Tampa Bay Buccaneers have three solid offensive linemen in right tackle Demar Dotson, center Ryan Jensen, and guard Justin Pugh. Thus, one might question why the Buccaneers would prioritize selecting a guard so early in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Quenton Nelson is the type of player who could lead Tampa Bay’s offensive line for the next decade-plus, however, and that level of talent is too grand to overlook.
Tampa Bay is attempting to groom Jameis Winston as a legitimate franchise quarterback. Successfully doing so will require giving him adequate time in the pocket, and while Pugh should help in that regard, there are still voids to fill.
Moreover: With all due respect to the current offensive linemen—namely Ali Marpet, whom Nelson would replace—no member of the group has a ceiling as high as Nelson’s All-Pro potential.
Thus, while this may not be as much of a need as it used to be, passing up on an elite talent is rarely an advisable approach. Nelson has a chance to check that elusive box as a player who can not only hold his position down, but move around the line and anchor the unit for years to come.
There may be other options worth considering, but the Buccaneers would be hard-pressed to find a better talent in this draft class than Nelson.