Even though the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine just ended and the next big event in the football offseason is free agency, most analysts believe former Buffalo Bulls linebacker Khalil Mack will be drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 7.
The Bucs team web site recently assembled mock drafts from 13 popular draftniks and one name kept coming up – Mack. Of the 13 analysts, seven of them went with the Buffalo product. Interestingly enough, the next best thing to Mack was another linebacker. This time it was Anthony Barr from UCLA who got three votes. Sammy Watkins also received two selections for the pick.
Among the analysts who are predicting that Mack will go to the Bucs is Pat Kirwin from CSB Sports. His reasoning follows.
"Tampa Bay only had 35 sacks last year and should have signed John Abraham when he was out of work. Now they get a young fast athlete to fill the need. Mack had 68 plays behind the line of scrimmage (tackles for a loss & sacks)."
Tampa Bay could certainly do a lot worse with the No. 7 pick.