INTRO: The Bucs are ending up interviewing draft prospects on the NFL Scouting Mix and should have discovered the go rusher the staff wants, in addition to an inside linebacker or two. Discover out who the Bucs have interviewed in Indianapolis in Pewter Report Bucs Mix Interview Tracker proper right here. Plus, my ideas on how the return of Larry Foote as the skin linebackers coach in Tampa Bay is big, in addition to the return of Jon Gruden within the Bucs Ring of Honor. Take pleasure in!
FAB 1. Bucs Could Have Discovered Their Edge Rusher In Indy
The Bucs might have discovered their go rusher in Indianapolis.
Did you see the efficiency that Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku placed on on the NFL Scouting Mix?
Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku – Photograph by: USA At the moment
He posted a 6.94 3-cone drill time and ran a 4.19 shuttle. Each of these instances have been the perfect amongst all defensive linemen on the Mix. The truth is, Ezeiruaku’s instances have been additionally the perfect for all defenders on Thursday night time, together with the linebackers.
Ezeiruaku didn’t run the 40-yard sprint, however that drill truly has the least quantity to do with go speeding, which occurs whereas operating a brief arc somewhat than a protracted, straight-line dash.
Ezeiruaku’s practically flawless on-field drills in Indy solidified his standing as a first-rounder to me, and possibly to a number of NFL groups. Hopefully Tampa Bay.
That’s what Ezeiruaku needed to perform in Indy.
“It could be essential – clearly a dream come true,” Ezeiruaku mentioned about probably being drafted within the first spherical. It’s one thing I’ve needed to do since I used to be seven years previous taking part in this sport. On the finish of the day, it’s on God’s timing.”
Throughout his Mix press convention, I requested Ezeiruaku what made him a first-round-caliber participant in his thoughts.
“My mentality,” Ezeiruaku mentioned. “My psychological toughness as effectively. I’m an excellent individual on the finish of the day. I feel groups wish to spend money on an excellent individual in addition to an excellent expertise. My athletic skill as effectively. I take satisfaction in stopping the run sport and I can rush the passer for positive.”
After being totally impressed with Ezeiruaku throughout the Senior Bowl practices, I did a Pewter Pulse video on whether or not or not he was a first-round match for the Bucs. His Mix interview and his on-field efficiency answered that query for me.
And possibly for basic supervisor Jason Licht, head coach Todd Bowles and director of participant personnel Mike Biehl, who oversees school scouting, because the staff had a proper interview with Ezeiruaku on the Mix. He was one in every of seven formal interviews Tampa Bay had with edge rushers in Indy.
Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku – Photograph by: USA At the moment
Ezeiruaku is definitely higher than some latest edge rushers taken close to the tip of the primary spherical, corresponding to Tampa Bay’s personal Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (2021), New Orleans’ Payton Turner (2021), Cincinnati’s Myles Murphy (2023) and Kansas Metropolis’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2023). And I imagine he’s higher than Inexperienced Bay’s Lukas Van Ness, who was taken No. 13 total in 2023.
For these of you who assume taking the Boston Faculty star at No. 19 is just too early, I feel he might be on par as a go rusher with – or maybe higher than – Miami’s Jaelan Phillips, who was taken at No. 18 in 2021, or Indianapolis’ Kwity Paye, who was drafted at No. 21 the identical yr.
Ezeiruaku recorded 30 sacks at Boston Faculty, together with 16.5 final yr, which was half a sack away from tying Marshall’s Mike Inexperienced for the FBS lead. He additionally had 47 tackles for loss, together with 21 in 2024.
And bear in mind how Bowles has acknowledged he needs ballhawks this offseason? Ezeiruaku pressured eight fumbles during the last three years for the Eagles.
With pterodactyl-like 34-inch arms and great agility and talent to bend, Ezeiruaku looks like a really perfect complement to Yaya Diaby’s energy speeding type in Tampa Bay the best way Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul complemented one another throughout the staff’s Tremendous Bowl run in 2020.
I do know a few of you need Tampa Bay to search out its go rusher in Philadelphia (Josh Sweat) or Los Angeles (Khalil Mack). And I do know a few of you even need the Bucs to surrender draft picks to search out that go rush in Cleveland (Myles Garrett), Cincinnati (Trey Hendrickson) or Las Vegas (Maxx Crosby).
However one thing tells me that the Bucs aren’t going to spend large cash on an edge rusher this yr. If Tampa Bay opens its checkbook up in free company, I feel it may be for a veteran cornerback to assist in the secondary.
No inside info, simply my intestine feeling having lined this staff for 30 years.
I feel the Bucs discovered their first-round choose in Indy in Ezeiruaku.
FAB 2. Donovan Ezeiruaku Is “That Man” For The Bucs
Accountable.Aggressive.Assured.Passionate.Resilient.
These are the 5 traits that make up “I Am That Man” blueprint for what the Tampa Bay scouting division appears to be like for in new Buccaneers that the staff indicators in free company and selects within the draft.
Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku has all 5 of these traits, together with being the elite, nuanced go rusher the Bucs desperately want on the sting reverse Yaya Diaby.
“I’m a dynamic go rusher,” Ezeiruaku instructed me on the Senior Bowl. “So I’ve a deep bag of go rush strikes. I can ghost rush. I can cross chop. I can swipe. I can counter inside and I’m engaged on the ability facet, however I feel I may deliver some energy in my rushes as effectively. So I feel that separates me. I’m not like a one-trick pony, or I’m not any person who doesn’t rush with a plan or rush with some sort of data.”
Ezeiruaku went to the Senior Bowl to compete and placed on a present in one-on-one go rush drills in addition to going to the NFL Scouting Mix to compete and put up the highest numbers within the three-cone drill and shuttle.
Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeieruaku – Photograph by: USA At the moment
After I requested Ezeiruaku what sort of individual an NFL staff goes to get if it drafts him the very first thing he talked about was being a competitor.
“You’ll get an excellent individual at the beginning, however any person who likes to compete, any person who likes to win,” Ezeiruaku instructed me on the Senior Bowl. “Clearly you’re going to get an athlete off the sting, however you’re going to get a defensive finish/outdoors linebacker/edge rusher that may be on the sphere all 4 downs.
“I satisfaction myself on stopping the run sport and I do know I can go rush. That’s why I got here [to Mobile, Ala.] this week – to place a bit extra emphasis on stopping the run. Simply so scouts, GMs and coaches can see it reside within the flesh. I feel I did a reasonably good job of that this previous yr and within the years constructing as much as this yr, however simply to allow them to see that reside.”
His efficiency on the Senior Bowl towards the run the place he smashed into offensive tackles, who have been far larger than his 6-foot-2, 248-pound body, to successfully set the sting within the operating sport jogged my memory lots of how ferocious Shaq Barrett performed run protection at 6-foot-1, 250 kilos.
Ezeiruaku oozed confidence when speaking about his background, rising up taking part in soccer in New Jersey.
“If something about Jersey guys or South Jersey or Philly, we feature a chip on our shoulder always,” Ezeiruaku mentioned. “That’s simply who we’re. If something about Jersey soccer, or for those who’re not from Jersey, lot of individuals are like ‘Okay, what’s occurring down there?’ That’s the chip. You recognize folks usually rely us out. However it’s positively a badge of honor. The place are you from? Man, I’m from Williamstown, New Jersey.”
I had the possibility to talk with Ezeiruaku briefly off the rostrum in Indianapolis on Wednesday and I requested him how his formal interview with the Bucs went and he instructed me how he instantly linked with Todd Bowles. Ezeiruaku knew that Bowles hails from Elizabeth, New Jersey and performed soccer at Temple.
I instructed him that he’s the type of go rusher Tampa Bay wants and he mentioned, “I might adore it. Let’s make it occur.”
Ezeiruaku shouldn’t be a one-year surprise like Marshall’s Mike Inexperienced may be. Inexperienced had 17 sacks in his second season for the Thundering Herd, however had simply 4.5 in 2023. Ezeiruaku had an 8.5-sack season with 15 tackles for loss at Boston Faculty in 2022, which reveals that his 2024 season wasn’t a fluke.
However Ezeiruaku did have a down yr in 2023 with simply seven tackles for loss and two sacks. When requested why he had such an off yr that season, Ezeiruaku confirmed accountability throughout the Senior Bowl media session.
Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku – Photograph by: USA At the moment
“Simply remembering to go have some enjoyable taking part in soccer,” Ezeiruaku mentioned. “I really feel like I bought away from that my junior yr, however positively had much more enjoyable this previous yr. It was a tough offseason and I did some self-reflecting. Clearly, I put lots of work into it. With the assistance of Coach Invoice O’Brien and Coach Tim Lewis I bought the whole lot achieved.”
Ezeiruaku has at all times had goals of taking part in within the NFL and he knew he wanted to have a bounce-back senior season. So he skilled even more durable and studied even more durable and have become the perfect model of himself within the 2024 offseason.
He even went as far as to get assist from Boston Faculty’s offensive line coach, Doug Marrone, who taught him what to search for when learning offensive tackles and in search of tendencies. That’s how Ezeiruaku confirmed the resiliency to rebound from two sacks in 2023 to 16.5 sacks final yr.
“Myself and Coach Marrone would watch movie collectively throughout the week,” Ezeiruaku mentioned throughout his Senior Bowl media session. “After which because the season went on, he had made a cut-up for me along with his notes and I might watch that, and he and myself would discuss it. In order that’s type of how I grew in that facet. I positively bought a greater eye offensive linemen.”
Ezeiruaku elaborated on these movie classes with Marrone from the rostrum on the NFL Scouting Mix.
“You recognize with movie you’re capable of see – you possibly can’t conceal clearly, so we choose up on issues like whether or not tackles are freely giving run-pass keys,” Ezeiruaku mentioned. “That helps you, clearly, pre-snap. Whether or not or not they’re waist-benders or they kick [slide] and so they preserve their chests tall or regardless of the case could also be. I feel if you take these issues and also you’re learning these issues it’s straightforward to have a plan in-game. So I positively used that to my benefit.”
Ezeiruaku has a wide selection of go rush strikes in his arsenal from watching numerous hours of movie on similar-sized NFL go rushers.
“I simply watch lots of people,” Ezeiruaku mentioned. “I watch lots of go rushers Von Miller, Maxx Crosby, Nick Bosa, Yannick Ngakoue, DeMarcus Ware, Khalil Mack. I watch lots of go rushers and I’m the kind of individual once I see it, I’m like, ‘Okay that was efficient. What did he do for that to work?’ After which I’ll simply exit and take a look at it. I’ll exit and work on it and take a look at stuff.
Boston Faculty edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku – Photograph by: USA At the moment
“Like towards the College of Virginia I used to be doing the skin spin a pair instances. I noticed it and I simply labored on it just a few instances in follow and I used to be like, ‘Okay, I’m going to try to deliver it out and present it.’”
Ezeiruaku is passionate in regards to the sport of soccer. Not simply being a go rusher, however for effecting the sport with pressured fumbles and with the ability to be an entire soccer participant who’s able to stopping the run. Ezeiruaku had a career-high 80 tackles final yr.
“I feel I’ve a knack for the soccer,” Ezeiruaku mentioned. “In my profession at Boston Faculty, I at all times took satisfaction within the run sport. I perceive which you can’t go rush on third down till you win on first and second down. I take lots of satisfaction in that. There are areas to enhance all elements of our video games, however I feel I performed the run fairly darn effectively.”
The best way Ezeiruaku speaks and confidently carries himself is tremendous spectacular. I’ve been round him for 2 media classes now this offseason and he jogs my memory of Lavonte David, Tristan Wirfs, Yaya Diaby and Antoine Winfield Jr. by way of his persona. I feel Bowles and Licht positively see him being an ideal slot in Tampa Bay’s locker room.
He screams “Buccaneer” to me. I feel he’s very effectively might be that man in Tampa Bay.
FAB 3. Larry Foote’s Return To Teaching OLBs Is Big
Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht is aware of that he has but to hit on a house run edge rusher within the draft. He doesn’t want you posting about it on X or me writing about it on PewterReport.com.
Licht is aware of the names – Noah Spence, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Yaya Diaby, Jose Ramirez and Chris Braswell.
None of them have turn out to be a double-digit sacker in Tampa Bay.
Bucs Co-DC and OLBs coach Larry Foote – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Spence, a second-rounder in 2016, was a bust and is out of the league. Tryon-Shoyinka, a first-rounder in 2021, underwhelmed and received’t be re-signed by Tampa Bay.
The jury remains to be out on Diaby, Ramirez and Braswell. Diaby, a third-round choose in 2023, made nice strides in all areas besides the sack column final yr, ending the season with 4.5. Ramirez, a sixth-round choose in 2023, has spent extra time on the follow squad and being inactive than in video games. Braswell, a second-rounder final yr, succumbed to George Edwards’ infatuation with Tryon-Shoyinka – a participant he believed an excessive amount of in. In consequence, Braswell didn’t play as a lot as he ought to have and that stunted his development.
Kudos to Todd Bowles for recognizing that 12 collective sacks from Tampa Bay’s outdoors linebackers was unacceptable and changing Edwards with Larry Foote, who’s again to teaching the Bucs edge rushers after teaching inside linebackers from 2022-24.
I feel that is a completely enormous transfer for the Bucs. Foote has the energetic, hands-on method essential to get probably the most out of Tampa Bay’s younger go rushers, who’ve but to be totally developed. Bowles’ re-hiring of Mike Caldwell to teach inside linebackers, which is one thing he did in Tampa Bay from 2019-21, was additionally a superb transfer and allowed Bowles to maneuver Foote again to the sting rusher room.
“Mike Caldwell’s an excellent coach,” Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht mentioned, praising Bowles’ teaching strikes. “He did nice issues for us teaching Lavonte and Devin up to now. Larry Foote has achieved an excellent job teaching linebackers up to now for us. George Edwards is a incredible coach, and Todd depends on him for lots of issues. It was like getting the perfect of all worlds and we’re very excited.”
The cerebral Edwards, who has an excellent soccer I.Q., is not teaching a place, however as an alternative will give attention to serving to to enhance the communication between the secondary and the linebacking corps, which positively wants bettering, evidenced by Tampa Bay rating thirty first in go protection final yr.
Bucs OLBs coach Larry Foote – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
“Larry has a special educating angle,” Bowles mentioned. “He was there once we received the Tremendous Bowl. Clearly he had JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) and Shaq [Barrett], however simply getting a recent perspective on issues. We’ve bought to assist them extra as a training employees. As an alternative of taking part in run-heavy sort of issues after which changing to the go, we have to simply set these guys free a bit bit extra as effectively. As a employees standpoint, that was one of many issues we are able to do effectively and I feel Larry will help out with that.”
Foote helped develop Barrett right into a two-time Professional Bowler in Tampa Bay, together with his 19.5-sack season, which set a brand new franchise file in 2019. And Pierre-Paul additionally had a Professional Bowl season in 2020 with a team-high 9.5 sacks, serving to the Bucs win Tremendous Bowl LV.
Not solely can Foote assist take the video games of Diaby, Braswell, Jose Ramirez and Markees Watts to new heights, however one has to assume that his return to teaching outdoors linebackers provides Licht extra confidence in spending one other premium choose – maybe a first-rounder – on one other edge rusher.
That place has been kryptonite for Licht to this point within the 11 Tampa Bay drafts he’s presided over.
However what? So was the operating again place for years.
But Licht saved taking swings at it, regardless of misses like Charles Sims, Jeremy McNichols, Ronald Jones II and Ke’Shawn Vaughn via the years.
Then he lastly hit on Rachaad White within the third spherical in 2022 and nailed a house run with Bucky Irving within the fourth spherical final yr – along with discovering a gem in Sean Tucker in undrafted free company in 2023.
Perhaps this yr, Licht lastly drafts a double-digit sacker, after which Foote develops Diaby right into a double-digit sacker, too.
Then the Bucs would possibly simply have an up to date model of Barrett and JPP in 2025. Wouldn’t that be good?
FAB 4. Bucs Are Concentrating on The Proper Linebackers In The Draft
Whether or not or not 35-year previous Lavonte David decides to return to Tampa Bay for yet one more season or not, the Bucs positively want extra inside linebackers this offseason. The staff is anticipated to maneuver on from Okay.J. Britt, who began many of the video games final yr at center linebacker, however wasn’t quick sufficient or athletic sufficient to cowl or be efficient.
The Bucs stay excessive on SirVocea Dennis, who’s penciled in as one of many starters, however with harm issues surrounding the previous Pittsburgh star, the staff wants to search out not less than three extra quick, athletic linebackers to compete for the beginning roles and supply developmental depth.
Oklahoma State ILB Nickolas Martin – Photograph by: USA At the moment
Todd Bowles and Jason Licht had formal interviews with six inside linebackers on the NFL Scouting Mix, all of that are very quick and athletic. Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell ran a 4.52, Oklahoma State’s Nickolas Martin ran a 4.53, Georgia’s Smael Mondon Jr. ran a 4.58 and Oregon’s Jeffrey Bassa ran a 4.63 – all very quick instances for linebackers within the 40-yard sprint.
Florida’s Shemar James was a bit on the slower aspect at 4.69, and Penn State’s Kobe King elected to skip the 40-yard sprint in Indianapolis.
Campbell is taken into account to be a first-round possibility for Tampa Bay. However with the depth at inside linebacker this yr, I can’t see Licht spending one other first-round choose on an off-ball linebacker like he did with Devin White, the fifth total choose within the 2019 NFL Draft. Not when drafting edge rushers and cornerbacks within the first spherical usually show to be extra invaluable.
As an alternative, I search for the Bucs to draft a linebacker within the center rounds – maybe rounds 3 or 4. San Francisco’s Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw have been drafted within the third and fifth rounds, respectively. Philadelphia’s Zack Baun, this yr’s high linebacker in free company after an All-Professional season, was a former third-round choose in New Orleans.
Martin is a sleeper who I’ve had my eyes on for some time. Being a Kansas State alum, I watch lots of Huge XII soccer and he had an incredible junior yr with 140 tackles (83 solo), 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, two interceptions, a pressured fumble and a fumble restoration. A torn MCL shortened his senior season to simply 5 video games the place he posted 47 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two passes defensed, a sack, a pressured fumble and a fumble restoration.
Oregon ILB Jeffrey Bassa – Photograph by: USA At the moment
Martin had a terrific Senior Bowl, particularly in protection drills, and operating a 4.58 in Indy reveals that he’s totally recovered from his knee harm.
Bassa additionally shined in Cellular. Don’t be scared by his 4.63 time within the 40. Lavonte David ran a 4.65 popping out of Nebraska in 2012. Bassa additionally excels in protection and is a great, cerebral participant. Each he and Martin appear to be Bucs matches within the center rounds.
I’ve bought to do some extra digging on King, however I like what I’ve seen from him to this point on tape. I’ll be curious to see his 40-time at his professional day, however I’m guessing he’ll run between 4.55-4.65.
Mondon, who performed at Georgia with Tykee Smith, is a reasonably good athlete. However Mondon failed to really put all of it along with the Bulldogs to really turn out to be a star. He was extra of a job participant as a three-year starter.
All in all, the Bucs are concentrating on the proper guys on this yr’s draft and it is going to be fascinating to see which of them get chosen in April.
FAB 5. Thrilled That Jon Gruden Is Again In The Bucs Ring Of Honor
Former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
I’ve to confess that I used to be very disillusioned when the Glazers eliminated Jon Gruden from the Bucs Ring of Honor in 2021 when offensive e-mails from Gruden to former Washington basic supervisor Bruce Allen have been made public as a part of an NFL investigation into the Redskins group. I understood the choice, contemplating that Gruden had some disparaging issues about Bucs proprietor Bryan Glazer in a kind of e-mails, however I didn’t like the choice to take away him.
But the Glazers saved Gruden’s Tremendous Bowl statute within the foyer at One Buccaneer Place, so the staff didn’t completely erase him or his contribution to profitable the primary championship in franchise historical past. Gruden, who has extra wins in staff historical past than every other coach with 57, was clearly damage by the choice. And as somebody who lined each minute of his Bucs tenure from 2002-08, I used to be damage, too. I discovered extra soccer from Gruden and his assistants than I did from every other teaching employees, and I stay pals with Gruden to at the present time.
So when information broke that the Bucs have been reinstating Gruden to the Bucs Ring of Honor, I used to be completely elated. Forgiveness is a strong factor and I’m glad the Glazers forgave Gruden in any case these years. He’s too essential to the Bucs legacy, and celebrating 50 years of NFL soccer in Tampa Bay this yr with out him being part of it wouldn’t have felt proper.
I used to be glad to see Gruden on the sidelines throughout pregame on the Bucs vs. 49ers sport and within the homeowners luxurious field as a visitor of the Glazers. The Glazer household deserves lots of credit score for reconciling issues with Gruden. They apparently have been moved by Monte Kiffin’s celebration of life ceremony, the place forgiveness was a subject.
I can’t wait to see Gruden’s identify again the place it belongs on the wall of Raymond James Stadium once more this fall. And to see Gruden standing alongside the Glazers in celebrating 50 years of the Buccaneers this yr.
