A Bucs mid-round pick in 2017 being labeled among the best selections

In a recent piece from Pro Football Focus , analyst Trevor Sikkema highlighted some of the best mid-to-late round wide receiver picks in recent draft history, and one Buccaneers name made the list for good reason.

Chris Godwin, a third-round pick out of Penn State in 2017, came into the league with something to prove, as many middle-round drafted players do. He was not seen as a true separator, and his drop rate raised concerns about his ability to be consistently relied on in the NFL. The traits were there, but the development and projection were not certain.

Tampa Bay saw it differently.

Since being selected in 2017, Godwin has turned into one of the most complete receivers in the league, and he did it without needing to be a first-round pick. He developed into a true inside-outside weapon, producing from the slot and on the boundary while becoming one of the most consistent offensive pieces. From 2019 through 2023, he stacked five straight 1,000-yard seasons and proved he could win in multiple ways.

More importantly, the weaknesses in his draft profile did not stick. His drop rate improved, his separation improved, and he continued to win in contested situations. That development, combined with coaching, led to a player putting it all together.

And that is why this matters now.

With Mike Evans gone, Godwin is no longer part of a duo. He is the standard in that room. The same player who once had questions coming into the league is now the one against whom everything gets measured.

PFF also connected Godwin’s profile to Connecticut wide receiver Skyler Bell as a potential 2026 draft counterpart. Like Godwin coming out, Bell is a productive inside-outside option with questions tied to drops and how consistently he can separate against man coverage. The production is there, and so is the versatility, but the evaluation comes down to his development in the NFL and his projection. It is a reminder that players with similar concerns can develop very differently depending on the situation they land in.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Chris Godwin among best mid-round draft picks by PFF