Bucs Draft Notes: Richardson or Claiborne?
Here at TGB.com, we give balanced NFL Draft coverage for every team. But, we’re also honest enough to admit our Tampa bias, so we’ll 
start the conversation with a Bucs topic.
With free agency still yet to take place, it’s hard to know what holes the Bucs will have already filled by the time they make the #5 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. However, there is already a rather strong consensus that the pick will be one of two former SEC superstars: Alabama RB Trent Richardson or LSU CB Morris Claiborne.
Well, Buccaneer faithful, who do YOU want your beloved Pewter Pirates to select with that pick? Should the Bucs take Richardson, who could be the next Adrian Peterson (without the fumbles, even)? Or should they go with the ball-hawking shutdown corner in Claiborne? Or is there a different player that you’d rather see the Bucs select?
Sound off in the comment section.
2011 GRIM MOCK DRAFT 1.0
Mock drafts have been swirling since the end of last season, but I always wait a little while to jump into it. I like to let things settle a little bit first, letting the Combine and most of the Pro Days and private workouts happen before putting out my initial first-round projection.
That time has indeed arrived, so here is the first version of how I think the first round will shake out. At this point, I’m not including projected trades, so this will be who I think will be selected if every team stays put at their pick.
Here we go.
Auburn QB Cam Newton
1. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton, QB, Auburn – We’re going to hear a million stories about this pick between now and Draft Day. At this point, everything I’m hearing points to Newton being the pick. It seems a little early for Carolina GM Marty Hurney to be giving up on last year’s 2nd round pick, Jimmy Clausen, but Newton’s potential might just be too much for the Panthers to pass up.
2. Denver Broncos – Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama – The Broncos are transitioning to a 4-3 scheme, and the most immediate need will be a dominant presence in the interior of the defensive line. Thankfully for Denver, they should have an opportunity to land the most complete player in this draft at that position in Dareus.
3. Buffalo Bills – Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M – Bringing in an edge rusher isn’t the most pressing need for Buffalo, but if Newton is off the board, look for them to go this route. Miller is one of the top overall talents in the draft, and taking him would be a much better decision than reaching for an offensive tackle or taking Blaine Gabbert. If the Bills choose to stick with the “Best Player Available” theory, look for Patrick Peterson to get serious consideration here, as well.
Georgia WR A.J. Green
4. Cincinnati Bengals – A.J. Green, WR, Georgia – Carson Palmer’s status remains uncertain, but if the Bengals hold out any hope of bringing him back next season, they have to restock his arsenal of weapons. Green is one of the most complete receivers to enter the draft in recent memory, and would make an immediate impact.
5. Arizona Cardinals – Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri – The Cardinals are in desperate need of a franchise QB, and they have to take the risk of hoping Gabbert can be the guy. If Von Miller falls to this pick, it may make the decision a little harder, but in this scenario Gabbert would be the no-brainer.
6. Cleveland Browns – Robert Quinn, OLB, North Carolina – GM Mike Holmgren would hate to see A.J. Green off the board at this point, but there are definitely other solid options in this scenario. I see the Browns taking value over need with this pick, taking a dominant edge rusher in Quinn over the risky pick, Da’Quan Bowers.
7. San Francisco 49ers – Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU – This pick shouldn’t take long to get in if the draft falls this way. Peterson is arguably the best overall player in this draft, and would give the ‘Niners an electrifying playmaker at a premium position.
LSU CB Patrick Peterson
8. Tennessee Titans – Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn – Fairley’s former position coach, Tracey Rocker (now an assistant for the Titans), will be screaming for this pick to be made. There’s no value at this point at QB, there they have the biggest need, so they take last year’s most dominant defensive player in college football.
9. Dallas Cowboys – J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin – As always, the Cowboys will most likely try to trade down from this pick and take the best available offensive tackle or defensive end. If they stay put, however, Watt represents the best value at a huge need area, as opposed to reaching for a tackle here.
10. Washington Redskins – Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri – Julio Jones is the popular pick here, but I’ve got a feeling that Washington is going to go in different direction with this pick. WR is definitely a bigger area of need, but pairing Smith with Brian Orakpo would give the ‘Skins a formidable duo of edge rushers.
Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara
11. Houston Texans – Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska – The Texans would love to see a top talent like Amukamara fall to them here. Cornerback is a top priority for Houston, and in this scenario they would snag a Top-10 talent.
12. Minnesota Vikings – Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson – QB is a way bigger need for the Vikes, but I think this is way too early to start talking about Jake Locker or Christian Ponder. It’s hard to be sure how fall Bowers will fall due to serious health concerns, but at this pick it would be hard for Minnesota to resist a top-5 talent.
13. Detroit Lions – Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College – The Lions would hate to see Amukamara gone at this point, but providing stronger protection for Matthew Stafford is also a priority. Castonzo is thought of in some circles to be the most pro-ready of any of the tackle prospects.
14. St. Louis Rams – Julio Jones, WR, Alabama – This is the dream scenario for the Rams. WR is definitely their biggest need, and the drop-off after Jones is steep. This pick would give Sam Bradford a big target with a stellar combination of size and athleticism.
Alabama RB Mark Ingram
15. Miami Dolphins – Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama – Miami is the only team with a true need for a feature back, and they’re almost certain to have the opportunity to grab the best back in this year’s class. Ingram has the skill set required of an every-down NFL back and has drawn comparisons to Emmitt Smith.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars – Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue – The Jags have two young starters entrenched along the interior of the defensive line in Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton, but they still need a dynamic pass rusher of the future. Kerrigan is well-balanced against both the run and pass, and rarely takes a play off. He also represents the best value here versus other need areas for the Jags.
17. New England Patriots (from OAK) – Mike Pouncey, G/C, Florida – The Pats will again have the luxury of letting the draft come to them. With plenty of picks in the early rounds and not many huge needs, they will simply take the best player available. The Pats love taking Gators, and Pouncey’s versatility will provide needed depth along the interior of the offensive line.
18. San Diego Chargers – Cameron Jordan, DE, California– The Bolts would love for Jordan to make it past the Pats. They have a huge need for a 5-technique defensive end, and Jordan’s stellar performance at the Senior Bowl vaulted him into the mid-first-round conversation.
19. New York Giants – Tyron Smith, OT, USC – Pure value with this pick. While their true need is along the interior of the offensive line, there’s really no first-round value at this point with Pouncey already off the board. In this scenario, the G-Men might not be able to pass up Smith, who is arguably the best tackle in the draft.
UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA – The Bucs need help throughout the entire defensive unit, and Ayers’ versatility makes him a perfect fit. Ayers displays great athleticism in coverage, excellent instincts in pursuit and play recognition, and was successful as a pass rusher, even from a true defensive end alignment at UCLA.
21. Kansas City Chiefs – Nate Solder, OT, Colorado – It’s possible that K.C. could go for a receiver here, but the value is better at other positions at this point. Solder could plug in immediately at the right tackle spot and would be a solid addition to the offensive line.
22. Indianapolis Colts – Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin – The Colts need to invest in keeping Peyton Manning on his feet, and Carimi’s ability to play either tackle spot make him a great pick who could make an impact right away.
23. Philadelphia Eagles – Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado – This pick is a perfect fit, balancing value with a pressing need. Character concerns have tempered Smith’s draft stock, but his physical ability is undeniable.
Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn
24. New Orleans Saints – Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa – This is another pick that just makes sense. The Saints have a glaring need at defensive end, and Clayborn is likely to come off the board around this pick.
25. Seattle Seahawks – Jake Locker, QB, Washington – The Charlie Whitehurst experiment looks to be a failure already, leaving the Seahawks in need of a franchise QB. The Seahawks have had the closest vantage point for watching Locker, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them pull the trigger here.
26. Baltimore Ravens – Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland – Joe Flacco needs a target who can stretch the field and take some coverage pressure off of Anquan Boldin. Smith is a local favorite whose great size/speed combination would be the perfect fit for the Ravens.
27. Atlanta Falcons – Justin Houston, DE, Georgia – The Falcons have a few different options here, but the best value is still at defensive end at this point. Houston is a very similar player to John Abraham, and would provide an immediate impact as a situational pass rusher until he’s fully prepared to play on every down.
Temple DE Muhammed Wilkerson
28. New England Patriots – Muhammed Wilkerson, DE, Temple – Whomever the Pats take at #17 will obviously have a big impact on what direction they go with this pick. In this scenario, the Pats would be looking to add either an outside linebacker or a 5-technique defensive end such as Wilkerson, who played defensive tackle at Temple but would transition into the 3-4 end position.
29. Chicago Bears – Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois – With the departure of Tommie Harris, the Bears have a huge need for a 3-technique defensive tackle. This would be a favorable scenario for Chicago, in which a top-20 talent like Liuget falls to them at this pick.
30. New York Jets – Brooks Reed, OLB, Arizona – This pick would be a great fit. The Jets have a glaring hole at outside linebacker, and Reed’s stock has done nothing but go up since the end of last season. He would provide instant help as a pass-rushing presence off the edge.
Miami (FL) CB Brandon Harris
31. Pittsburgh Steelers -Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (FL) – The Steelers need for get faster in the defensive backfield, and while Texas’ Aaron Williams might be a more complete corner, Harris has him beat in the speed department and could get the nod if they choose to go in that direction.
32. Green Bay Packers – Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State – There’s obviously not a lot of need areas for the Super Bowl champs, but adding a young building block at defensive end would definitely be a wise way to go with this pick. Heyward underachieved at Ohio State, but his potential would be worth pulling the trigger here.
NFL Draft Primer – Miami Dolphins
MIAMI DOLPHINS
2010 Record: 7-9
1st Round Pick: #15
1. Running Back – It doesn’t look like Miami will be bringing back either of their two leading backs from last season, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Both Brown and Williams had durability issues, but they combined to be at least adequate over the past few seasons. Losing both of them will make this the clear top priority on Draft Day.
Picks That Fit – The ‘Phins are arguably the only team with a true need at RB in the entire first round. That being the case, they should be in perfect position to snag Alabama’s Mark Ingram, who is far and away the best back in this draft.
2. Offensive Guard – This need goes hand-in-hand with finding a feature back when it comes to putting together a ground attack for the 2011 season. Miami needs a dominant presence on the interior of the offensive line to create opportunities for their running back, whoever that ends up being.
Picks That Fit – If, for some reason, they pass on Ingram in the first round, the only player at this position worth taking at #15 overall is Florida’s Mike Pouncey. Should they wait until Day 2 to fill this need, guys like Danny Watkins of Baylor and Marcus Cannon of TCU would be solid selections.
3. Quarterback – Has Chad Henne had enough time to truly prove himself as a starting QB? Probably not. However, the leashes have grown shorter for everyone in the NFL, from general managers and head coaches down to the signal-callers. Henne might not have done enough to keep Miami from drafting some competition for him.
Picks That Fit – It’s highly unlikely that Miami will use a first round pick on a QB, but starting on Day 2 it will definitely be on their radar. If they want to land a QB in the 2nd round, Florida State’s Christian Ponder, Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick, and Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett are all possibilities.
NFL Draft Primer – Buffalo Bills
With the 2011 NFL Draft just over a month away, it’s time to start taking a deeper look at the need areas for each team, and how they might fill those needs through this year’s draft class. We’ll do this by division, and focus on each team’s top three areas of need. Let’s start with the AFC East and the Buffalo Bills.
BUFFALO BILLS
2010 Record: 4-12
1st Round Pick: #3
1. Quarterback – It’s hard to fault Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Bills’ offensive woes, considering his lack of support along the offensive line. However, Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a stop-gap solution, and the Bills aren’t good enough in other areas to be successful with a sub-par signal-caller.
Picks That Fit – If the Bills chose to take a QB at #3 overall, both Blaine Gabbert of Missouri and Cam Newton of Auburn could still be on the board. If given the choice, look for the Bills to go with Newton, for the same reasons they selected C.J. Spiller in the first round last year: they need excitement. Newton would provide that instantly.
2. Offensive Tackle – As mentioned before, the Bills have had a difficult time moving the ball on offense in large part because of a lackluster starting crew along the line. They drafted arguably the most electrifying player in last year’s draft, but Spiller was bottled up for much of last season because there was simply nowhere to run. They need help across the entire line, but it has to start with an anchor at tackle.
Picks That Fit – There’s not a tackle worth taking at #3 overall, but there should be some solid options in Round 2. Mississippi State’s Derek Sherrod is a punishing run blocker who also has the pass blocking skills to become a quick starter at either tackle spot. Villanova’s Benjamin Ijalana would also be a possibility.
3. Outside Linebacker/Cornerback – These are equal areas of need. Draft bust Aaron Maybin set the OLB unit back considerably, so the Bills might be wary of spending a high pick on another 3-4 edge rusher. That said, the need remains for a dynamic pass-rushing presence at the position. Leodis McKelvin is locked in at one corner spot, but if the Bills lose Drayton Florence to free agency, this will create an even bigger need at CB.
Picks That Fit – The Bills are positioned extremely well to fill either of these needs with a top talent at the #3 pick. Whether it’s Texas A&M OLB Von Miller or LSU CB Patrick Peterson, Buffalo could fill a big need with one of the best overall players available.
Who do YOU want on the cover of NCAA Football 12?
That’s right, you fans of collegiate polygonal pigskin. EA Sports wants you to decide who graces the cover of NCAA Football 12.
The choices are:
Alabama RB Mark Ingram
Auburn DT Nick Fairley
Washington QB Jake Locker
Oklahoma RB DeMarco Murray
So head on over to the NCAA Football Facebook page and cast your vote, and be sure to leave a comment here letting us know who you voted for and why!
http://www.facebook.com/easportsncaafootball
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2011 NFL DRAFT – Top 5 Players by Position
With the Scouting Combine in the books, it’s time to look at the top talents available in this year’s NFL Draft. Here are my Top 5 players by position. This list represents who I think are the best overall players, not how high I project them to be selected.
I’ve included separate lists for defensive ends and outside linebackers, based on whether they would fit best in a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense.
As always, bring the feedback.
QB
RB
FB
WR
TE
OT
OG
C
DE
DT
OLB
ILB
CB
S
K
P
Stay tuned for more Grim draft coverage, including player features, exclusive interviews, and our official mock draft.
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SB XLV
Big congrats to the Packers, who took it to the Steelers in SB XLV to win their fourth Super Bowl, and thirteenth NFL title. I think it’s time to throw in the SB XXXVII dvd and watch our Bucs bask in former glory again! Big shout out to all our friends in Whitefish Bay up there; we know you guys are having a ball!
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