2017 NFL Mock Draft: Final Predictions For First Round

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Florida State RB Dalvin Cook

Just like the Tennessee Titans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another team expected to make the jump to being serious playoff contenders in 2017 after falling just shy of the postseason last year with a 9-7 record. But unlike the Titans, the Buccaneers were in great position to actually earn one of the six spots in the NFC before losing two key games to the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints late in the season.

Either way, the focus now for Tampa Bay is making sure they continue to be successful this offseason by taking advantage of the potential prospects in the upcoming draft. The Buccaneers already made a giant splash in free agency by providing Jameis Winston with a reliable deep threat in DeSean Jackson, but there are still some concerns surrounding the offense when it comes to the running back position since nobody really knows what will happen with Doug Martin.

Since there’s no big-name players at running back like Ezekiel Elliott in this year’s class, it’s going to be interesting to see which other running backs besides Christian McCaffrey, if any at all, end up going in the first round. Dalvin Cook may be drawing red flags from numerous teams in need of help at running back, but keep in mind the Buccaneers took another risk a few years ago on another controversial player out of Florida State, and it seems to be working wonders so far.