Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2015 Draft: The Good, the Bad and the Baffling

It's time to clear the cobwebs out of the cannons at Raymond "Jameis" Stadium.

After a dismal 2-14 season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans got a much-needed infusion of hope and joy this past weekend, as the 2015 NFL draft brought the Pewter Pirates a new franchise quarterback, plenty of beef up front to protect him and some more playmakers to add to an already respectable arsenal.

But as is the case with every draft class, there are always a few questionable moves, some that raise eyebrows high and others that raise blood pressure even higher.

It appears the Bucs may have run the gamut of those emotions in this year's draft, the team's second under the direction of general manager Jason Licht and head coach Lovie Smith.

Here's a look at the most noteworthy nuggets of Tampa Bay's haul in the 2015 NFL draft.

Good: A New Franchise Quarterback

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It's a new day in Tampa Bay, and for the first time since 1987, the Bucs have used the No. 1 overall pick on a franchise quarterback they hope can right the ship and lead them back into playoff contention.

Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has had his off-field concerns follow him throughout the process, but his on-field talent and rare leadership qualities give the Bucs a dynamic presence at the game's most important position. Tampa Bay's decision-makers have been very vocal about their confidence in Winston's character, and it's clear they felt comfortable enough with him to hand him the keys to the franchise's future, with all their jobs on the line.

It's also nice that Tampa Bay's fanbase has plenty of Florida State fans present, which won't hurt at the box office. Winston brings a magnetic buzz to the team that can already be felt, and it should only grow once he hits the field.

This pick was a challenging one to make, but it's the pick Tampa Bay had to make. No quarterback the Bucs have ever drafted has made it to his second contract with the team, but Winston will hope to be the first.

Bad: Reaching for Need?

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There's no doubt that finding a new starter at offensive tackle was at the top of the Bucs' need list heading into Day 2 of the draft. But with the options they had on the board at the No. 34 overall pick, the pick of Penn State's Donovan Smith left many wondering if they'd gotten the best value.

Considered by many analysts to be a third- or fourth-round prospect for much of the predraft process, Smith was a name that started to pick up steam over the past couple of weeks as a possible surprise pick in the first round.

A raw player with a massive frame, some have reservations about Smith's motor and whether he's athletic enough to stay at tackle in the NFL. He flashes dominant qualities at times on film, but it's too inconsistent for a player who could very likely be counted on to protect Jameis Winston's blind side in Week 1.

With other tackles like Oregon's Jake Fisher still on the board, I'm not sure Tampa Bay got the best bang for their buck with this pick.

Baffling: 7th-Round Head-Scratcher

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The later rounds of this year's draft saw plenty of quality talent fall, with recognizable names available all over the board on Day 3. But despite some of the more obvious choices they could have gone with, the Bucs chose instead to make arguably their most puzzling pick of the day.

Hawaii running back Joey Iosefa was the Bucs' final pick of the draft, in lieu of some highly regarded prospects, including Louisville S Gerod Holliman, William & Mary WR Tre McBride and Oregon CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

Tampa Bay already has plenty of depth at running back with Doug Martin, Charles Sims, Bobby Rainey and Mike James. And though it's likely Iosefa could be used as a fullback, new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter seems to be a fan of Jorvorskie Lane, who re-signed with the Bucs this offseason after losing most of last season to a broken leg.

With the way the depth chart looks, and considering the other options available at that pick, this one didn't make a whole lot of sense for the Bucs.

Good: Protecting Their Investment

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There was plenty of excitement after the Bucs selected Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick, but the next question came quickly: Who will protect him?

Despite experiencing a complete overhaul last offseason, Tampa Bay's offensive line struggled mightily in 2014. Demar Dotson was solid at tackle, while new veteran additions Logan Mankins and Evan Dietrich-Smith underperformed a bit. A revolving door at right guard and the complete failure that was Anthony Collins sent the Bucs into this offseason needing to revamp the line yet again.

But they wasted no time in doing just that. After grabbing Donovan Smith at the top of the second round to play left tackle—which will allow Dotson to move back to his more comfortable spot on the right side—Tampa Bay traded back into the latter part of the second round to grab Hobart's Ali Marpet, a small-school standout who wowed scouts and analysts alike at both the Senior Bowl and the combine.

Marpet and Smith should easily slide into the starting lineup from Day 1, helping to keep the team's new franchise quarterback as comfortable as possible.

Bad: No Pass-Rush Help

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One of the biggest needs for the Bucs heading into this draft was to add an impact edge-rusher, or perhaps even just some depth at defensive end. But all seven rounds came and went without the team adding a single name at the position.

It's clear the team prioritized shoring up their offensive line—and with good reason, having just spent the top overall pick on a new quarterback—but it cost the Bucs the chance to take advantage of this year's deep class of pass-rushers.

After the Bucs traded back into the second round for Ali Marpet, the team had to wait quite a while until their next pick, at which point all of the best fits had already been grabbed up. Many expected Tampa Bay to go offensive line early, but I don't think anyone expected them to go the entire draft without addressing the trenches at all on the other side of the ball.

The Bucs are currently looking at Jacquies Smith and George Johnson as their starters at defensive end, which isn't going to strike fear into many offensive coordinators. Don't be surprised if the Bucs try to add a pass-rusher via trade as the season draws closer.

Good: Building Depth, Finding Value

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Successful drafts are about maximizing value while trying to fill needs and build quality depth, especially in the middle rounds. It looks like the Bucs have done just that, finding a few players in that range who should be able to contribute immediately.

In the fourth round, Tampa Bay traded up for the second time in this year's draft, moving up a few slots to grab LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander, an explosive player who should have an instant impact on special teams with a chance to compete for a starting job with Danny Lansanah on the strong side.

The Bucs also needed to add depth at receiver, and they found a great fit in Nebraska's Kenny Bell, who has a great combination of size and speed, with the ability to contribute from Day 1 in the slot. Bell also has all the physical tools to potentially replace Vincent Jackson as the team's No. 2 receiver at some point in the future.

In the sixth round, the Bucs added yet another receiver, but it was Kaelin Clay's ability as a return specialist that made him Tampa Bay's pick at that spot. After cycling through multiple players in the return game last year to no avail, it's not surprising Tampa Bay targeted the Utah product, who had plenty of success returning both kicks and punts.