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NFL Mock Draft 2015: Rounding up Buccaneers' second-round options

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Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to pick Jameis Winston with the number one overall pick. That still is the most likely outcome, and it is the near-universal prediction among basically every mock draft you can find around the web. It's boring but it's true -- the rumblings about Marcus Mariota have changed nothing here. So instead of dwelling on those mock drafts, let's take a look at the Bucs' second-round options and the players mock drafters have the Bucs taking.

Dan Kadar, SB Nation: T Jake Fisher, Oregon

The Buccaneers need to draft offensive linemen, and general manager Jason Licht said they'll target them in the draft. Fisher and Cedric Ogbuehi are my highest-rated tackles left, and Fisher doesn't have Ogbuehi's lingering injury issues.

Rob Rang, CBS Sports: DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State

Releasing Michael Johnson opens up a big need for defensive ends in Tampa.

Luke Easterling, Draft Breakdown: DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA

No explanation. Third round: T Donovan Smith, Penn State. Fourth round: RB David Cobb, Minnesota.

Scott Reynolds, Pewter Report: T T.J. Clemmings

The top of the second round was too high for Sambrailo, who will likely be drafted near the bottom of the second round or in the third round. The Bucs like Sambrailo, and he could be a target in the third round or if the team decides to trade down in the second round, but there is a strong chance that Tampa Bay will fill its need for an offensive tackle with the selection of Clemmings if he is there with the 34th overall selection.

Third round: S Damarious Randall, Arizona State. Fourth round: RB Jeremy Langford, Michigan State. Fifth round: WR Jamison Crowder, Duke and LB Ben Heeney, Kansas. Sixth round: DE Ryan Delaire, Towson. Seventh round: CB Bobby McCain, Memphis.

Invictus XI, Big Blue View: DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA

No explanation. Third round: DB Senquez Golson, Ole Miss. Fourth round: LB Kwon Alexander. Fifth round: DT Joey Mbu, Houston. Sixth round: RB Malcolm Brown, Texas.


What intrigues me about these picks is the number of defensive ends, and specifically Owamagbe Odighizuwa who I'm not convinced is worth a pick like that. He's talented, but he lacked production in college and is probably a better fit as a strong side run-stopper rather than the weak-side pass rusher the Bucs truly crave.

But defensive end is definitely a need for Tampa Bay. They've built a very strong interior rotation, with Gerald McCoy, Clinton McDonald and Henry Melton all being more than capable pass rushers at defensive tackle, but they're relying on very inexperienced and largely unproven players at defensive end. That doesn't mean there's no talent there -- Jacquies Smith and William Gholston could both turn into very good players with more development -- but relying on players like that is a gamble, and not sustainable in the long run.

At the same time, the Bucs have a much bigger need at offensive guard and offensive tackle, where they don't even have that potential. They just don't have starters, and they need to find them somewhere, somehow. Free agency almost isn't an option anymore. Which means that if they pass on a lineman with their second-round pick, they're in trouble. And for that reason alone I can't see a defensive end for the Bucs in the second round -- not unless they want to re-live last year.