Much like Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft, Day 2 kicked off with defense.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Houston Cougars defensive end Logan Hall with the No. 33 overall pick to begin Friday's festivities in Las Vegas.
The Bucs acquired the first pick in the second round following a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tampa received the No. 33 pick, and Nos. 106 and 180 in exchange for the No. 27 pick Thursday night, which the Jags used to take Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd.
Tampa Bay later traded up to select Central Michigan offensive lineman Luke Goedeke with the 57th pick.
Hall is a long, twitched-up defensive lineman with a quick first step and good power and explosiveness off the ball who can play inside or outside. The senior displayed the ability to use his length to keep blockers off his body and offers a good array of swim/slap moves.
Standing 6-foot-6, 283 pounds, Hall should be able to add weight to his frame at the pro level without losing explosiveness. The Cougar enters the NFL as a raw specimen with room to grow -- most notably, keep his pad-level down -- and could develop into a difference-maker in Tampa.
In four years at Houston, Hall generated 97 tackles and seven sacks, six of which came in 2021. Joining the Bucs is a good fit for Hall's skill set, and he should grow into a productive player in Todd Bowles' scheme.
For Tampa, the selection mirrors its 2021 first-round pick of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a similarly athletic pass rusher with room to grow. JTS enjoyed a solid rookie season playing in a rotation with Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul. Hall's selection also comes with Ndamukong Suh still a free agent after three seasons in Tampa. If the Bucs get similar production from Hall in Year 1 at they did Tryon-Shoyinka, they'd be thrilled.
The Bucs' goal the past couple of drafts has been to get 4-126 Farrell, Neil DT Louisiana State LAS VEGASat edge rusher. While Hall's selection shouldn't preclude a potential reunion with JPP, it lessens the immediate need to add another edge player for the Super Bowl-or-bust Bucs.
After celebrating his 22nd birthday last Friday, Hall now gets to party after joining Tom Brady's Bucs as the top pick in the second round.
