The five most intriguing NFL draft classes: The Bucs' plan is revealed, and more

Now that the 2020 NFL draft is weeks in the past, there's a deeper understanding of what teams actually tried to do with their selections. Some drafted for splash, others for need, some for scheme or philosophy -- or simply for good players.

How the pieces fit -- and how coaches foster the talent -- will go a long way in determining the success of this draft.

With that in mind, let's highlight five teams that had the most interesting drafts, and what that means for 2020, with help from NFL personnel evaluators, several college coaches and even a former All-Pro running back.

Tom Brady and the Bucs' ground game

With three capable tight ends and two Pro Bowl wide receivers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' possibilities seem endless in a Tom Brady-led passing game. But Brady's 20-year run in New England featured its share of stout rushing attacks, something that has eluded Tampa Bay recently.

The Bucs haven't ranked higher than 24th in rushing offense since 2016. They aim to change that after the selection of first-round tackle Tristan Wirfs, who can punish linebackers in the open field, and third-round tailback Ke'Shawn Vaughn.

"They have a chance to be a lot better in that area," one NFC executive said. "I think that's where they'll improve coming out of the draft."

Part of that, the exec said, is Brady's ability to check the offense into the right play. But the backfield needed a refresh. Peyton Barber, the team's 2018 leading rusher, fell out of favor last season and signed with Washington as a free agent.

A tandem of Ronald Jones II (724 rushing yards, six touchdowns in 2019), who should be more comfortable in his third year, and Vaughn gives the Bucs a chance.

In fact, Vaughn's college coach describes exactly what Tampa needs -- mainly, an edge.

"Ke will play a long time, in my opinion," Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason told me. "He's different and he has that same chip as Richard Sherman. His drive is big, but his love and IQ for the game is special. He will be fun to watch. Had no fumbles in two years, and a ton of touchdowns."

The Bucs might have more flexibility at tackle than the depth chart suggests. Wirfs played many snaps at right tackle in college but has the footwork and body type to slide around if the Bucs want (Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz thinks he's an NFL left tackle). Some evaluators considered Donovan Smith, the Bucs' current left tackle, a natural right tackle coming out of Penn State in 2015.

The Bucs probably wouldn't make such a switch in a shortened offseason, but a little down-the-road experimenting could be fun.

"He projects as a right tackle, but with [Wirfs'] athleticism, I bet he could make the transition pretty smoothly," one AFC exec said.

The Patriots' new OLB weapon

There was some leaguewide buzz that the Patriots considered signing free agent Clay Matthews for pass-rushing help, but that was before they landed outside linebacker Josh Uche out of Michigan in the second round, No. 60 overall.

Maybe coach Bill Belichick ends up bolstering the lineup with veteran presence anyway, but for now he's got another exciting, versatile option to help offset the loss of Kyle Van Noy. New England kick-started the draft with safety Kyle Dugger, a major prospect out of Lenoir-Rhyne, and followed up with Uche.

If you want to understand Uche's potential, consider what Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown told the player at his exit meeting after his junior season: That he compares to Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Josh Allen at the next level, but to become a top-10 pick like Allen was, he might need to stay another year. But if Uche entered the draft, his talent would still shine through.

That's a lofty comparison. Allen recorded 10.5 sacks as a rookie.

"He has an elite skill, and that is rushing the passer," Brown told me of Uche. "Josh is a good internal blitzer, he can rush off the edge and he has the ability to get skinny [get low and bend on tackles]. His best outside linebacker football is ahead of him."

Getting to the quarterback isn't all Uche does. At 6-foot-1, 241 pounds, and with good speed, Uche dropped back in a variety of zone coverages at Michigan.

He was constantly moving around pre-snap, Brown said, either to avoid the set protection against him in the pass rush or to play the pass from several different angles. Sometimes he would divide the field in a true Cover 2 drop; sometimes he would play from the hashes. Brown estimated that Uche played six or seven different positions when accounting for all the linebacker movement, and by the end of his college career, he was working hard on covering tight ends man-to-man.

New England didn't ask Brown much about how to use him, but he knows Belichick will have no problems maximizing Uche's skill set. Belichick did so with Van Noy, who had 6.5 sacks and three passes defended in his final season in New England.

"They asked what we thought of his change of direction, things he does well. They are usually very positive," Brown said of New England. "That's one of the outfits, they will let a guy play to his strength. They want to know if he's a worker, what kind of kid is he. And he checks all those boxes in a positive way. He's the kind of guy that you have to remove from pass-rush drills -- like, 'Josh, that's enough, you just went two straight.'"

Denver in Lock step

The Denver Broncos weren't exactly hiding their draft plans: surround quarterback Drew Lock with a mile-high stack of talent.

Taking wide receiver Jerry Jeudy No. 15 overall was a fairly easy choice -- all receivers but Henry Ruggs III were available, and he was rated highest on Denver's board -- but to double down in the second round with slot receiver KJ Hamler reminded that the Broncos need Lock to succeed in the worst way.

To be sure, Denver's defense has been stout for years, so loading up on offense to compete with the high-octane Chiefs is a smart calculation.

Still, only a big Year 2 from Lock will close Denver's half-decade turnstile at the quarterback position. But the team has given him one of the youngest collections of skilled playmakers in the league. A potent tailback tandem of free-agent signing Melvin Gordon, 27, and Phillip Lindsay, 25, ascending tight end Noah Fant, 22, and Pro Bowl alternate Courtland Sutton, 24, alongside the two exciting rookies will suffice.

"When you have a young quarterback you're trying to instill confidence in, the best way to do so is to surround him with talent, whether he's ready for it or not," one AFC exec said. "Most young quarterbacks will experience some level of hardship, and the good organizations help them get past that and find long-term success. That's what Denver is trying to do here. They seem to be taking the long view with Drew."

Denver is doing its part. Now it's up to Lock to build on last season's encouraging five-game sample of 1,020 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions on 100-of-156 passing.

One AFC coach said Lock wasn't close to ready coming out of Missouri, but is steadily improving.

"He has come a long way," the coach said. "My whole thing was I didn't think he was an instant starter. I'm still not sure and he's gotta prove it, but we're gonna see what he does with those weapons -- big-time weapons."

Hamler and Jeudy are great fits for Lock, the coach said, because they can play inside and out, providing easy yards for Lock on third-and-short.

The Colts' three-tiered QB plan

Indianapolis always seems to find the draft value it covets. Getting receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (101 catches, 1,275 yards at USC in 2019) and tailback Jonathan Taylor (back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons at Wisconsin) in the second round addresses the need for more offensive firepower, and third-round safety Julian Blackmon could eventually replace Malik Hooker, whose fifth-year option was not picked up two weeks ago.

But the Colts' most intriguing pick came late in the fourth round, a flier on big-armed quarterback Jacob Eason out of Washington.

Many evaluators were torn on Eason, whose talent is undeniable but who has questions about his work ethic and preparation. As one NFC exec said, "He's not a grinder."

That's why those same evaluators believe Eason landed with the ideal team.

"Great value and spot for him. Can grow with patience," an AFC exec said. "Indy will allow for that to happen, and put him in a position to succeed."

Starter Philip Rivers might play only one more season before he takes over as head football coach at St. Michael Catholic School in Fairhope, Alabama.

And the Colts like Jacoby Brissett so much that, at least for now, they are willing to keep his $21.4 million cap hit on the books. Eason can learn directly from Brissett for a year, see what it takes to be an NFL pro.

But what happens if Eason shows the qualities of a steady backup early on in training camp? Does that make Brissett expendable? Well, what I do know is that Indianapolis views Brissett as a "special guy," the ideal Colt from a culture standpoint, and he can play. And the Colts already have locked into $7 million of guarantees, so releasing him, even if saving $7.875 million in cap space, would equate to empty calories.

"Not sure about his trade market after his struggles last season, but I believe there would be interest," one AFC exec said.

Jets stick to the plan

People around the NFL were curious how general manager Joe Douglas would move in the captain's seat with a unique luxury -- operating his first draft after one regular season on the job. He could evaluate the 2019 Jets without the pressure of watching his own picks succeed or fail.

After free agency and the draft, personnel sources had one takeaway: Douglas clung tightly to his plan.

"He believes in building through the O-line and D-line," one AFC personnel man said. "That makes for easy decisions when that's your philosophy."

After signing four offensive linemen (guard Greg Van Roten, center Connor McGovern, tackle George Fant, guard Alex Lewis) to three-year deals worth more than $80 million early in free agency, the Jets doubled down in the draft with run-blocking behemoth Mekhi Becton (6-foot-7, 364 pounds) at No. 11 overall. In both cases, the Jets prioritized Sam Darnold's pass protection over getting receiver help.