2020 NFL Draft: 5 Teams who immediately benefitted the most
By Samuel Teets
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers traded up with the San Francisco 49ers to secure Iowa offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs. Wirfs entered the draft as a tackle and blew away scouts at the combine with his elite athleticism. However, some analysts believe Wirfs could benefit from kicking inside and playing guard. It doesn’t look like the Buccaneers buy into that theory, as Wirfs projects as a tackle in their system.
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Right now, the best fit for Wirfs is at right tackle, where he’ll take over for the recently signed Joe Haeg. Tampa Bay already possesses an underrated interior offensive line, so it makes sense that they prioritized finding a tackle to help Tom Brady‘s new bodyguards.
Tampa Bay used the 45th overall pick on safety Antoine Winfield Jr., from Minnesota. Antoine Winfield Sr. made several Pro Bowls as an NFL defensive back, and now his son should become a starter in Tampa Bay’s evolving secondary. The Buccaneers struggled with youth and inexperience in their defensive backfield this past season. However, Winfield is a difference-maker who can turn things around.
With their next two picks, Tampa Bay went after skill position players for Brady. The team took Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn with the 76th overall pick. The 214-pound running back brings some diversity to Tampa Bay’s mediocre backfield while also offering Brady a back capable of holding up in pass protection.
In the fifth round, Tampa Bay picked Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson with the 161st overall pick. The 6-1 receiver produced back to back seasons with over 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns during his final seasons in college. The following round, the Buccaneers added a two-year starter from Nebraska named Khalil Davis. Davis posted eight sacks as a defensive lineman last season.
In the seventh round, the Buccaneers drafted outside linebacker Chapelle Russell and running back Raymond Calais.