GM: Bucs gave kicker Roberto Aguayo a 1st-round grade
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trading up to draft kicker Roberto Aguayo in the second round made for one of the more controversial moves in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Many contested the Buccaneers squandered an opportunity to land a player at a position of far greater impact at both the third- and fourth-round spots they surrendered as part of the trade.
But that's not the way Tampa Bay's draft board took shape.
General manager Jason Licht explained that Aguayo received a first-round grade from the Buccaneers' scouting staff, reports Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com.
"Not a lot of people will ever admit that a kicker is worth a first-round pick," Licht said. "I'm going to be jumping for joy when a few of the people in (the media) realize that some are."
Landing Aguayo theoretically provides a substantial upgrade to a position that's long represented a problem area for the Buccaneers.
More than simply addressing a need, though, the value placed on the kicker spot appears to stem from Licht's experience working alongside a certain future Hall of Fame coach.
"In New England, Bill Belichick made us scouts list our roster from 1-53 and we had eight practice squad guys and we had some guys on I.R., but he wanted us to rank our guys from first to last," Licht said.
"None of us had the kicker, Stephen Gostkowski, in our top 10 - even though he was an excellent kicker. After we were done, Bill said, 'Nobody wants to put Gostkowski in our top 10? Why, just because he's a kicker?' Bill made us 'rethink that' and he got his point across. He said, 'You tell me 10 other players that are more important than him.'"
A fellow Florida State product, Aguayo predictably drew comparisons to Sebastian Janikowski throughout a collegiate career in which he earned the nickname "Mr. Perfect."
Though there will always be a case against selecting kickers before the third day of the draft, the Buccaneers likely won't have any regrets if Aguayo is able to set out on a similar career path.
Janikowski, a first-round pick in 2000, is entering his 17th season with the Oakland Raiders. He's converted 80.2 percent of field-goal attempts and has long sat alone atop the franchise's all-time scoring list.