Mark Dominik Ups Bucs’ Draft Grade, Takes “A Mulligan”
May 18th, 2024
Joe needs to clarify the stance of the man who delivered Lavonte David and Will Gholston to the Buccaneers.
Former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik (2009-2013) shared an eyebrow-raising explanation for giving Tampa Bay’s 2020 NFL Draft haul a B+ grade on radio yesterday. But Joe later learned that Dominik changed his stance.
Dominik does a stellar job as the SiriusXM NFL Radio draft guru and he annually grades teams’ past drafts after enough years have passed to evaluate them sensibly.
Yesterday, Joe heard Dominik tell his audience the Bucs’ 2020 draft that yielded All-Pro studs Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield, Jr. — and five duds — was worthy of a “B+” grade.
Dominik shared how he “struggled” with the grading, “but I did go with the B+ … Dang it, I wanted to give it an A- so bad.”
Joe heard that and was stunned, so Joe wrote up Dominik’s B+ assessment in story form here yesterday, adding that Dominik cited a personal criterion of requiring a team gets three quality starters — or three players that earn a second contract — out of a draft to reach the A- level. “You just wish you had that one more player,” he said of the Bucs’ 2020 draft.
However, what Joe did not hear was Dominik change his mind and his Bucs 2020 draft grade later in the show.
Co-host Bruce Murray gave the Bucs’ 2020 draft an “A-” grade and backed it up very firmly with a powerful and detailed rant. Afterwards, Dominik said, “I’m taking a mulligan” and he changed his Bucs grade to an “A-.”
Dominik noted it was the only grade-change mulligan he’s taken this year after assessing the 2020 drafts of 22 teams.
Joe always strives for accuracy. After listening to Dominik explain his “B+” grade, Joe had no expectation of Dominik changing his mind. But Dominik did. And it was the right call.
Joe knows Dominik has his share of haters among Bucs fans, but Joe long has admired that Dominik has publicly remained a Bucs fan after his firing, often referring to the Bucs as “we.”
As for the A- grade for the 2020 draft, Joe would give an “A” but thinks A- is reasonable. It’s an especially fun exercise if you put the Bucs’ 2020 draft up against Dominik’s 2012 draft.
May 18th, 2024 at 9:21 am
Good on Joe for clearing the air here. Wish more media outlets clarified/corrected stories after the fact. Glad Dominick changed to A-, I think that’s much more reasonable for this draft class.
May 18th, 2024 at 9:28 am
Murray is good, he always brings it. I like his show with Gannon.
May 18th, 2024 at 9:51 am
Who cares what this guy says?
May 18th, 2024 at 10:02 am
I like the idea of the draft grades years later and it seems like he has a system to grade the drafts. How did Dominik grade his own drafts?
May 18th, 2024 at 10:16 am
To me…(3) 2nd contract guys in 1 class makes perfect sense for an “A” grade baseline…But grabbing (2) HOF type talents that are among the best in the league at their positions sure makes up for that 3rd guy, IMO…2020 was an A in my book.
2021’s regrade will not be so kind…Only anticipate KJ Britt seeing a middling 2nd deal offer from Licht & Co…But for 2022 there’s still a chance for 3-5 Bucs to get 2nd deal offers. (Geodeke / White / Otton / Camarda / McCullum)
May 18th, 2024 at 10:22 am
Absolutely a No A but an A- seems reasonable by Mark Dominic.
May 18th, 2024 at 10:25 am
If the true value is an A, then due to individual subjectivity and bias, the margin of error will be between A- and B+. All 3 grades seem about right.
May 18th, 2024 at 10:26 am
ANY draft that yields 2 future HOF’ers should be an A
May 18th, 2024 at 10:31 am
Nobody and i mean nobody knows what any team’s draft class will be like. After 3 years go back and look at the draft and you will see who drafted well and then you can give it grade.
May 18th, 2024 at 10:36 am
The whole concept of draft grading baffles me, especially retrospectively. Who are we grading? The GM? Scouting staff? Coaching? Players? Organization (which is like grading home depot for the quality of a shovel you bought there yrs ago).
When you look at draft successes and failures, the fails far outweigh the successes. It seems like a bunch of blind squirrels gathering nuts under an oak tree… every squirrel eventually finds a good nut. I truly believe success boils down to fit, culture, coaching, and luck (health, landing in rt fit, life, etc). Would Zack Wilson be a stud QB had he landed with Andy Reid vs the Jets? Would Mayfield be a buc if Cleveland was less disfunctional? Does Devin White lose his mind if his dad didn’t die? Who knows, but grading draft classes feels like an exercise in ego… like taking credit for your child’s success
May 18th, 2024 at 10:39 am
Two HOFers, one slow receiver who caught a few passes, and five or six terrible picks with zero impact. B-plus max.
May 18th, 2024 at 10:43 am
“Rock Star”
:rolleyes:
May 18th, 2024 at 10:56 am
When a key part of the criteria is how many draftees make it to a second contract, one must wonder how much of that is poor coaching when some of the players who left went on to other teams and fared well. It’s hard to blame a player when a coach doesn’t know how to use a players talents.
May 18th, 2024 at 10:59 am
Here’s something to prognosticate about during the off season. How about grading coaching staffs for players who went on to good careers when let go by the team that drafted them.
May 18th, 2024 at 11:13 am
Got two key players and a couple minor contributors that were key to claiming a championship. How would it not be an A?
May 18th, 2024 at 11:25 am
There is a difference between a draft pick who gets a second contact with another team. As compared to a player who is shuffled out of the league.
May 18th, 2024 at 11:38 am
First 4 picks were grand slams. After that, whatever you get from the rest of the draft is gravy. I give the Bucs draft a solid A. If Barton makes the pro bowl as a first year center, it’s got to be an A+.
May 18th, 2024 at 1:05 pm
See? I don’t agree with the A grade. 2 of 7 is not an A grade to me.
I like Licht and all, but I think in that draft, he was so-so. My goal is to have 50% of the picks turn out, rounding down. One more success would have been better…therefore…B- grade from me, regardless of how those two picks turned out.
The 2 good ones were A choices, of course. But the overall draft was B-…and could actually be considered a C with the five failures.
May 18th, 2024 at 1:05 pm
I’m talking about 2020 of course.
May 18th, 2024 at 1:10 pm
2024 draft? A+ for now. I really liked the picks. Of course, seeing how they work out will be the real test.
For now:
Graham Barton = Grandslam
Chris Braswell = Grandslam
Tykee Smith = Great Potential
Jalen McMillan = Potential
Bucky Irving = Potential
Elijah Klein = Surprise Potential Maybe
Devin Culp = Surprise Potential Big Maybe
It’s all sunshine and roses, for now.
May 18th, 2024 at 1:16 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai. To use your Hodad’s grand slam reference above.
If Wirfs and Winfield are in your baseball lineup and one hits a grand slam in one inning and the other hits a grand slam in another inning, then it really does not matter what the rest of the lineup is doing that much.
It was great. Not a C.
May 18th, 2024 at 3:16 pm
Two future HOF’ers that play a big role in winning a SB is an A++++ draft. What an idiot.
May 18th, 2024 at 5:46 pm
Who cares what Dominik thinks? He was a total failure. Along with Rah. Set this franchise back.
May 18th, 2024 at 7:08 pm
Lmk when Dominik thinks it’s hip to draft O Line players. Silly that he all but refused.
May 18th, 2024 at 7:21 pm
If you drafted two All Pros and five bums every year what kind of team would you end up with? I am not sure. I guess in 11 years you’d have a great starting lineup and zero depth.