Dominik: We’ll “Stay True To Our Board”
February 27th, 2011
Ahh, the professional draft spin and posturing are in full swing. Joe loves all the gamesmanship.
Speaking before a gaggle of reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine the other day (shown on Buccaneers.com), Mark Dominik said many have wrongly “pigeonholed” the Bucs regarding their focus is entering the 2011 draft.
“I don’t think a lot of people thought we’d take two defensive tackles back to back. We’re going to use the draft and stay true to our board and make sure we can take the best player who can help us. And it may not be the position that everbody thinks we’re supposed to take first, but it’s going to be the best one that we think’s going to help our football team, not only in 2011 but going forward.”
So outside of quarterback and defensive tackle, Dominik would have Bucs fans believe he’ll take the best player available when the bell rings for Tampa Bay in the first round.
Maybe that’s true?
February 27th, 2011 at 10:32 am
At least a half truth but subject to alteration if needed. For example they aint taking a QB or DT first round even if they could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
So far his draft technique has yielded excellent results.
February 27th, 2011 at 10:53 am
Yes we will take BPA .. which will be a DE when we trade UP!!
February 27th, 2011 at 11:02 am
Keeping the ball is more important …..another RB
early in the draft
February 27th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Joe here,
@RastaMon — You’ll like the next post …
February 27th, 2011 at 11:15 am
I trust Mark, we’ll get the BPA that’s gonna make sense and is gonna be able to play right away
February 27th, 2011 at 11:23 am
my thinking is that the interior pass rush will be better…thus helping out the outside DE rush ,that and the depth on the DL is so far superior to the depth @ RB it is scary.
LB is weaker than DE
anyway I’ll be beating the drum for a RB until the beginning of the 3rd round
February 27th, 2011 at 11:46 am
It’s great posturing for trading down….some team below them may want the best player on the board.
February 27th, 2011 at 11:50 am
I said weeks ago that they would not be taking a DE with the first pick. As I said it, they likely see a good DE being available later, and that’s what they’ll go with.
I see a MLB being a possibility, or perhaps a RB, though thay might be a little unlikely. If there is a stud FB, we could see that happen as well.
I know they’ll have to take a FB at somepoint in this draft, and it will have to be a superior lead blocker.
February 27th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Dom will move up into the mid-teens to get the guy he wants…
February 27th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
How about trading way up for Peterson? Playing him with Talib and Barber would most certainly improve the pass rush. A quality de can still be found in the 2nd or 3rd round.
February 27th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Do the Bucs really need to pick in all 7 rounds? Dominic has shown a talent for finding talent beyond the draft anyway. Why not trade all the way up for a top 5 player?
February 27th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Never trust a word that comes out of any GM’s mouth in advance of the draft. Ever.
February 27th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
It’s silly season.
February 27th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Pete Dutcher,
So what MLB will the Bucs draft in round 1 .. just kinda curious
February 27th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Yeah Pete- The last player they will take at #20 is a MLB considering that there’s no chance a MLB is BPA at #20. I think Dominik is telling the truth. I mean, if the 1st round DE’s they are targeting all went off the board for some reason and a Julio Jones fell to them at #20 I think they would take him. Not a likely scenario but I don’t think the best player available talk is posturing at all. However, the fact is that the BPA at #20 is likely to be a defensive end as things stand right now. Thats just the way the first round talent shakes out this year. The reality is AJ Green and Julio Jones will certainly be gone by #20. Its highly unlikely Ingram makes it past Miami. The tight ends and 4-3 linebackers aren’t even really first round material. Even the top safety prospect seems to be below many of the top DE’s on many big boards. So that leaves o-line, d-line and cornerback when the Bucs pick at #20 and considering that none of the offensive tackles prospects look like truly elite guys its extremely likely defensive end will be the BPA on their board when they pick. I suppose a guy like linebacker Akeem Ayers could be the guy but he is a tweener and would see time pass rushing from a 3 point stance in their scheme. Cornerback. Could it be an Amukamara or Jimmy Smith if a guy like that is there at #20? One of those top 3 cornerbacks could very well fall to #20. I think said cornerback would have to be graded as a clearly superior player on their board to be taken over the best DE available. Oh great. Now I have myself worried they are going to take a cornerback. But unlike some I happen to think getting another shutdown corner is a good move for the Bucs. Lewis was never supposed to be a shutdown guy and I wouldn’t mind him being stuck at nickel- then maybe trade Biggers for a pick. This has to be Barber’s last year so the sooner that position is addressed the better I think. Ultimately it looks like DE has a great chance of being BPA or damn close to it at #20 so I still think the pick is DE regardless of drafting strategy.
February 27th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
I would say there’s a 50% chance that they’ll take a DE and a 50% chance that they’ll take a Tackle. I would put my money right now on either Ryan Kerrigan or Gabe Carimi being the pick.
February 27th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
@gotbbucs: I agree, I think there is a very good chance that the Bucs take an offensive tackle in the first round. Gabe Carimi said that he is the best player at his position. You know who else said that? Josh Freeman.
February 27th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
The “Best Player Available that Will Help the Team”
Basically, they are taking a DE or LB.
No one else could probably come in and start “and help the team”