Evaluating Bucs GM Jason Licht’s Recent Drafts: 2020

In an ongoing series leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, Pewter Report is taking a stroll down memory lane. Looking at the past six drafts the Bucs and general manager Jason Licht have had, Josh Quiepo and Adam Slivon are attempting to evaluate how good each draft was based on the players picked at each spot, the players that went shortly thereafter, and the next couple of players taken at the position addressed.

Josh Quiepo has looked at both the Bucs’ 2017 and 2019 draft classes, while I previously evaluated the 2018 draft class. Today I will be going further in examining Tampa Bay’s 2020 draft.

Following the 2019 season, the first year of Bruce Arians’ tenure, the Bucs changed their trajectory in a huge way. After finishing 7-9, the team swapped out quarterback Jameis Winston for Tom Brady. Brady chose to sign with the team as a free agent after a historic run in New England, while the team added veterans Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, and Leonard Fournette to bolster their offense around him.

As the past drafts demonstrated, Jason Licht built a strong core of young talent that was only a few pieces from contention. More than just their free-agent signings, the roster was buoyed by their two top draft selections in 2020, who have established themselves as franchise players on each side of the ball.

Bucs 2020 Draft Class

No. 13 OT Tristan Wirfs

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

WR Jerry Jeudy 

CB AJ Terrell

WR CeeDee Lamb

WR Justin Jefferson

WR Brandon Aiyuk

QB Jordan Love

LB Jordyn Brooks

LB Patrick Queen

Next two players at position:

OT Austin Jackson

OT Isaiah Wilson

The decision to move up a spot to select Tristan Wirfs has paid dividends for the Bucs. If one argued he has been Jason Licht’s best pick as a general manager, there would not be much of a debate. It’s either Mike Evans or Wirfs, and Wirfs already has two Pro Bowls and All-Pro selections under his belt, solidifying his status as one of the best tackles in the NFL.

So what players did the team pass on? Going over the selections that followed, it was very wide receiver-heavy. With the addition of Antonio Brown in free agency and by drafting Justin Watson and Scotty Miller to go along with Evans and Chris Godwin, a receiver was not a need for the Bucs.

Terrell, Brooks, and Queen are all solid defensive starters with the potential to be perennial Pro Bowlers, and the jury is still out on quarterback Jordan Love, the likely starter at the position for the Packers in 2023.

In terms of the tackles who followed, Licht made the right decision by selecting the Iowa product. Jackson has underwhelmed as a starter and only played in two games in 2022 before going on injured reserve. Wilson was a huge bust, as he only played in one game in the NFL before off-field legal issues and lack of passion for the game derailed his career.

All in all, this pick is one that will be remembered in the years to come as Wirfs continues to rack up Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods. He hit the ground running right from his rookie season, and he could even go down as one of the best tackles in NFL history when it is all said and done.

No. 45 S Antoine Winfield Jr.

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

WR Chase Claypool

CB Trevon Diggs

RB Cam Akers

QB Jalen Hurts

RB J.K. Dobbins

Next two players at position:

S Jeremy Chinn

S Ashtyn Davis

Just based on the first two selections so far, Jason Licht looks like the general manager version of 2001 Barry Bonds in the year he hit 73 home runs. Both Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr. have been the “home run” picks that he will be looking to replicate in the 2023 draft. The selection of Winfield could be seen as a curious move at the time, as the Bucs spent six draft picks on defensive backs over the 2018 and 2019 drafts.

Still, his impact on the Bucs’ defense cannot be understated. He has emerged as a versatile weapon in coverage, even playing last season in the nickel cornerback role. He is also a sneaky good pass rusher, having nine sacks across his first three seasons. Like Wirfs, he will be in line for a big contract extension soon.

Could the Bucs have picked Diggs or Hurts instead? Sure, but neither was fit for the team at the time. The team did not need another cornerback with Carlton Davis III, Jamel Dean, and Sean Murphy-Bunting as the top three at the position.

While they did choose a quarterback with their second-round pick in 2021 (Kyle Trask), taking a quarterback with a premium pick right after signing Tom Brady did not make a lot of sense for a roster looking to compete right away.

Before Hurts’ emergence as one of the top quarterbacks in the league, he had a developmental curve that required two seasons of game reps. He played in four games as a rookie after the benching of Carson Wentz and only completed 52% of his passes. In 2021, he started 15 games but was known more for his rushing than passing ability. It was not until this past season that he put those questions to rest, accumulating 35 total touchdowns and finishing second in the MVP race.

Having the bigger picture of this selection demonstrates that Licht and the rest of the front office knew exactly how to get high-upside plug-and-play starters at valuable positions. In the box score, count him 2-2 with two home runs.

No. 76 RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

WR Bryan Edwards

RB Zack Moss

DE Jonathan Greenard

Next two players at position:

RB Zack Moss

RB Darrynton Evans

In retrospect, this selection does not appear that it will pan out, but it needs further context. At the time, the Bucs backfield heading into 2020 was just Ronald Jones II. Peyton Barber left as a free agent to Washington, while LeSean McCoy and Leonard Fournette would not sign with the team until deep in the summer.

Picking another running back was a need, and they attempted to address it by selecting Ke’Shawn Vaughn. He has only surpassed 15 carries in a game twice, once being in the 2021 Wild Card against the Eagles.

He has had to fight for carries throughout his career and was overshadowed by more established backs from the start. Vaughn is still on the team for 2023, and with Rachaad White and Chase Edmonds being his only competition (for now), he still has a chance to prove why he was worthy of being a third-round pick.

The Bucs did not miss out on much by taking Vaughn over some of the alternatives. Moss has become a rotational back himself, albeit a more prominent one getting about 100 carries a season.

Edwards had a solid 2021 with the Raiders but failed to emerge as a starter in a thin Falcons’ receiving room last season. Greenard would have been a solid defensive lineman to add to a veteran group, but it is unlikely he would have had much playing time to develop.

No. 161 WR Tyler Johnson

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

WR Darnell Mooney

WR K.J. Osborn

Next two players at position:

WR Darnell Mooney

WR K.J. Osborn

Well, the Bucs decided to go with a wide receiver at this spot, but they choose the wrong one in hindsight. Tyler Johnson was coming off two highly productive seasons at Minnesota before being drafted, tallying consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and 25 touchdowns. He had the chance to slide in as the third receiver behind Evans and Godwin right away, but Scotty Miller claimed that role to begin the 2020 season.

The signing of Antonio Brown mid-season pushed him down to fifth on the depth chart, and he failed to get much higher than that in the seasons to come. He showed some promise in 2021, hauling in 36 receptions for 360 yards, but he failed to record a touchdown.

After a nice 2022 training camp, the hope was that he could win one of the final receiving spots but he was cut. Johnson signed a reserves/futures contract with the Raiders in January, putting finality on his tenure with the team.

If Jason Licht could go back in time, selecting either Mooney or Osborn would have been the better pick. Mooney has had a solid career so far, even putting up a 1,000-yard season with the Bears in 2021.

Although Osborn failed to record a reception in his rookie year, he has followed that up with 655 and 650 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Johnson was not the worst pick, but taking either receiver over him would have been icing on the cake in this draft.

No. 194 DT Khalil Davis

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

WR Quez Watkins

S Jordan Fuller

WR Isaiah Hodgins

Next two players at position:

DT John Penisini

DT Carlos Davis

Later in the draft becomes a dart throw as general managers hope to uncover a diamond in the rough. The Bucs’ choice to go with defensive tackle Khalil Davis in the sixth round made some sense as a depth piece. Coming out of Nebraska, Davis led the Cornhuskers with eight sacks in his senior season.

The hope was he could become a rotational pass rusher, but this would not be the case. Davis only had two combined tackles in 2020 and was waived the next season. He returned last season for five weeks on the practice squad before being released again and is currently a free agent.

The Bucs had another chance to grab a wide receiver here in the speedy Quez Watkins and Isaiah Hodgins. Watkins was the second-fastest receiver in the NFL Combine that year and has carved a role for himself with the Eagles in the past two seasons. Hodgins was originally taken by the Bills but emerged with the Giants last season, hauling in four touchdowns.

Licht did not miss out on much here, but there were still a few alternative options that panned out more than Davis did.

No. 241 LB Chapelle Russell

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

LB Tae Crowder

Next two players at position:

LB Derrek Tuszka 

LB Tae Crowder

Much like with the next selection, there was not much to choose from in terms of solid NFL players in the seventh round. Russell spent much of the season on the practice squad and never recorded a tackle with the team.

The only option on the board who panned out for the team making the selection was fellow linebacker and Mr.Irrelevant, Tae Crowder. Crowder had 232 combined tackles with the Giants across three seasons before being waived. Besides him, no other player made a big impact, so the fault is not on Licht here.

No. 245 RB Raymond Calais

Other players taken within 15 picks of note:

LB Tae Crowder

Next player at position:

RB Malcolm Perry 

The second running back drafted in this class, Raymond Calais was supposed to be a speed back for the Bucs. Between the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Louisville, Calais averaged 9.3 and 7.6 yards per carry.

Those numbers were impressive, but he failed to make the roster or practice squad coming out of his first season. His only NFL action was returning seven kicks for the Rams in 2020.

While the rest of the draft class was underwhelming outside of Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr., these selections alone give this class an “A” grade. The Bucs only hit on two players, but those two players both hit the ground running and have blossomed into Pro Bowlers.

It is hard to find one player of that ilk in a draft class, but finding two deserves a lot of praise. If Jason Licht can find two players of their caliber this year, even if they do not hit on their other picks, it would be a massive success.