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2015 NFL Draft: 5 players Tampa Bay Buccaneers should draft instead of Jameis Winston

By Andrew Garda

Dec 28, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith walks on the sidelines as the New Orleans Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith walks on the sidelines as the New Orleans Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 27, 2014; Clemson, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Marquise Williams (12) is brought down by Clemson Tigers defensive end Vic Beasley (3) during the second quarter at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Clemson, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Marquise Williams (12) is brought down by Clemson Tigers defensive end Vic Beasley (3) during the second quarter at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports /

Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

As mentioned in the section on Dante Fowler, just adding Bruce Carter doesn’t solve the problem at strong side linebacker. If the team passes on Winston—and Fowler—they should take a long look at Clemson linebacker Vic Beasley.

Beasley has a monstrously quick first step, comes off the snap hard, and closes on the line of scrimmage quickly. He’s not just speedy though—he has a lot of strength too and can bull rush a tackle or guard if need be. Beasley can also change directions on a dime and is able to use his long arms to fend off a blocker long enough to get away from him and move towards the ball carrier or quarterback.

He’s also excellent in pursuit, and again will show his explosiveness by quickly closing on a quarterback regardless of the angle of attack he has. Once he gets there he is a solid tackler and able to rip the ball away at times as well.

Why you stick with Winston:

He’s more of a 3-4 outside linebacker, so while he should be able to translate his skills to a 4-3 base, there’s always the chance you’re trying to shove a square peg into a round hole.

As good as he is against the pass, Beasley isn’t terribly helpful against the run. He isn’t always as dedicated in pursuit of a running back as he is a quarterback and he has problems setting the edge on run plays. In part that’s because of size (he’s a bit light, though he did add weight before the Combine).

Next: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

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