Buccaneers NFL Draft Target: CB D.J. James, Auburn

Could the Buccaneers swap one Auburn alumnus for another in the secondary?

Soon after the new league year began, the Buccaneers decided to trade long-time cornerback Carlton Davis on his expiring deal (along with a couple 6th rounders) to the Detroit Lions for a third-rounder this year.

The extra draft capital gives one of the best draft day maneuvers in Jason Licht valuable flexibility, but it does throw into question how set the team is in the secondary. Jamel Dean remains solidified as a starter, but it now looks like third-year veteran Zyon McCollum is currently in line to start full-time for the first time in his career.

Will Tampa seek to reinforce the position? Auburn is an established pipeline for the Bucs, and cornerback D.J. James might be the next in line.

D.J. JAMES’S COLLEGIATE CAREER

A native of Spanish Fort, Ala., James came out of high school in 2019 as a 3-star recruit, per 247Sports, and he committed to Oregon originally. He played in 13 games as a true freshman, serving as a reserve primarily. In 2020 he played as a backup for 7 games before finally assuming a starting role as a junior in 2021.He started 11 games, breaking up four passes and logging his first 2 interceptions with 46 total tackles.

In 2022, he transferred to Auburn, increasing his PBU total to 8 and logging another interception — he was named second-team All-SEC for his efforts. He played well again in 2023, collecting 10 PBUs, 2 interceptions and 38 total tackles.

He did accept an invite to the 2024 Senior Bowl.

PRO DAY AND SCOUTING COMBINE

James participated in a limited fashion at both the NFL Combine and the Auburn Pro Day (which took place March 22).

At the Combine, he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash with a 1.5 10-yard split but didn’t participate in anything else. He measured at 6-foot even and a lithe 175 pounds with 31” arms.

At his Pro Day, he stood on his 40 but did do the broad jump and recorded an impressive 10’ 6”. He also participated in on-field drills.

He does not properly qualify for composite metrics like Relative Athletic Score due to the lack of testing, but his weight ranks in the bottom 5th percentile of RAS, which may be concerning.

WHAT JAMES CAN DO FOR THE BUCS IN 2024

James wouldn’t likely be forced into duty right away.

As previously mentioned, it seems probable that Dean and McCollum will be given first crack at the outside corner spots, while second-year Christian Izien and new signee Tavierre Thomas will likely be first in line at slot corner.

That said, James feels more pro ready than some other cornerbacks, which could get him on the field in subpackages or if, inevitably, Dean gets hurt.

James plays adeptly in Cover 3, which would work very well with what Todd Bowles likes to do on defense. James is comfortable lining up in off-coverage, as he demonstrates a smooth backpedal, fluid hips, and top-notch reaction to receiver movements.

He’s instinctive and heady with the ball in the air, as evidenced by his strong ball production. With the way he’s able to contest passes, it will remind the team of both Dean and Davis, who have both logged some of the highest PBU totals of any duo of corners in the league throughout the last 5 years.

THREE-YEAR OUTLOOK

James would be groomed as someone who could take over as an outside or inside starter given how fluid he is and the consistent technique he shows.

Given Dean’s expensive price tag and constant injury issues, the team may decide to move on from him, which would open a spot for James as early as next year. Conversely, the team may also be unimpressed with McCollum, who has improved but still needs to show better consistency on a snap-to-snap basis to justify any time of long-term investment.

Then you have Izien and Thomas in the slot, who are both very solid players but may ceilings on their potential.

Regardless of the avenue, James would have a feasible path to starter snaps by as early as next season. It would be better for him to have that year of conditioning as well, because James needs to put on weight so he doesn’t get consistently bullied by bigger receivers. His shorter arms are already a concern in that area, so being so light in the pants could doom him against the more physical wideouts of the NFL.

STOCK REPORT

D.J. James is widely considered a strong top 100 prospect, but likely someone who falls in the late-Day 2, early Day 3 range of the draft.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein is high on James, giving him a grade of 6.3 — a plus starter. He complimented James’s premium balance and body control, as well as his excellent plant and drive ability. James is Zierlein’s 8th ranked corner, ahead of names like T.J. Tampa and Kamari Lassiter — two widely regarded as strong second-round options.

Acclaimed NFL analyst Greg Cosell felt similarly good about James’s potential. Cosell likewise called him a Day 2, early Day 3 pick, having this to say:

“Overall, James is a versatile prospect who excels playing from man and zone coverage due to his good feel and understanding of positioning and route concepts. He is an aggressive, physical CB who is good in run support and willing to come downhill and hit.”

Bleacher Report’s Cody Giddings was slightly lower on James, calling him a solid 4th round player (rank 90th overall on their big board as CB11). His concerns primarily stemmed from his lack of bulk and unevenness in run support.

ON THE CLOCK…

There you have it, Bucs Nation. Would you like to see another Auburn cornerback roaming the defensive secondary? Let us know in the poll and comments.