Here’s How Tampa Bay Buccaneers Won the Race for Chris Godwin at the 2017 NFL Draft Event

Over the last 5 years, the National Football League has seen a major influx of young talent. There have been some great draft picks over the years. Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, are some of the names that come to mind.

But there have been some players who have been absolute steals in the later rounds. One of them was Chris Godwin, who landed in Florida back in 2017.

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How the starry-eyed boy from Philadelphia ended up in Tampa Bay

Chris Godwin made a name for himself while playing for Middletown High School in Delaware. He was regarded as a Top-30 wide receiver nationally.

He was rated as a 4-star prospect by all 4 major recruiting services. Godwin was named the top player in Delaware by ESPN and 247Sports.com.

He joined Pennsylvania State University in 2014, despite getting multiple offers from other top-level college football outfits. After a rather quiet rookie season, Godwin burst onto the college scene with a breakout performance in 2015.

He finished his sophomore season with 1,101 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns while playing for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team.

After another strong display in his junior year, Godwin announced that he would forgo his senior year and declared for the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Philadelphia-born youngster had a gala time at the 2017 NFL combine. He finished the trial with the best score in top vertical jumps and 40-yard dash time among wideout prospects.

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Chris Godwin- A future legend in the making?

Following a strong display at the 2017 NFL Combine, Chris Godwin was being courted by multiple NFL teams. The likes of Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and San Francisco 49ers, were interested in bringing in the talented wide receiver. It was the Buccaneers who won the race for Godwin’s signature.

The Bruce Arians-coached Tampa Bay drafted Godwin in the 3rd round (84th overall). Due to the presence of Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson in Tampa Bay, Godwin had to wait for his chance to impress.

After a strong performance in 2018, Godwin upped the ante last season with a record-setting display for the Buccaneers. He finished his 3rd with new career-high stats in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. On 86 reception0ns, Godwin had 1,333 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns.

He has been a strong force for the Pirates in 2020 as well, thriving under the leadership of the great Tom Brady. The sky is the limit for this boy from Philly, and we can’t wait to see him achieve his full potential in the coming years.

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