Tapping Into Successful Teams
April 30th, 2026
New draft strategy?
Joe remembers a story former Bucs general manager Rich McKay often told.
McKay even recounted the story on the “Raise the Flags: 50 Years Of Buccaneers Football” documentary, seen exclusively on Amazon.com.
McKay said that when he took over as Bucs general manager in 1995, one thing completely perplexed him: Florida was the king of college football. Yet McKay couldn’t understand why the Bucs shied away from drafting players from those schools.
Back in the 1990s, the college football championship ran through Florida. If Miami, Florida State or Florida didn’t win the title, the team crowned champion had to go through at least one of those teams.
McKay thought, why wouldn’t you want players from those schools? They’re the best of the best and already know how to play in the brutal Florida heat?
So McKay began cherry-picking players from Florida schools. Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn were drafted. Obviously, Sapp and Brooks were critical cogs in the Bucs’ first Super Bowl win.
It seems the past two years, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has taken a page from McKay. The Bucs franchise rarely had guys from Ohio State, Notre Dame or Miami in recent years. Not zero, but very few. That has changed in the past two drafts.
Licht drafted Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State, which won a national title two years ago with Egbuka as a starting receiver.
The Bucs drafted Benjamin Morrison last year and Billy Schaurth this year out of Notre Dame. Two years ago, Notre Dame lost to Ohio State in the national championship.
Then last week, Licht got two Hurricanes stars, Rueben Bain and Keionte Scott. Both are from Miami, which played in the national title game this past January.
Yeah, it’s risky as can be to draft guys just because of what college they attended. But if a team is winning games, and either winning a national title or playing for a national title, as McKay once asked, why wouldn’t you want good players from those teams?
What’s wrong with drafting winners?
@thenevinshapiroshowKeionte Scott is teaming up with a familiar face in Tampa Him and Rueben Bain on the same defense is not a site that other teams want to see They did it in college and they’re prepared to do it again in the NFL Is Tampa gonna be a problem for teams next year? What will the Buccaneers record be? Comment above??♬ original sound – The Nevin Shapiro Show
April 30th, 2026 at 5:40 am
He drafted several Washington players, primarily from when Washington was competing for conference and national championship game(s). That’s led to mixed results.
Meanwhile, Philly has been loading up on Georgia defenders, and have a ring to show for it, as well as another SB appearance.
We know Ohio State produces the top WRs, like LSU (used to do?) with DBs, Iowa with OL and TEs, and Penn State/Alabama/Georgia for LBs.
I’d be curious to know over the last 5-10 SB champs, if there is any reasonable correlation between the schools the starters played at, and the impact they had on meaningful NFL games
April 30th, 2026 at 6:48 am
Nothing on those Alabama players, nothing, crickets outside of Jalen Hurts, Will Anderson and Devante Smith, oh yeh we got Braswell…
April 30th, 2026 at 6:57 am
Braswell has long arms, so…
April 30th, 2026 at 8:04 am
The thing I remember about McKay was how little depth the Bucs had when he was GM. One of the CB’s got hurt vs. the Colts, and the immortal Tim Wansley came off the bench, got eaten alive. Small and slow is not a good combination for an NFL CB.
April 30th, 2026 at 8:10 am
I love this post Jose’s. I’m waxing nostalgic now about 90’s football in Florida. The state was truly king of college football programs with three awesome teams.
April 30th, 2026 at 8:18 am
Now those three teams seem to take turns being good, or none of them are all that good.
When is UFs turn again? They’ve been waiting in line a while.
April 30th, 2026 at 8:19 am
I like picking up players who are winners – high school through college. They have played in big games and understand the pressure and atmosphere. Find guys who play best in the 4th qtr – finishers. Most importantly is to find guys who absolutely hate losing.
April 30th, 2026 at 8:29 am
i think it was unless about the school and more about the coaches…
bowden, Spurrier, erickson/Jimmy were all great coaches….experts at fundamentals and the game within the game
recently, the quality of coaches and what they’re teaching has diminished imo…
GO BUCS!!!
April 30th, 2026 at 8:51 am
It’s impossible to say pressures don’t affect a quarterback. In a given year the top edge rushers are getting 17 to 20 sacks a year and there are what 40-50 defensive snaps a game? If you’re averaging a sack a game then pressures are making offensive coordinators adjust their game plan to account for you or making the quarterback think the pass rush is coming faster or speeding up their clock whatever the coach speak is
On the latest Ronde Barber show, he talks about how pressures are not production. –Joe
April 30th, 2026 at 8:51 am
In order for that theory to work, the Bucs need a winner as HC …
Maybe next season the new hc will be a winner!
April 30th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Unless you are a Hall of Famer coaching Rueben Bain
I love this direction they are going.
Should see better results this year with this crop on top of the past few great drafts.
This team will surprise people.
April 30th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Good thing we drafted a WR from the power house school Georgia State.
I’m sure his numbers versus tier 2 opponents will translate to the NFL.
Probably will shock the world like Braswell.
Bud Licht at his finest.
April 30th, 2026 at 9:30 am
I wonder who we were going to get if Bain hadn’t fell in our laps. Were they still available or did a few go right before we picked? Ioane went right before us….jack Campbell went right before our pick and the rumor was he was our pick, so i wonder if maybe Ioane was the guy.
April 30th, 2026 at 9:45 am
Tom-Brady-hand-puppet Fred-Flintstone-doppelgänger Jason Licht may or may not draft good players but he is excellent at gaslighting the fans – after another mediocre 2026 season he will tell us that with all the new faces on offense and defense the team has “growing pains” – give Licht & Bowles inc another chance
April 30th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Rich McKay didn’t always follow that strategy
In 1996, he drafted North Carolina DE Marcus Jones at 22
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Miami Ray Lewis at 26
McKay drafted for needs instead of BPA
He needed a DE to rush the passer, and Marcus Jones fit the bill
He had 31 year old Hardy Nickerson at MIKE
April 30th, 2026 at 10:52 am
Attitude is important ?
April 30th, 2026 at 11:13 am
Lynch, seemed to work out okay for a guy named Jerry Rice. And Terrell Owens. Moss played at Marshall. I think as a general rule picking players from pedigreed programs makes sense. But there are always outliers. Hurst has had a lot of good press from people who know receivers. Hoping he’s an outlier.
April 30th, 2026 at 11:29 am
“Good thing we drafted a WR from the power house school Georgia State.
I’m sure his numbers versus tier 2 opponents will translate to the NFL.”
Here are some small school receivers that did not turn out too bad::
Jerry Rice Mississipii Valley State
Shannon Sharpe Savannah State
Donald Driver Alcorn State
Andre Reed Kutztown
John Stallworth Alabama A&M
Terrell Owens Tennessee-Chatanooga
And there are many, many more.
Coming from a small program isn’t a handicap for talent.
April 30th, 2026 at 11:31 am
OLDSCHOOL1976 Says:
Braswell has long arms, so…
^^^^^^^^^^
Braswell is about to breakout!
April 30th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
Lynch. Licht has drafted several stud olineman from small schools. Theres also many players in the hall of fame that have gone to smaller programs. Your hatred for licht clouds your judgement
April 30th, 2026 at 1:37 pm
Get rid. what have you done as a GM at the NFL level. ? not a dam thing. Your ?? takes shows how low your IQ is. Licht has a SB ring and gave this franchise a 2nd one. He built the team. Go back to being a aints fan cause it’s obvious that’s where you came from.
April 30th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
I always said the same thing before McKay said it publicly. BACK THEN. Because, that was when ALL-3 of the big “Floduh Skoos” were ON TOP. And, their rosters were all STOCKED FULL of the top players in the state. NOW, it’s not the case. Other schools from up north and around the country started RAIDING the state. Penn State (maybe Wisconsin) and then all of the bigger BIG-10 schools started to follow (mostly skill positions). But, after “Hairball” got to Michigan, HE took it to a whole other level… He started having those camps down here, and THE SEC Coaches and Athletic Departments, Fans, & etc. WENT NUTS over it!!!! It really changed the ballgame. In the past couple of years, the talent has dropped a little. Both, Texas and Cali has had the better TEAMS.
Georgia is STILL “JORJA.” Per capita, they are farrrrrr and away THE BEST state that is most LOADED with ‘high-end’ HS Football TALENT, and it isn’t even CLOSE. It’s the reason for why Nick Saban has said on numerous occasions, that the “Georgia Job” is hands down THE BEST Job in the entire COUNTRY. Cause, there’s no ‘in-state’ competition for these recruits… Hell, over 90% of them have grown up being UGA DAWGS FANS at BIRTH.
Georgia Tech has a coach now, so there are absolutely ZERO REASONS for why they can’t be a TOP Contender year-in and year-out now, in the ACC. You KNOW their ‘alumni’ average household income level, has to be right up there with ANY other school’s (for NIL). And, being located right there in downtown ATL… They could be a team ON FIRE with all the advantages they have. If VANDY can do it, you know THEY can too, with THAT ‘recruiting’ base. So, look-out for THEM to make some noise (they’ve got to do something with that basketball program tho- it’s embarrassing). Again, there is absolutely NO REASON for them not to.
It’s really SHOCKING to me what has happened to the ACC… Especially, in BASKETBALL. I mean, USF’s ex-basketball Coach literally turned DOWN his lifelong “Dream Job” since he was a KID, and chose PROVIDENCE COLLEGE over the fricking SYRACUSE JOB. Which, tells you that Syracuse wasn’t offering up enough NIL $$$ for their roster. It’s a shame and makes no sense. I thought maybe we might have really ‘lucked-out’ when he turned THEM down. But, THEM he accepts the “Providence Job!?” Unbelievable. Well, good luck then. Cause, he could’ve NAMED his own SEC JOB had he just stayed at USF for another season or two, and built it up just a little more… Possibly, EVEN the KENTUCKY JOB. I bet it’ll become ‘available’ after this next upcoming season.
April 30th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Too bad the head coach is a Loser.
May 1st, 2026 at 11:25 am
Why isn’t Rich Mckay in the ROH?
May 2nd, 2026 at 4:56 pm
He was winning at 6-2 before they got banged up last season
May 4th, 2026 at 9:49 pm
Like the man said. Draft more players from Georgia, Kirbys system has them ready early. Plus the SEC is darn close to the NFL as far as competition ,tosu for WRs is smart but our Rock Star GM seems to always be looking to surprise people with guys who need lots of developing, & thats something that Bowles & the Bucs aren’t really known for. Philly & GB ,have has pretty good results doing that