Anthony Gaitor Talks To Joe
May 2nd, 2011
Joe enjoyed a chat today with Bucs seventh-round pick Anthony Gaitor, who graduated from Florida International University this afternoon. Joe could sense Gaitor is a Raheem Morris kind of guy — real high-energy and positive. Gaitor, who played multiple positions in the secondary and returned kicks and punts at FIU, said he’s been a Bucs fan for years and talked about his experience at One Buc Place and more.
JoeBucsFan.com: So you grew up in Miami, are you a Dolphins fan?
Anthony Gaitor: Actually I’ve been a Bucs fan for a long time. Three guys from my high school, Torrie Cox, Antonio Bryant and Nate Webster, were Buccaneers and everybody knew who those guys were.
Joe: Did you ever meet them at high school?
Gaitor: I did. Antonio Bryant talked to the guys at school and gave me pointers, told me to stay focused and inspired me telling me I could be in the NFL.
Joe: I read you were 150 pounds entering college. Is that accurate? Did your size hold you back and how did you put on weight?
Gaitor: That’s right. I learned quickly how to eat the right things and hit the weight room. I learned those lessons fast. I had to. No matter what my size I was putting in the work and playing hard. I came from the bottom in a lot of ways. I had to push myself. I always had that type of energy. I’ve always demanded of myself to be better than my opponent. That’s me.
Joe: Your 40 time at your pro day dropped down to 4.45 and 4.5 after you worked with a trainer and that caught the eye of scouts. What happened there?
Gaitor: Really I just worked with trainer Cliff Marshall on proper running techniques and form for the sprint. It gives you an edge. The techniques were new to me.
Joe: So would you say you’ve always had great football speed but you just learned how to run a better 40?
Gaitor: Both, I guess. The techniques help all around.
Joe: Tell me about your visit to One Buc Place.
Gaitor: Oh man. I felt like I was home already. They showed me a lot of love. It’s a great facility. We watched film of me and film of the [Bucs] DBs and how they run their schemes. We went over some plays. …[Raheem] said, ‘When I first saw you, you jumped off film.’ He said he liked that I played hard and fast. It was first class.
Joe: So what can Bucs fans expect of your game?
Gaitor: They’re getting a playmaker. They’re getting a guy who can change the game. But they’re mostly getting a hard worker. I got a chip on my shoulder. I gotta work to be the best. Right now I’m just tyring to work to make the roster. Whatever I have to do.
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I love this kid’s attitude. I watched his YouTube highlights and he jumps off the screen. Of all our picks, Gaitor is the one I’m most excited to see play. Good luck young man.
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I dont know why but I’ve got a really good feeling about this kid his highlight reel is awesome…some of his biggest plays came against primetime competition
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:58 pm
“You just learned how to run a better 40?” <– This is true about most picks. Field speed and 40 speed are very different. True, the 40 indicates a certain speed factor, but it is HUGE on technique. Almost to the point where 40 speed is better at telling an athlete's disipline to learning sprinting technique over true field speed. Thats one reason to believe and draft through tape over killer 40 times and other Combine measurements.
May 2nd, 2011 at 9:06 pm
This kid seems like he has the right attitude and desire to be a solid starter. Let’s hope that he can translate the way E.J. Biggers has. I still am looking forward to the “second draft” the 5th and 6th round picks that we steal off practice squads.
May 2nd, 2011 at 9:08 pm
hope he keeps that work ethic and attitude. Would love to see him progress further.
May 2nd, 2011 at 9:29 pm
This is a young man who both works and plays hard! He has taken on every challenge thrown at him, and done very well. He was the heart of his teams defense. I really am rooting for this young man, and bet he makes this team. He is a great kid!
Ahmad Black is a perfect example of field speed, but terrible track technique. He will also prove fast enough to make this team!
May 2nd, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Who says a 6th round draft pick cant be a stud? Dominik knows how to pick em. Dont know who the hell this is but I have a feeling he is going to be good.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Forgive me if I don’t feel too excited over him until he’s proven himself on the field. After years of big talk from many, many Bucs players and not seeing those players follow through (Like White saying he’ll get double digit sacks every year since he’s been here), and one year wonders, I will cheer for him when he does well, but it’s up to him to do that.
Until then, it’s talk.
But I do want to welcome him to Tampa and wish him the very best in success and growth.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:36 pm
JOE
“Tell me about your visit to One Buc Place.”
I thought players were re-locked out of One Buc Palace begging friday…Gaitor was drafted Saturday…do you see where I am goinhg with this?
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:37 pm
begining***
going***
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Two things I never thought I would see:
1) Chris Sims make it as a starter in the NFL
2) Chris Sims on trial for dope.
Pete:
Posting an entire article from somewhere is not cool. Joe will deal with this tomorrow but if you feel the urge to want to link a story about a Bucs player, feel free to email Joe.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:46 pm
Love this guy.
EVERYBODY – go google his highlights. Good god he looks incredible.
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:17 am
Anyone ever wonder why they call highlight clips “highlights”? Maybe it’s because it puts a players skills in a “high light”, rather than a “low light”. These are clips that are intended to show only the best a player has done, not the lowlights, the bad stuff, the average stuff. Every player drafted has a highlight clip. In each of those highlight clips they all look like future Hall of Famers. Sure, it’s great that these guys have made some good plays that are enough to put together a couple minutes of video, but don’t be fooled. They’re not superstars yet, and there’s a reason they weren’t selected until the 5th round or later. And it’s not because no other GM is as good as Dom at finding gems late. I’m not saying none of them will pan out. Of course there is a chance these guys work hard and end up doing well. It’s just not the likelihood, but rather the off chance. The last three guys drafted will probably be lucky to make the practice squad. I’m not even sure that Ahmad Black will make the 53 man roster. Is it possible? Yeah. Likely? Not really.
I’m just hoping we get production out of our top 4 picks. Clayborn will probably be fine. Bowers is up in the air, depending on the knee. Foster, we don’t know yet, other than some highlights and stats in college. Stocker… will probably get the 2nd most playing time unless Bowers knee is ok. Just keeping it real. I’d love to see them all work out, but it’s not incredibly likely to happen.
May 3rd, 2011 at 1:06 am
@Ant Farm: You realize that Anthony Gaitor was one of the 30 players that the Bucs had in for a pre-draft visit, right?
May 3rd, 2011 at 1:07 am
BamBamBuc,
Your point about highlight clips is valid. However, I think it is automatic that all of our draft picks will make the opening day roster.
My first reason is that draft picks are given preferential consideration when it comes down to final cuts. I think most GM’s are reluctant to admit that they made a poor selection on a new draft pick. They don’t want to give up on a guy that they just invested in, put their reputation on, so soon out of the gate.
Even if you don’t agree with my first point, let’s just look at our roster. Obviously, our first four picks make the team. Now, lets look at Black. I say he easily replaces Corey Lynch or Larry Asante or…take your pick at Safety. Next in line, Alan Bradford. Goodbye Kregg Lumpkin. Next up, Anthony Gaitor. It was nice knowing you Elbert Mack. Then there is TE Daniel Hardy. He’ll replace Ryan Purvis and Nathan Overbay. Done. All draft picks make the roster easily. I’m not even taking injuries into account that could free up more roster spots. Also, notice that all of the guys who I see being replaced were Buccaneers draft picks – they were undrafted college free agents like Mack or they were other teams’ cast-offs.
May 3rd, 2011 at 1:09 am
That last sentence should say “all of the guys who I see being replaced were NOT Buccaneers draft picks.”
May 3rd, 2011 at 2:05 am
Ant: the nflpa is locked out. Undrafted players are not union members and therefore not locked out. Also how were teams suppose to interview the prospects.
May 3rd, 2011 at 8:49 am
Grimm will be our starter, black will have to compete for Jones’s position
May 3rd, 2011 at 11:21 am
Atleast his answer are what you want to hear!! Dude has talent and he had three TDs on defense. So you know he has something. But will this guy be better than Kendrick Burney??? I’ve watched him for atleast 3 years and he was constant and made plays. But this kid Gaitor has the right attitude and wants to prove people wrong. Gotta love that attitude!!
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:04 pm
You got it, buddy 🙂
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:08 pm
The prospects were not drafted, so they were still considered college players, not NFL players. Once drafted, they became NFL players in negotiation (even though they are not actually negotiating).
You are right though, none of the players is in a union now. Which begs the question…if there is no union, how can the top 10 players negotiate for all the others?
Easy. The players disbanding the union was a fraud.
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Matt B.- Your reaching REAL hard to assume Anthony Gaitor beats out Elbert Mack. Gaitor is just as much of a tiny pipsqueak at 5″10 175lbs. as Elbert Mack is. But Elbert Mack has 3 years of NFL experience on Gaitor. If Talib is active to start the year then I expect Elbert Mack to be the fifth corner and Gaitor to be destined for the practice squad. If for whatever reason Talib doesn’t play then Gaitor would have a chance to be the fifth corner.
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:17 pm
And people need to stop acting like Elbert Mack sucks so bad. Mack is pretty decent for a guy his size. The fact is he when he plays nickel or dime and covers smallish slot recievers he’s alright. Whenever he is asked to cover bigger outside recievers he struggles. But what do you want from a guy thats 5′ 10″ 175 lbs.???? Anthony Gaitor looks even scrawnier to the naked eye than Mack does. I wonder why anyone would assume that he can do any better.