Bucs’ 2024 NFL draft scenarios: Cornerback
The trade of longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III pushed the potential need to draft a corner to the forefront. While the Bucs will want to see if Zyon McCollum has what it takes to start, they’re not likely to start the 2024 season without a backup plan, or at the very least some added depth.
When it comes to defensive backs, Bucs general manager Jason Licht definitely has a type. Out of the 13 defensive backs Licht has drafted in his 10 years as general manager, just one was under 195 pounds: Special teams ace Ryan Smith. Licht likes his corners big, tall, and usually, fast.
This strategy has largely worked out for head coach Todd Bowles and his defense, as the secondary played a key role in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV victory and the defense’s overall resurgence since 2019. Bowles’ aggression and frequent blitzing forces his cornerbacks to be well-rounded, versatile defenders.
