Buccaneers take Trask with final pick of 2nd round
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers landed a possible successor to Tom Brady with the final second-round pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The reigning Super Bowl champions selected quarterback Kyle Trask out of Florida with the 64th overall pick.
"The opportunity to learn from one of the greats I watched growing up ... it's truly remarkable," Trask said of playing with Brady, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. "I'm going to come in and work my tail off to do whatever I can to help this team."
The 23-year-old was the sixth quarterback off the board, following first-rounders Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones.
Trask was named a Heisman Trophy finalist after an outstanding 2020 campaign in which he racked up 4,283 passing yards and 43 touchdowns against eight interceptions for the Gators.
The former Florida standout should make for a developmental project behind Brady and backup Ryan Griffin.
Brady is signed through the 2022 campaign after inking a one-year extension with the Buccaneers in March.
Draft profile
Key stats: 68.9 completion percentage, 4,283 passing yards, 43 TDs, 8 INTs, 3 rushing TDs
Kyle Trask is an interesting evaluation. A lack of mobility stands out among his weaknesses - you just don't see many non-athletes thriving at the quarterback position in today's NFL. But don't sleep on his ability to extend plays with his subtle yet effective movements from within the pocket. The biggest question here is whether he can develop the efficiency in the underneath passing game to match what he's shown when he pushes the ball downfield. Trask has the upside of a future starter if he lands with a team that has a veteran quarterback in place and can afford to be patient with his progression early on.