Bucs 2023 draft targets: Edge Rusher
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are approaching a crossroads at outside linebacker. They will soon have to decide what the future of their edge defender position will look like, and that requires considering adding talent in the draft.
The Bucs’ edge rushers come from two different ends of career spectrum. Shaq Barrett is the decorated veteran approaching the twilight years of his career, while Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is the former first-round pick entering a pivotal third year of his NFL career. Barrett is coming off an Achilles tear and Tryon-Shoyinka has yet to record more than five sacks in a season.
There is a chance both prove to be high-quality starting outside linebackers in 2023, but there is also a chance that only one or even neither of them proves they can be long-term answers for Tampa. The Bucs have little choice but to hedge their bets and invest in the position in this year’s draft.
Fortunately, it is a great year to look for edge talent. While the top-tier talent is a little thin and certainly out of the Bucs’ draftable range, there is an embarrassment of riches to be exploited across any of the first three rounds.
Tampa’s needs at other positions may prevent the Bucs from taking an edge rusher with their first pick, but the talent may be too good to pass up. In any case, there are likely to be a variety of options with their second or third round pick.
Here are the edge rushers the Bucs could target in the 2023 draft:
Nolan Smith
(Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
There may not be a more athletic edge rusher in this year’s draft than Georgia LB Nolan Smith. His testing at the NFL Combine was near peerless, recording a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, a 41.5″ vertical jump and a 10’8″ broad jump.
Smith is still relatively raw as a pass-rusher, but at minimum, the team that drafts him is getting a ferocious run defender. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded run stops on 14.9% of his run defense snaps, second the team to only Jalen Carter (among players with more than 50 run defense snaps).
The main knock on Smith is his size and length. At 6’2″ and 239 pounds, he certainly undersized to play on the edge. For the Bucs to take him with their first-round pick, there would have to be some belief from Todd Bowles and his staff that they could develop Smith’s pass rush repertoire and add a few pounds on him. Otherwise, his athletic profile and ability to defend the run are exactly the traits Bowles looks for in his defenders.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
If the Bucs are looking for a polished pass-rusher with ideal size and length, Kansas St. EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah is their man. He comes equipped with explosiveness, an arsenal of pass-rush moves and a fabled bend that so few edge rushers possess. In fact, he reminds some people, like The Film Room’s Brett Kollmann, of Bucs LB Shaq Barrett:
. @KStateFB Felix Anudike-Uzomah with a gorgeous cross chop here.
First step isn't his best here, but the ability to shorten the corner, and then flatten wayyyyy down to finish is pretty special. Shaq Barrett vibes (but bigger, obviously).
Possible top 40-ish pick. pic.twitter.com/2DHGYtREEI
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) March 2, 2023
Tampa could do a lot worse than Anudike-Uzomah. The question is how long will he be available — with his traits and tape, he could be off the board as early as the end of the first round.
BJ Ojulari
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Brother of New York Giants LB Azeez Ojulari, LSU’s BJ Ojulari looks to follow a similar path to the NFL. The younger Ojulari shares many traits with his older brother including his speed and burst.
While not the most refined player, Ojulari does possess some pass-rush moves and obvious athleticism. There is also plenty of room for growth, as Ojulari is only turning 21 years old this year.
Ojulari’s potential could make him a good fit in Tampa’s somewhat uncertain edge group. He can develop behind Barrett and Tryon-Shoyinka in 2023 before he is asked to be a cornerstone of the defense.
Will McDonald IV
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Another explosive athlete, Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV rushes the passer like he is shot out of a cannon. No edge player was more efficient than McDonald when rushing the passer in true pass sets according to PFF, winning on 45.8% of such snaps (taking a minimum of 50% of pass-rush snaps).
McDonald’s primary weakness is his lean build and play strength. While he certainly has length at 6’3″ with 34.75″ arms, McDonald only weighs 239 pounds, which was sometimes problematic at Iowa State where he was frequently asked to line up directly over the tackle and would get washed out. His size would make setting the edge in the NFL a potentially prohibitive proposition.
Still, McDonald’s bend and speed are undeniable. If played in a position more suited to his skills and possibly with a few more pounds added to his frame, McDonald could be a fearsome edge rusher for the Bucs.
Derick Hall
USA TODAY Network
While Auburn EDGE Derick Hall lacks the top-end athleticism and polish of some of the other edge rushers, he could be a viable pass-rusher for Tampa. Hall has an unreal first step—he fires off the line of scrimmage like he’s trying to take off of an aircraft carrier.
The problem is, if he doesn’t win on his first move, Hall has no counter. At Auburn, he rushed the passer with just pure athleticism. He occasionally pulls out a pass-rush move like a swim, but he largely relied on that ridiculous first step.
Hall would be a third-round prospect for the Bucs. He needs refinement and expansion of his pass-rush skill set, but his explosiveness is something that cannot be taught.
