Expert Analysis

3/30/23

7 min read

RB Athletic Archetype Guide: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By Nic Bodiford

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Welcome to The 33rd Team’s Athletic Archetypes series. In these pieces, NFL and fantasy football analyst Nic Bodiford will break down the preferred, position-specific athletic profiles utilized by NFL general managers. The purpose of the series is to help identify team-specific 2023 NFL Draft targets at the running back position.

NFL Combine data will be used whenever possible. Pro Day data will be used in a supplementary capacity, if and when, a player chooses not to participate in an NFL Combine drill or in the event that the NFL Combine data is not available. Pro Day data is marked using an asterisk except for arm length and hand length, which is always collected at Pro Days.

NFL Draft Scout is the primary data source with Relative Athletic Score used as the preferred backup.

Other Archetypes: ARZ | ATL | BUF | CAR | CHI | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | SF | SEA | TB | WAS

Buccaneers’ RB Archetype

Jason Licht, (2014-present)

Sample size: 16

• Licht has worked for five different teams since his career began in 1996 as the Miami Dolphins' offensive quality control coordinator.
• He was hired as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' general manager in 2014.

The table below reflects Licht’s preferred athletic archetype for the running back position from 2014 to the present day.

General Sample Information

• Licht’s running back requirements fall within three categories: prior pass-catching experience, body type and straight-line speed

Body Types

• Arm length and hand size are unimportant
• Six of 16 running backs stood sub-5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9. All six registered a minimum 30.0 body mass index (BMI).
• Running backs taller than 6 feet can have a BMI as low as 27.8.
• Licht’s minimum weight threshold is 195 pounds.

Passing-Game Participation

• Fourteen of 16 running backs demonstrated consistent pass-catching ability prior to joining the team.

Speed

• Among 15 running backs with available 40-yard dash times, 11 ran between 4.48 to 4.56 seconds. The former falls in the 87th percentile in relative athletic score (RAS) and the latter sits in the 66th percentile.
• Eight of those 15 also ran the 10-yard split between 1.55 to 1.59 seconds. The former is in the 88th percentile RAS and the latter is in the 77th.
• All five running backs standing 6 feet or taller ran faster than a 1.60-second (61st percentile RAS) 10-yard split.
• It is not necessary for running backs to participate in either of the shuttle drills but those who do can gain favor.
• Four of eight running backs since 2020 have run the short shuttle faster than 4.20 seconds (80th percentile RAS) while three chose not to participate.
• Five of eight running backs since 2020 have run the three-cone drill faster than 7.00 seconds (75th percentile RAS) while the remaining three chose not to participate.

Leftover Information

• Six of eight running backs added since 2020 have broad jumped 9-foot-9 or better and four have cleared 10-foot, though none did better than 10-foot-5.
• Charles Sims’ 10-foot-6 broad jump in 2014 is the best of Licht’s running backs, which is abnormal for the NFL. Many general managers prefer running backs who can comfortably sail past 10 feet and potentially even past 11 feet.
• The vertical jump’s soft minimum is 30 inches.
• Since 2020, 17 bench-press reps have been the minimum among the five who participated in the drill.

Physical TraitsBuccaneers Will Target

• Sub-5-foot-10 running backs must have a 30.0 BMI or higher.
• Running backs standing over 6 feet can go as low as 27.8 BMI.
• Running backs must weigh more than 195 pounds.
• 40-yard dash: Likely 4.48 to 4.56 seconds
• 10-yard split: Likely 1.55 to 1.59 seconds
• Running backs over 6 feet must run faster than a 1.60-second 10-yard split.
• Short shuttle: Ideally sub-4.20 seconds
• Three-cone drill: Ideally sub-7.00 seconds
• Broad jump: Ideally better than 9-foot-9
• Bench press: Ideally at least 17 repetitions
• Proven pass-catching capability

Potential 2023 NFL Draft Targets

Prospects with strong threshold correlation are marked with an asterisk

• *Tank Bigsby, Auburn: 6-foot, 210 pounds, 28.5 BMI, 4.56-second 40-yard dash, 1.54-second 10-yard split, 9-foot-11 broad jump, 21 bench-press repetitions and pass-catching capability (scouting report)
• Sean Tucker, Syracuse: 5-foot-9, 207 pounds, 30.6 BMI, a best-in-class 29 bench-press repetitions and proven pass-catching capability. (scouting report)
• Bijan Robinson, Texas: 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, 30.0 BMI, 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 1.52-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-4 broad jump and pass-catching capability (scouting report)
• Zach Charbonnet, UCLA: 6-foot, 214 pounds, 29.0 BMI, 4.53-second 40-yard dash, 1.54-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-2 broad jump, 18 bench-press repetitions and pass-catching capability. (scouting report)
• Roschon Johnson, Texas: 6-foot, 219 pounds, 29.7 BMI, 1.52-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-2 broad jump and pass-catching capability (scouting report)
• *Tyjae Spears, Tulane: 5-foot-10, 201 pounds, 28.8 BMI, 4.54-second 40-yard dash, 1.57-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-5 broad jump, 39-inch vertical jump and 18 bench-press repetitions. Spears can effectively catch passes and punch chestpads in pass protection. (scouting report)
• Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh: 5-foot-10, 216 pounds, 31.0 BMI, 4.39-second 40-yard dash, 1.54-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-8 broad jump and is a proven pass catcher. (scouting report)
• Zach Evans, Mississippi: 5-foot-11, 202 pounds, 28.2 BMI, 4.50-second 40-yard dash, 1.58-second 10-yard split, 7.08 three-cone drill, 10-foot-1 broad jump and can function as a dual-threat player. (scouting report)
• Evan Hull, Northwestern: 5-foot-10, 209 pounds, 30.0 BMI, 4.47-second 40-yard dash, 1.53-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-3 broad jump, 21 bench-press repetitions and pass-catching capability (scouting report)
• Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State: 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, 30.3 BMI, 4.57-second 40-yard dash, 1.58-second 10-yard split, 9-foot-9 broad jump and proven pass-catching ability. Luepke profiles similarly to Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor fullback Mike Alstott. (scouting report)

The tables below show the raw data used for this running back sample.

• Ronald Jones suffered a hamstring injury while running the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
• At Oregon State’s Pro Day, Jacquizz Rodgers improved his 40-yard dash to 4.52 seconds and his 10-yard split to 1.58 seconds.

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Nic Bodiford

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Nic Bodiford contributes to The 33rd Team's fantasy football department and works elsewhere as an analyst and editor in written, video and audio mediums. These works can be found at Pro Football Focus, 4for4, Nerdball and Fake Teams. Nic moonlights at Legendary Upside by editing Pat Kerrane's weekly article, The Walkthrough.