NFL draft Thursday night (x-denotes early entry).1. Cleveland (0-16)Baker Mayfield http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-vita-vea-jersey , 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, OklahomaStrengths: Accuracy, competiveness, and command of the offense. Gets the ball out quickly and decisively.Weaknesses: Undersized. Elusiveness and mobility that was a plus in college might not translate to the NFL.Fact: The former walk-on is the eighth player to win the Heisman Trophy and then be picked No. 1 in the proceeding draft. First since Cam Newton in 2012.2. N.Y. Giants (3-13)x-Saquon Barkley, 6-0, 233, Penn StateStrengths: Quick feet, sharp cuts, top-end speed, powerful lower body, solid pass catcher, willing blocker and, by all accounts, excellent work ethic.Weaknesses: The one knock: He needs to use that power to run through more tacklers and push piles forward.Fact: The first Penn State player to reach 3,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving, and the 10th Nittany Lions running back to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft.3. N.Y. Jets (5-11; from Indianapolis, 4-12)x-Sam Darnold, 6-3, 220, USCStrengths: Excellent arm, good size and can make accurate throws — or the occasional positive run — when the pocket breaks down. Works his progressions.Weaknesses: Ball security. Ball security. Ball security.Fact: Darnold is the fifth USC quarterback to be drafted in the first round since 1970, and the second to go in the top five to the Jets. New York took Mark Sanchez No. 5 in 2009.4. Cleveland (0-16; from Houston, 4-12)x-Denzel Ward, 5-10, 196, Ohio StateStrengths: Blazing speed, physical for his size Carlton Davis Jersey , and gets his hands on a lot of passes.Weaknesses: Any issues stem from size and strength, neither of which is optimal but have hardly held him back.Fact: Sat out Ohio State's Cotton Bowl game against USC, a decision he made late into game preparation. Ward is the fourth Ohio State player taken in the top 10 of the draft in the last three seasons.5. Denver (5-11)Bradley Chubb, 6-4, 269, North Carolina StateStrengths: Rushes with a good combination of power and speed, and varied moves. Holds his ground well against the run.Weaknesses: Not quite the elite athleticism of a player such as Myles Garrett, which could limit his upside.Fact: Wore No. 9 at N.C. State the last two seasons for former Wolfpack defensive end and No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams.6. Indianapolis (4-12; from N.Y. Jets, 5-11)Quenton Nelson, 6-5, 329, Notre DameStrengths: Maybe the most likely to succeed of any player in this draft class. Powerful, tenacious and sound.Weaknesses: Not much to complain about. Could do better at getting off the line and getting to second level.Fact: Nelson is the second Notre Dame offensive lineman taken in the top six in the past three seasons. Baltimore took tackle Ronnie Stanley at No. 6 in 2016.7. Buffalo (9-7; from Tampa Bay 5-11)Josh Allen, 6-5, 233, WyomingStrengths: Arm strength, athleticism, size. It's all ideal.Weaknesses: Accuracy and ability to change speed on his throws while still being on target.Fact: Had no major college scholarship offers coming out of high school. Coached in college by the same head coach (Craig Bohl) and offensive coordinator (Brent Vigen) that Carson Wentz had at North Dakota State.8. Chicago (5-11)x-Roquan Smith, 6-1, 236, GeorgiaStrengths: Excellent recognition, sideline-to-sideline range and athleticism, with coverage skills to keep him on the field on passing downs.Weaknesses: A bit undersized and can get engulfed by big blockers — if they can get to him.Fact: Won the Butkus Award as best linebacker in college football in 2017.9. San Francisco (6-10)Mike McGlinchey, 6-8, 312, Notre DameStrengths: Good athlete, solid technique and team leader.Weaknesses: Could use more bulk and might be better suited for right tackle.Fact: Four-year starter and team captain. Teamed with Quenton Nelson to form the best left side of an offensive line in college football last season.10. Arizona (8-8; from Oakland, 6-10)x-Josh Rosen, 6-4 Authentic Mike Evans Jersey , 226, UCLAStrengths: Polished passer with excellent mechanics and nice touch.Weaknesses: Durability issues in college. Will force plays unnecessarily.Fact: Was an elite youth tennis player. Is the fourth UCLA quarterback to be taken in the first round and first since Cade McNown in 1999.11. Miami (6-10)x-Minkah Fitzpatrick, 6-1, 201, AlabamaStrengths: Versatility, intelligence, instincts, leadership and smooth athleticism.Weaknesses: The nits to pick: He is not an explosive hitter and maybe he could use a few extra pounds.Fact: Returned four interceptions for touchdowns in his first two seasons at Alabama. The Crimson Tide has had a first-round pick in 10 straight seasons, second longest streak to Miami's 14 from 1994-2008.12. Tampa Bay (5-11; from Buffalo via Cincinnati, 7-9)x-Vita Vea, 6-4, 347, WashingtonStrengths: Athleticism and quickness for his size outstanding.Weaknesses: Production and playmaking inconsistent.Fact: Played some wildcat quarterback as a 270-pound high schooler in San Jose, California.13. Washington (7-9)x-Da'Ron Payne, 6-2, 311, AlabamaStrengths: Massive and powerful with quick hands. Run stuffer.Weaknesses: His pass rush is almost all power.Fact: Caught a touchdown pass against Clemson in a College Football Playoff victory last year.14. New Orleans (11-5; from Green Bay 7-9)Marcus Davenport, 6-6, 264, UTSAStrengths: Long, fast and explosive athlete with maybe even more upside than Chubb.Weaknesses: Instincts and reaction are a work in progress, limiting his speed and quickness.Fact: Former high school sprinter who gained 30 pounds during his college career.15. Oakland (6-10; from Arizona 8-8)x-Kolton Miller, 6-9, 310, UCLAStrengths: Length, quickness and effort.Weaknesses: Pass protection technique needs work.Fact: Only played one season at left tackle in college and started only 23 games in three seasons because of injuries.16. Buffalo (9-7 from Baltimore 9-7)x-Tremaine Edmunds, 6-5, 253, Virginia TechStrengths: Tremendous size and speed combination. Solid tackler.Weaknesses: Needs some work on shedding blocks and his pass rush is more potential than well-developed skill.Fact: Father was NFL tight end Ferrell Edmunds and two of his brothers also played for Virginia Tech.17. L.A. Chargers (9-7)x-Derwin James Youth Kwon Alexander Jersey , 6-3, 211, Florida StateStrengths: A little more explosive athleticism, but not quite as much polish as Fitzpatrick.Weaknesses: Anticipation and diagnosis of plays need some work.Fact: Missed almost all of the 2016 season to a knee injury. He is the sixth defensive back from Florida State to be taken in the first round since 1989.18. Green Bay (7-9; Seattle 9-7)x-Jaire Alexander, 5-11, 192, LouisvilleStrengths: Quick and aggressive, with good instincts.Weaknesses: Not much power in his game.Fact: Leg and hand injuries limited him to playing about half of last season, but he was dominant in 2016.19. Dallas (9-7)x-Leighton Vander Esch, 6-4, 256, Boise StateStrengths: Long and rangy, and seemed to be in on every tackle for the Broncos.Weaknesses: More power would be helpful, and some patience to cut down on over-pursuing.Fact: The former walk-on was Mountain West defensive player of the year in 2017 in his first season as a starter.20. Detroit (9-7)Frank Ragnow, ArkansasStrengths: Big and powerful with good awareness. Can also play guard.Weaknesses: Lacks great athleticism.Fact: Ragnow's father, Jon, died of a heart attack during the 2016 football season. Frank managed to play, and play well, through the season.21. Cincinnati (7-9; from Buffalo, 9-7)Billy Price, 6-4, 312, Ohio StateStrengths: Very strong. Very aggressive. Played at lot of guard with the Buckeyes, too.Weaknesses: That aggressiveness can lead to sloppiness.Fact: Started a school-record 55 games at Ohio State.22. Tennessee (9-7, from Baltimore via Buffalo from Kansas City, 10-6)Rashaan Evans, 6-3, 234, AlabamaStrengths: Punishing hitter. Versatile linebacker http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-donovan-smith-jersey , with speed to become an effective edge rusher.Weaknesses: Aggressiveness can lead to missed tackles.Fact: Grew up in Auburn, Alabama. The third Crimson Tide player taken in the first round.23. New England (13-3; from L.A. Rams, 11-5)Isaiah Wynn, 6-3, 313, GeorgiaStrengths: Good athleticism and attitude.Weaknesses: Power to drive defenders off the line could use improvement.Fact: Played left tackle last season and did it well, but that height makes him an NFL guard.24. Carolina (11-5)x-DJ Moore, 6-0, 210, MarylandStrengths: Elusive after the catch. Excelled with underwhelming quarterback play.Weaknesses: Needs to improve on catching contested passes.Fact: The first receiver taken. Big Ten receiver of the year in 2017 while catching passes from four quarterbacks. The25. Baltimore (9-7; from Tennessee 9-7)x-Hayden Hurst, 6-4, 250, South CarolinaStrengths: Good hands. Powerful runner.Weaknesses: At 24, concerns that he has limited ceiling.Fact: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 17th round in 2012, played two seasons of minor league baseball before college football.26. Atlanta (10-6)x-Calvin Ridley, 6-0, 189, AlabamaStrengths: Game-breaking speed and explosive out of his cuts.Weakness: Slender. Can he play through contact at the line?Fact: Surpassed 1,000 yards receiving as a freshman, but limited passing game by Alabama held his numbers down in 2016 and '17. The fourth Alabama player taken in the first round.27. Seattle (9-7, from Green Bay via New Orleans 11-5)Rashaad Penny, 5-11, 220, San Diego StateStrengths: Quick feet, finishes runs and is a dangerous kick returner.Weaknesses: Runs straight up and needs a better feel for cut backs.Fact: Led the nation with 2,248 yards rushing last season and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.28. Pittsburgh (13-3)Terrell Edmunds, 6-1, 217, Virginia TechStrengths: Size/speed combination is excellent.Weaknesses: Needs to become a more sure tackler and work on coverage skills.Fact: The first set of brothers taken in the same first round with Tremaine going to Buffalo earlier.29. Jacksonville (10-6)x-Taven Bryan Gerald McCoy Jersey , 6-4, 291, FloridaStrengths: Explodes off the ball and can make plays up and down the line.Weaknesses: Holding point of attack. Could end up sliding outside.Fact: Son of a U.S. Navy Seal.30. Minnesota (13-3)x-Mike Hughes, 5-10, 189, UCFStrengths: More quick than fast, and strength that allows him to play bigger than he is listed. Dangerous kick returner.Weaknesses: Needs technique work and consistency throughout his game.Fact: Signed with North Carolina out of high school, but transferred to UCF after his freshmen year — which included a suspension for an altercation at a party.31. New England (13-3)Sony Michel, 5-11, 220, GeorgiaStrengths: Three-down back with good speed, decent receiving skills and ability to pass protect.Weaknesses: Limited shiftiness.Fact: Ran for 3,638 yards in four seasons at Georgia while mostly sharing carries with Nick Chubb.32. Baltimore (from Philadelphia 13-3)x-Lamar Jackson, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, LouisvilleStrengths: All the arm a team would need, plus speed and elusiveness unlike anything the NFL has seen from a top quarterback prospect since Mike Vick.Weaknesses: Repeatable and consistent throwing mechanics for reliable accuracy.Fact: Won the Heisman Trophy in 2016 and finished third in 2017 voting. Though Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes are all but over. There are still three games left for this team to begin building on 2019. The Buccaneers can either fold or play with pride over these final few games. It all starts in Baltimore. This team collapsed in the second half against New Orleans. The Saints shut out Tampa Bay 25-0 in the second half to secure a 28-14 victory. It didn’t even feel close.Now, the Bucs defense will face a big test against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. They haven’t played against a quarterback that is as dynamic on as feet as Jackson. On offense, Jameis Winston needs his front-five to respond after a poor outing last Sunday. 1. Forcing Lamar Jackson to throw the ballJackson has been one of the most talked about quarterbacks in the league since taking over as the starter four weeks ago. He’s led Baltimore to three wins in those four games and the only loss was by three to Kansas City in overtime.The former Louisville star hasn’t surpassed 178 passing yards and has thrown three downs to interceptions during this four game stretch. However, he’s been a nightmare for defenses on the ground. Jackson has carried the ball 11 or more times while gaining at least 67 yards per game in his time as a starter. He’s also scored twice.Tampa Bay is going to have to put spy on him. The key is to contain him in the pocket and force him to use his arm to make plays. 2. Passing offenseWinston and the offense will need to get back in a rhythm a week after recording just 61 yards in the second half against New Orleans. Winston threw just for just 213 yards with two touchdowns to one interception. His 47.4% completion percentage was his worst so far this season.Baltimore boasts the No. 4 rushing defense in the league, holding opponents to 87.8 yards per game. With Tampa Bay’s own struggles to run the ball, they’ll have to rely on throwing the ball to open up this game. 3. Offensive lineThe Buccaneers offensive line had one of the worst performances of the season against the Saints. They allowed Winston to get sacked four times while committing four penalties as a unit. The offensive tackles were very disappointing. Veteran Demar Dotson committed three penalties during the contest while Donovan Smith continued to struggle in pass protection. Winston needs his front five to get back on track and keep him upright. 4. Limiting penaltiesTampa Bay has been awful with committing penalties all season and that didn’t change against New Orleans. The Bucs were penalized 10 times for 84 yards in the loss.On the season they’ve committed 99 total penalties for 815 yards, tied for fifth most in the NFL. Baltimore isn’t much better with 93 total penalties. This game could come down to a costly mistake one way or the other.5. Winning the kicking battleIn a game that will likely be close, Tampa Bay will need Cairo Santos to put last week behind. The Brazil native missed his first two field goals last week, with one clanging off the uprights, since joining the Bucs against the Saints.Baltimore has one of the top kickers in the league in Justin Tucker. Tucker has hit 26/28 attempts this season and has hit all four of his tries from 50+ yards. Santos could put all the woes from last week behind him if he kicks Tampa Bay to a win against the Ravens.
