Ali Marpet to Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a player in offensive lineman Ali Marpet who has always exceeded expectations.

Undersized coming out of high school, Marpet didn’t have many scholarship offers, so he landed at Division III Hobart.

By the time he left, the left tackle was an AFCA All-American, on the D3Football.com All-American first team and an AP Little All-American second-team selection.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

He didn’t allow any sacks in his senior season.

What may be even better was that Marpet was the Liberty League Co-Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first offensive lineman in the history of the league to accomplish that feat.

That’s not bad for the 6’4”, 310-pound lineman.

Marpet has defied the odds again, becoming the first Hobart player to be drafted since 1937.

Now, he’s going to have a chance to compete for the starting right guard spot, a position he only started playing at the Senior Bowl.

The Bucs believe he can do it.

“My favorite guy was Ali Marpet,” said Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht. “He’s a small-school guy you rooted for. Our scouts did a great job at digging him out early.

“He dominated at Hobart,” he said. “The concern was how he was going to play against top-notch competition.

He played very well in the Senior Bowl. He looked like he belonged. We feel like he’s going to make an easy transition.”

The Bucs intend on playing Marpet at guard, a position he just started playing for the first time at the Senior Bowl.

The Bucs entered the draft needing offensive linemen. They're happy after Friday.

He was the second offensive lineman picked in the second round by the Bucs, who gave up their third-rounder and swapped fourth-round picks with the Indianapolis Colts to move up four spots to get Marpet.

The one thing Marpet seems to have is quickness.

One scouting report at NFL.com said it looked like Marpet was going up against kids at Hobart. That wasn't the only one.

Marpet is known for having good feet while still displaying his power. He is also durable (37 straight starts).

Last year, Tampa Bay had veteran Logan Mankins at left guard and Patrick Omameh at right guard. The Bucs are going to give Marpet a chance to compete for the right guard spot.

“He’s a smart, tough, dependable face of the program,” Licht said. “He’s a very mature guy. That’s what we’re trying to build up front….He has a tremendous skill set.”

Marpet will now get a chance to block for the Bucs’ first-round draft pick: Jameis Winston. He knows it won’t be easy, but he’s used to succeeding against the odds.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.