Buccaneers: What Positions Offer Most Value for Bucs in 2015 NFL Draft?

Much ado has already been made about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft—and rightly so.  Coming off of a 2-14 season, the Bucs have the chance to pick between a pair of Heisman-winning quarterbacks or possibly trade down and acquire a stockpile of future selections.

Most expect Tampa Bay to grab a quarterback at the top of the draft, but the picks that follow will be equally important to the Bucs' future, as they continue to rebuild a roster desperate for quality depth across the board.

Winning the draft is about maximizing value, which is exactly what the Bucs must do with their early picks in every round—not just at No. 1 overall.  But the best teams are able to not only add pure value with their picks but also effectively balance it with filling their biggest needs.

What position groups in this year's draft class offer Tampa Bay the best chance to strike that delicate balance between need and value?  Let's take a look.

Defensive End

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After signing him to a huge free-agent contract this offseason, four sacks wasn't quite what the Bucs had in mind for Michael Johnson in 2014.  Waiver-wire wonder Jacquies Smith racked up 6.5 in the second half of the season alone, but the team could still use another edge-rusher.

While trading down from the top overall pick and grabbing one later in the top 10 is a possibility, it's more likely the Bucs wait until the middle rounds to go looking for a defensive end.  Lucky for them, they should find some solid value at that point in the draft.

At the beginning of the third round, Missouri's Markus Golden should be at the top of Tampa Bay's wish list after bagging 10 sacks for the Tigers this season.  Teammate Shane Ray is a projected top-10 pick at this point, but Golden could offer far better value.

Other quality prospects that should be available for the Bucs in the middle rounds include Mississippi State's Preston Smith, UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Arkansas' Trey Flowers and Texas' Cedric Reed.

Center

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Tampa Bay signed Evan Dietrich-Smith last offseason, but the veteran struggled with his overall performance and costly mental mistakes all year.  It could look to replace him with a rookie or at the very least try to find some quality depth to put behind him.

Center is arguably the least glamorous position in football that doesn't involve kicking, which tends to push the best ones down the draft board every year.  That could be the case again this year, as top talents like Oregon's Hroniss Grasu and Auburn's Reese Dismukes could still be available in the third round.

One sleeper to keep an eye on is Kansas State's B.J. Finney, who turned plenty of heads this week with an impressive performance at the Shrine Game practices.  If Tampa Bay wants to give Dietrich-Smith one more year, while developing his eventual replacement, Finney might end up being its best bet.

Wide Receiver

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Mike Evans snatched the torch away from Vincent Jackson as Tampa Bay's No. 1 target, proving to be every bit the playmaking threat he was drafted to be last year. 

But the team should still be on the lookout for a receiver who can contribute right away in the slot, with the potential to eventually develop into a No. 2 option to replace Jackson.

The Bucs could luck out if Florida State's Rashad Greene happens to fall to them at the top of the third round, as his lack of ideal size could lead to teams passing over him for bigger, more physical options.  But with his sure hands and smooth route-running ability, he'd fit the profile of what Tampa Bay should be looking for.

Other midround values that fit this mold are East Carolina's Justin Hardy and Fresno State's Josh Harper, while late-round options like Central Arkansas' Dezmin Lewis are worth watching, as well.

Cornerback

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The Bucs have a pair of solid starters on the outside with Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner, but they still lack that perfect fit at the nickel corner spot, a vital cog in the Tampa 2 scheme.

The best fits for the slot corner position are normally undersized, which helps a team like Tampa Bay maximize value when drafting.  That's due to those smaller corners being forced down the draft board by teams in search of bigger, more physical cover men.  That could easily be the case again this year, as there are plenty of prospects who could potentially fit that description.

The best value at this point could be TCU's Kevin White, who has the perfect blend of instincts and toughness, despite being listed at just 5'10", 175 pounds.  White held one of this year's top receivers—West Virginia's Kevin White, interestingly enough—in check, proving he's not afraid of any matchup.

Other great value picks who would fit what the Bucs are looking for include Notre Dame's Cody Riggs, Texas' Quandre Diggs and Tennessee's Justin Coleman.

It's also worth noting that there are some corner prospects who could project better as safeties at the next level, and the Bucs could end up with a need there if they decide to move on from the high-priced Dashon Goldson.  Quinten Rollins of Miami (OH) has the thick frame to survive at safety and can lay the lumber, while Utah's Eric Rowe has experience at both corner and safety.  Both could be great value picks who would bring versatility to the Tampa Bay secondary.

Guard

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It's no secret that Tampa Bay's offensive troubles in 2014 were due in large part to an extremely disappointing offensive line.  Despite replacing four of five starters from the 2013 crew, the Bucs still struggled mightily up-front, and they could be forced to try and rebuild most of the unit yet again.

Luckily for Bucs fans, the guard spot is arguably the most glaring need, but it's also the one position that's most likely to yield an immediate starter from this draft class, even in the middle rounds.

At the top of the third round, the Bucs could opt for either of Florida State's guards, as both Tre' Jackson and Josue Matias are likely to go in that range for the time being.  South Carolina's A.J. Cann is likely to be gone by then but will be on their radar if he does slip. 

The best value in this class could be Duke's Laken Tomlinson, who needs refining as a pass-blocker, but he is an absolute mauler in the run game.  If he's still there in the fourth round and the Bucs haven't addressed the position, they shouldn't take more than five seconds to make him the pick.