According to McKay, with the number of quality, improving young players already on the team, none of the twelve draft picks were expected to be able to unseat any of the established starters. The team drafted more for future help, especially at positions such as offensive tackle and defensive back, where the incumbent starters were aging. Randy Grimes, who the team said they would have picked even if All America center Dave Rimington had still been available, was to be given a look at tackle, despite never having played a position other than center. Grimes' selection was a surprise, as the Buccaneers were considered to already have a stockpile of talent at the interior line positions, but McKay felt that he was too good to pass up. Alabama cornerback Jeremiah Castille, who Bear Bryant had once called "pound for pound, the best player in the SEC", was considered short at , but was considered to have good speed and to play well against the run. Kelly Thomas and Ken Kaplan were huge offensive tackles with great upper body strength. Thomas, who McKay said would make the team unless he were to drop dead, was believed to potentially be comparable to his USC teammates Bruce Matthews and Don Mosebar, but had been overlooked due to having been an offensive lineman for only three years. Tony Chickillo was a defensive tackle who had fought back from a crushed pelvis to become a starter for the University of Miami. Wide receiver Rheugene Branton had been a star player at Tampa's C. Leon King High School. Hasson Arbubakrr was compared to a smaller version of Booker Reese. Weldon Ledbetter, Marcus Dupree's blocking back at Oklahoma, was considered to have slim chances against incumbent James Wilder Sr.. Mark Witte was considered to have the same problem, behind Jimmie Giles and Jim Obradovich on the depth chart.