The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made four picks in the first three rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft, and all four of those players made significant contributions in their rookie seasons.

First-round tight end O.J. Howard started all 14 games in which he played, tied for the team lead with six touchdowns and averaged a robust 16.6 yards per reception. Second-round safety Justin Evans played in 14 games and started 11, tied for the team lead with three interceptions and finished fifth on the team with 65 tackles. Third-round wide receiver Chris Godwin took advantage of a late-season rise in playing time to grab 34 catches for 525 yards and a touchdown, that score coming on the Buccaneers' final offensive play of the season to give them a win over New Orleans. Third-round linebacker Kendell Beckwith started nine games, played multiple positions and was fourth on the defense with 73 tackles, seven of them for losses.

It's safe to say that the Bucs were thrilled with those contributions from their early-round draftees and they expect all four to be core players for some time to come. It's also safe to say that the team expects those rookie-season contributions to be just the baseline for those four. Howard, Evans, Godwin and Beckwith will hopefully put up even bigger numbers in the years to come, and that could happen as soon as 2018. One or more of them – perhaps all four – could be ready to make that proverbial "Year Two Leap."

Head Coach Dirk Koetter said as much about Howard, specifically, earlier this offseason.

"That rookie year is such a whirlwind," said Koetter. "You're a first-round draft pick; everybody's got high expectations. O.J. played in an elite college program in Alabama. I know he had tapes that he was studying over the offseason and I think O.J.'s going to see that his room for improvement is immense. He can do so many things better, and he's capable of doing that. If O.J. comes in with the right attitude about improving, I think he is a player that has a chance to take a big leap in Year Two. And there's nothing that I know about O.J. that wouldn't suggest that he is the type of player that will be ready to do that."

Howard has had a full NFL offseason to hone his game and unleash his considerable talents. Evans will likely head into his second season as a starter after battling for a spot early last year. Beckwith has to overcome his current ankle injury but could produce more if allowed to settle into one position this year. And Godwin, one of the team's most impressive players this offseason, simply needs more snaps to put up bigger numbers.