By: J.T. Olsen Bucs Report – Special to Sports Talk Florida
The NFL draft is over, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Following the end of the final round of the draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a number of signings from the pool of undrafted free agents. These are players who will try to make an impression in rookie mini camp and hopefully earn a place in training camp down the line.
These are mostly camp bodies at best. Very few will make the roster and even less will make an impact. However, the Bucs do have a recent history of finding meaningful players as undrafted free agents.
Under Jason Licht the Bucs have found several undrafted gems. These include Cameron Brate, Adadm Humphries, Cam Gill, Christian Izien and Kaevon Merriweather. All of these players made meaningful contributions and there are several undrafted players on the current roster. So just because a player went undrafted doesn’t mean he can’t help this team.
Of the current batch of undrafted rookies that the Bucs have signed, I see two that can make this roster. Perhaps there will be more based on special teams ability, but I think there are two who can be legitimate depth players. Here are my top candidates of Buccaneers undrafted rookies who can make the roster.
Jake Majors, Center, Texas
No player in Texas Longhorn history has had more starts than Majors. He played in 57 career games and started all but one of them in college. In terms of experience at a major program, no one has more than, well, Majors.
As you would expect with as much experience as he has, Majors is a very smart player. He can identify stunts as a pass blocker and make calls at the line of scrimmage. He’s entering the league as a rookie, but don’t be surprised when he’s described as mature beyond his years.
The athletic tools are just okay. He isn’t especially powerful or nimble, but he’s had success in zone blocking looks. I have some doubts as to how good of a run blocker he can be in the NFL. If nothing else he can be functional, which is about as much as I could say of the Bucs previous backup center Robert Hainsey.
If he’s going to cut it in the NFL it will have to be with his pass blocking. His anchor is just okay and his arms are short, so he will likely struggle with power. But there’s a lot to be said about his intelligence and keeping your head on a swivel in pass protection.
Desmond Watson, Defensive Tackle, Florida
Watson got everyone’s attention at his pro day workout when he weighed in at a massive 464 lbs. And while a huge nose tackle is a beautiful thing in football, at a certain point a player can be too huge. Watson has acknowledged that he needs to make changes with his weight and has already slimmed down to 437 lbs over the last month.
If Watson can get his weight under control, he can use his size to his advantage. He’s a powerful run stuffer with fast hands. He could become a depth nose tackle and earn himself a place on the Buccaneers practice squad.
Ben Chukwuma, Offensive Tackle, Georgia State
Among all the undrafted free agents across the league, no one got a bigger payday than Chukwuma. This is a clear indication of what the team thinks of him. It also indicates that he’ll have every opportunity to earn a roster spot.
Chukwuma was only introduced to football a few years ago. He’s 310 lbs and 6’6 so he has the desired size for the position. He’s also light on his feet, so with further development he could turn into a good depth player down the line.
JJ Roberts, Safety, Marshall
If I’m betting on an undrafted rookie to make the roster then this is where I’d put my money. Roberts is as fast and physical as any safety prospect you will see. The way he closes the gap on a ball carrier and hits with violence is truly eye opening. If nothing else, these skills will absolutely shine on special teams.
However, with his range Roberts can also play some single high safety. Roberts ranked in the top five nationally in passes defended. And although he has stone hands and only has three career interceptions in five seasons, he is regularly in position to make a play on the ball.
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