

May 1, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) is introduced at a press conference at One Buc Place the day after being selected as the number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Both Bell and Clay have obvious flaws which is why they both lasted until the fifth and sixth rounds. In reading Bell’s scouting report on NFL.com, I interpret this report to mean that Bell may be a one-trick pony in terms of his route running. As for Clay, he too is not an expert route runner according to his scouting report on NFL.com . Also, Clay is a smaller receiver at five-foot-ten inches and has good, but not elite speed to make up for his lack of size.

I like the direction that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are headed. Barring injury, I don’t see any reason why Jackson and Evans can’t produce 1,000+ yard receiving seasons again this year. With those two stud receiving threats garnering most of the attention from opposing defenses, I think Bell and Clay can each have explosive moments and contribute as rookies. In the end, the production of Bell and Clay will all depend on the growth and development of Tampa Bay’s mercurial quarterback from Florida State.

Next: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Expectations for Mike Evans, Jameis Winston

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