Bucs go wide receiver in new NFL.com mock draft
Could the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make an immediate replacement at wide receiver in the 2024 NFL draft?
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah released his second mock draft of the offseason ahead of the NFL Combine coming up in March, and he has Tampa Bay doing just that. Jeremiah mocked Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the Bucs with a replacement for Evans being at the top of his mind with the pick.
Here’s what he had to say about Mitchell and his fit with the Bucs:
The Bucs go with the power forward-like receiver to potentially replace Mike Evans, who is ticketed for free agency. If you want to see what Mitchell is capable of, turn on the tape of the College Football Playoff semifinal against Washington.
Mitchell is indeed a Mike Evans-like height at 6’4″, but he’s much lighter, coming at 196 pounds to Evans’ 225 — as such, the comparison doesn’t seem to match up there. Regardless, Mitchell has been scouted as a crisp route runner with a nose for the football, but notes that he struggles in high traffic and that he has a tough time with physical cornerbacks (another thing that doesn’t match up with Evans’ skillset).
There’s also still a question of whether or not the Bucs would draft a wide receiver in the first round even if Evans did leave. There are far more pressing holes on the offense and defense to address, and the team would likely be okay working with Chris Godwin and Trey Palmer while it either addressed a wideout need in free agency or simply waited until next year.
