Buccaneers Take Defensive Player In Latest PFF Mock Draft

There's still a long way to go until we start talking about the offseason, but it's always a good idea to keep one eye on the future.

Before we begin: trust me, I know. We are still a very, very long way away before we should even start seriously thinking about the 2022 offseason.

However, it's always pragmatic to at least keep some semblance of attention toward the future, no matter how good the present may be. 

Therefore, here we are.

Pro Football Focus released its latest mock draft Monday morning and they have the Bucs selecting Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. at No. 27, which makes a lot of sense considering the Bucs have two starting defensive backs in Jordan Whitehead and Carlton Davis III that need new deals next year. When you add in the injury issues the Bucs secondary dealt with in 2021, it makes even more sense. PFF based the draft order off the NFL's current standings. 

Eric Eager of PFF wrote the following about why he sent Booth Jr. to the Bucs:

The Bucs are one of those teams that don’t really need a lot at the moment, but with pending free agents like Pierre-Paul, Godwin, Jensen, Suh, Brown, Gronk and others, they are in a position to take anyone. As such, they go cornerback in the first round for the first time since they took Vernon Hargreaves III in 2016. Booth broke up three passes and intercepted another three in 2021, all while giving up 312 yards into his coverage.

Booth Jr. is 6-foot, 200-pounds, so he has the size that Todd Bowles loves/desires in a cornerback. He's very good in man coverage and is excellent in run defense, as well. His ability to play on the perimeter would make him a very good candidate to replace Davis if he isn't re-signed. Booth Jr. could also fill in for either Sean Murphy-Bunting or Jamel Dean if one or both of them aren't re-signed after the 2022 season, as well.

The Draft Network's Joe Marino wrote the following about Booth Jr.:

Andrew Booth Jr. came to Clemson with a 5-star recruiting status and as an academic standout. His contributions to the program met expectations. He offers an exciting blend of size, athleticism, instincts, physicality, ball skills, and competitive toughness that give him the makeup of an impact starter at the next level. He is a fiery competitor on the field that plays with an alpha mentality. When it comes to areas of growth, Booth Jr. can clean up some missed tackles and improve in zone coverage. While he’s never passive as a tackler, there are instances where he leaves his feet with too much distance between himself and the ball-carrier or isn’t under enough control to finish. In zone coverage, he can do a better job of squeezing routes and coming off his landmarks when necessary. In year one, Booth Jr. has the ability to compete for a starting role and has the makings of a high-level impact starter by year two or three. He is a versatile player that can execute in any coverage technique and has no matchup restrictions. He could even warrant some situational opportunities to play in the slot given his quickness and willingness to trigger and fit the run closer to the box. 

You can check out Marino's full write-up here. 

And if you're not sold on Marino's write-up, then try this on for size: The Athletic's Dane Brugler has Booth Jr. as the second-best corner in the draft. Right behind Derrick Stingley Jr., so, the kid has some game. He'd be a great fit in the Bucs defense.

Working on Booth Jr.'s understanding of zone coverage concepts and tackling will be crucial, however, because the Bucs do deploy a lot of zone from time-to-time and they expect their corners to be able to tackle on a consistent basis. Those two elements can definitely be coached up, though, and there's little reason to think the Bucs coaching staff won't be able to get him ready in those regards.

Drafting a player like Booth Jr. would be big for the Buccaneers because there are a lot of unknowns heading into the offseason. As it currently stands, the Bucs have 28 pending free agents and around 10-11 of them are starters and around 7-8 are either key backups or consistent contributors. With just a bit under $33 million in cap space, there will be some tough decisions to be made. That's why it's so crucial the Bucs hit on their draft picks in 2022. 

You can check out PFF's entire mock draft, here. And here's a video of some of Booth Jr.'s highlights from the 2021 season, as well.

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