The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued to beef up their defense in the second round of the NFL Draft.
A day after snapping up corner Vernon Hargreaves, Tampa added defensive end Noah Spence with the No. 39 overall pick.
Spence, 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, has unquestionable talent, but a litany of off-field issues that pushed him out of the first round. After two years at Ohio State, Spence compiled 11.5 sacks with Eastern Kentucky in 2015.
An elite athlete with big-time explosiveness, Spence has the upside to be a premier pass rusher off the edge and displays plus technique.
If he can keep his head on straight, Spence could be a huge add alongside Gerald McCoy and Robert Ayers in a revamped Bucs D-line.
Pass rusher has been a huge need in Tampa for years. Since 2011, the Buccaneers rank 31st in the NFL in sacks (159) -- the only team with fewer sacks is the Falcons (135).
The additions of Hargreaves and Noah should immediately upgrade the Bucs defense. With Jameis Winston and Mike Evans on offense, Tampa could become a buzzy playoff contender in the NFC heading into the 2016 season.
