2020 NFL Draft: Justin Herbert goes No. 1 in first-round NFL mock draft

When Bruce Arians had been at the helm of either the Arizona Cardinals or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, six of their nine top 100 picks were players in the secondary. Last year, the Buccaneers drafted three defensive players in the first three rounds, 2 two of which were players in the secondary. To help the ailing team stop the bleeding of points on the defense that was a regular occurrence in 2018.

In 2019, they have given us 30 or more points in eight of their 10 games this year. People might be inclined to blame Jameis Winston for the troubles this team has been facing. And while his turnovers certainly don’t help, it’s the defense that is killing their record. This year they are sixth in scoring (277 points). They are in dead last place in scores given (313), according to Pro Football Reference.

Clearly the infusion of talent hasn’t helped the ailing defense, so it is time to go back to well again in the 2020 NFL draft. Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah is perfectly suited to fit into the Buccaneers defense. So far this year, Okudah has 3 interceptions for the Buckeyes, which is the most interceptions by a player on the defense and ranks him second in the Big Ten, according to Sports Reference.

Watching his film, you see a cornerback that can close the speed between himself and receivers. In a foot race, Okudah can catch up to any receiver that has snuck behind him. He has the speed to keep up with receivers and the hands to knock down contested catches. Besides providing coverage, Okudah is a proficient tackler, logging 22 tackles this year with 5 assists in 10 games.

While I don’t think Okudah is the most physically dominating corner in this year’s draft. That I believe goes to C.J. Henderson. But with Ohio State poised to make the National playoffs this year, I believe the Buccaneers will opt to draft a corner with more household name recognition. The team needs to find some answers on defense soon.

Some might assume the Buccaneers will dump Winston this offseason and opt for a new quarterback. But with an elite receiving corp in place and an older coach at the helm, I think the Buccaneers are more likely to either stick with Winston for one more year or opt for a free agency veteran quarterback.

This team could go far with Cam Newton, or even Winston if they think he is improving on his turnovers in 2020. But the core of elite players currently on the Buccaneers cannot wait to develop a new quarterback in a few year’s time. For the sake of this team, as it is currently comprised, they will need to improve their defense drastically. Okudah is a player that could help improve this defense in big ways in the 2020 NFL draft.