Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Scouting Guide for the 2015 Senior Bowl

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff may have turned down the opportunity to coach at this week's Reese's Senior Bowl, but you can bet they'll still be well-represented in Mobile as the team turns its sights toward the 2015 NFL draft.

Most of the offseason attention will obviously be focused on the the No. 1 overall pick—currently owned by the Bucs—but the high picks Tampa Bay owns in the following rounds could be equally important to the immediate future of the franchise.

Many expect the Bucs to take one of this year's top quarterbacks with the No. 1 pick, but neither Florida State's Jameis Winston nor Oregon's Marcus Mariota will be at the Senior Bowl, leaving the team to focus on other positions of need during this week's practices in Mobile. 

Aside from the quarterback spot, let's take a look at some of the Bucs' other need areas and some potential targets they should be watching closely this week at the Senior Bowl.

Offensive Line

The Bucs tried to rebuild the offensive line last offseason, mostly through free agency, and it was a huge failure.  Anthony Collins, Evan-Dietrich Smith and Oniel Cousins were all disappointments, while Logan Mankins left much to be desired after a late-preseason trade.  Tampa Bay waited until the fifth round of last year's draft to address this unit, and they simply can't make that mistake again this year.

At tackle, Demar Dotson's move to the left side looks like it could be permanent, which would leave the Bucs looking for a new starter on the right.  Their top two targets for that spot should be Pittsburgh's T.J. Clemmings and Colorado State's Ty Sambrailo, both of whom are in Mobile this week.

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Clemmings is an absolute mauler in the run game, but he needs some refinement as a pass-blocker.  Still, many see him as a potential stud at left tackle, and a strong showing this week could drive up up the draft board and away from Tampa Bay's high second-round pick.  Sambrailo struggled in his bowl-game performance against Utah edge-rusher Nate Orchard, so he'll be looking to bounce back with a solid week of work in Mobile to prove he can handle top competition.  Sambrailo is the more likely of the two to be available when the Bucs pick in the second round.

At guard, two names to keep an eye on are Florida State's Tre Jackson and Duke's Laken Tomlinson.  Jackson—the only Seminole to not back out of the Senior Bowl after accepting an invite—should be available at the top of the third round.  Tomlinson isn't as athletic as some, and while his lack of lateral movement skills could be exposed this week, he could end up being a steal after the first three rounds.

Should the Bucs look for a replacement at center, Auburn's Reese Dismukes is a projected mid-round pick for fans to keep an eye on at the Senior Bowl.

If Tampa Bay is looking for value and versatility on the offensive line this week, look no further than Arizona State's Jamil Douglas.  Though he spent this season at left tackle for the Sun Devils, he's projected as a guard at the next level, and that's where he'll line up this week, according to Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage:

Pass-Rushers

Michael Johnson managed just four sacks after signing a lucrative free-agent deal, and while waiver-wire wonder Jacquies Smith flashed some talent with 6.5 sacks over the final eight games of the season, more help is needed when it comes to getting after the quarterback.

Thankfully, there are plenty of potentially good fits for what the Bucs need playing in the Senior Bowl this week.

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Near the top of Tampa Bay's list should be Missouri's Markus Golden, who despite being overshadowed by teammate Shane Ray, could end up being the better value in the third-round range. After that, mid-round targets the Bucs should be watching this week include Arkansas' Trey Flowers, UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Mississippi State's Preston Smith, all of whom possess the frame and length to fit Lovie Smith's preferences for the position.

One under-the-radar name for Bucs fans to look out for is Norfolk State's Lynden Trail.  The former Florida Gator has dominated lower-level competition, lining up as both a stand-up linebacker and with his hand in the dirt. At 6'6", 260 pounds, he has that length and frame the Bucs are looking for at defensive end, and NFLDraftScout.com's Dane Brugler said earlier this year that will likely be his best position at the next level.

Nickel Corners

They might not be able to find the next Ronde Barber in the middle rounds of this year's draft, but an upgrade over Leonard Johnson and Isaiah Frey is a must.

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

There are a few undersized but instinctive corners at the Senior Bowl who could be perfect fits for the Tampa 2 nickel corner spot, including Mississippi's Senquez Golson, TCU's Kevin White and Kansas' JaCorey Shepherd. 

Golson was a turnover machine for the Rebels this past season, while White was able to shut down one of this year's top receivers in West Virginia's Kevin White.  Both would be good values from the third round on, while Shepherd could be their backup option later in the draft.  The Bucs should have a close eye on all three during this week's practices.

Wide Receiver

Tampa Bay should be looking for a few different things from the receiver corps at this year's Senior Bowl. 

First, they have an immediate need for both a starting slot receiver and a reliable, playmaking return specialist.  However, the Bucs also need to keep in mind that Vincent Jackson isn't getting any younger, and it may behoove them to find a receiver who can provide immediate help in the slot and in the return game, while possessing the skill set to potentially develop into Jackson's eventual replacement as the No. 2 receiver across from Mike Evans.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

If the Bucs just want to look for the immediate slot/returner type, their eyes should be glued to Miami (Fla.)'s Phillip Dorsett and Kansas State's Tyler Lockett this week, both of whom provide electrifying speed and are threats to go the distance on every touch.  That said, their lack of size would likely prevent them from becoming much more than that.

If finding a balance of all three aforementioned facets is what the Bucs are looking for this week, the Senior Bowl rosters could very well provide that, also. East Carolina's Justin Hardy, Stanford's Ty Montgomery, Fresno State's Josh Harper, and Michigan State's Tony Lippett all bring the size most NFL teams want out of a starting receiver, and while they might not light up the stopwatches, they have enough speed to be effective from the slot and in the return game.

Corner-to-Safety

Depending on what happens with Dashon Goldson, the Bucs could be looking for a new starting safety. Bradley McDougald came out of nowhere to impress last season and should lock down the other starting spot, but if the expensive Goldson is jettisoned, that position could creep up the needs list.

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

Two intriguing prospects for Bucs fans to look at this week are both cornerbacks with either experience at safety or the skill set and potential to transition to that spot at the next level.

Miami (Ohio)'s Quentin Rollins has more experience on the basketball court than the football field, but though he's still extremely raw, he's got the natural athleticism coveted by NFL secondaries. He played corner at Miami, but he often looked uncomfortable in man coverage.  Still, his thick frame and willingness to punish opposing ball-carriers lead me to believe he could be better off moving to safety in the NFL.

Utah's Eric Rowe has experience at both positions, which would give the Bucs some valuable versatility and depth in the defensive backfield.  John Owning of Draft Breakdown and Football Insiders points out one of Rowe's best attributes, which is required of both the safety and corner spots:

Both of these players could be long gone by the time Tampa Bay is willing to spend a pick on the secondary, but if they trade down and end up with an extra pick in the top 50 or so, look for these two guys to be in play.

The Bottom Line

Winston and Mariota will get the headlines for the next three months leading up to the draft, but this week will be extremely important for the Bucs when it comes to hitting on the rest of their picks in the 2015 class.

There are plenty of good fits for Tampa Bay's biggest need areas, and fans should keep a close eye on them in Mobile this week, just as the Bucs' brass will be doing.

Luke Easterling is a Featured Columnist covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NFL draft for Bleacher Report.  He is also a Senior NFL Draft Analyst for Draft Breakdown.  Follow him on Twitter @LukeEasterling.