For the better part of two years, it has been almost a sure bet that South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was going to be the first defensive end picked in the 2014 draft. That theory seemed a lock since he blew past Michigan left tackle Taylor Lewan (one of the few times Clowney worked Lewan that sunny afternoon in Tampa at the Outback Bowl) and splashed Wolverines running back Vincent Smith, snapping his helmet into midair, jarring the ball loose. Clowney recovered it to seal a Gamecocks win.

For reasons unknown, Clowney did not duplicate that hit this past season; he did not play up to the hype for South Carolina. Sure, he was a marked ban, but in the SEC, even marked men separate themselves, such as Johnny Football, who had better numbers as a junior despite every defensive coordinator scheming to stop him. [read more]

The Buccaneers’ new commander is very much a fresh set of eyes at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Lovie Smith says he had previously devoted scant time to preparing for the NFL Draft. [read more]

Texas A&M WR Mike Evans told Joe he would “go to war” with Johnny Football.

It doesn’t seem to stop and Joe has no idea why. Just again, this morning, Joe read an article that paints Johnny Football as an irresponsible lush. God forbid a college kid and stud quarterback likes women with big breasts and has a few beers now and then.

The humanity! [read more]

Olivia Stacey and former defensive tackle and SiriusXM NFL Radio personality Booger McFarland talk Bucs football in this TBO.com video.

Joe thinks Georgia QB Aaron Murray will be a very good value pick on the third day.

Joe is on record saying a team is going to get a steal in the NFL draft with Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray. SiriusXM NFL Radio’s Pat Kirwan, the former Bucs scout, raved madly to Joe yesterday about Murray as a Russell Wilson-type of player for some lucky club.

The Tampa native — he was quarterback at Plant High School with James Wilder, Jr. in his backfield — was seen as a third round pick as his senior season was in its final weeks. Then, like some cruel joke, Murray blew out a knee and needed surgery. [read more]

Tampa native and Florida State running back James Wilder, Jr. during his media session at the NFL Scouting Combine.

No, the Bucs don’t really need a running back. If last year is evidence, the Bucs have a very deep running back situation. With Doug Martin, Mike James, Bobby Rainey and Erik Lorig, there isn’t much wiggle room for another guy.

Then again, when Joe had a chance to talk to Lovie Smith in the concourse of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, while Lovie raved about the depth at running back, he also wanted a strong stable of guys to surround Martin. [read more]

Linebacker/pass rusher Khalil Mack listens to a question during his media session at the NFL Scouting Combine Saturday.

Yesterday, Mike Mayock’s favorite player in the draft, a player he said he would pick first overall, Khalil Mack, took to the podium at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and came across as a charmer.

Quite a few mockers have the Bucs picking Mack, a stud linebacker/pass rusher out of Buffalo, with the seventh pick. [read more]

Lovie has drawn a line in the sand

Unlike Greg Schiano, there will be no pie-in-the-sky winter fantasizing with Lovie Smith when it comes to edge pass rushers. When Lovie talks about double-digit sackmasters, he’s referring to guys who’ve done it before.

Tampa Tribune scribe Roy Cummings delivered the strongest message to date from the Bucs’ head coach, one that paints a picture of the Bucs’ priorities in free agency. [read more]

Could the Bucs really pass up Sammy?

Bucs icon Warren Sapp and Brian Baldinger talked through a reasoned, joint mock draft last night on NFL Network, and the veterans of the trenches were in agreement with their top-7 draft picks, including the Bucs’.

Here is their prognostication order: [read more]

Pat Kirwan

Yes, Joe is still bouncing around Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis trying to interview as many people as he can at the NFL Scouting Combine. One big fish Joe landed is none other than Pat Kirwan.

If you are not familiar with Kirwan, let Joe help. A former Bucs scout, Kirwan was pro personnel director of the Jets and once upon a time was an assistant linebackers coach who answered to some defensive guy by the name of Monte Kiffin. [read more]

Joe talked to one of the most intelligent football thinkers around while at the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Friday, and that was NFL Films guru Greg Cosell.

Joe will deliver the interview Monday, but one thing Cosell shared was that he didn’t think Bucs stud receiver Vincent Jackson had a great 2013 season. [read more]

Forever linked as back-to-back selections in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Lions manbeast defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy have become perennial superstars.

They’re also eligible to become unrestricted free agents after this season. Suh, however, is about to get a massive new deal. [read more]

Warren Sapp unloaded on Greg Schiano’s defense

Earlier this week when Bucs stud Gerald McCoy and Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp unveiled the Bucs’ new helmet and log on God’s Channel (NFL Network), the two naturally were asked to talk about the new Lovie Smith era. [read more]

Bucs GM Jason Licht likes TE Tim Wright.

There weren’t too many bright spots for the Bucs last season, short of the season coming to an end. Drama, disease, quarterback going all Baby Huey, injuries, the list goes on.

Perhaps the lone bright spot was the play of Bucs tight end Tim Wright.

Having never played tight end before, the wide receiver out of Rutgers — have Bucs fans had their fill of hearing about Rutgers for the next decade? — was a project fourth tight end out of training camp and, out of desperation, he got a starting job and shined. [read more]

There’s been big hype for the small-school quarterback out of Eastern Illinois. Jimmy Garoppolo has been impressing scouts for weeks on various levels, and many view him as a second-round talent.

Garoppolo was interviewed by the Buccaneers at the East-West Shrine game last month, and Joe confirmed the Bucs interviewed Garoppolo again Thursday night. [read more]

Joe’s already written about how when talking man-to-man with Bucs general manager Jason Licht on Thursday in Indianapolis, Licht lost any semblance of a poker face when chatting about linebacker/defensive end prospect Khalil Mack, the pride of the University of Buffalo.

But that’s not a big deal, because it seems Mack is the recreational drug of choice among scouts and GMs. [read more]

Fresno State QB and family friend of Bucs OC Jeff Tedford, Derek Carr, speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine today in Indianapolis.

A lot of people are trying to connect dots, ones that would land Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr with the Buccaneers via a first-round draft pick. Their reasoning is Carr’s older brother, former Houston and New York Giants quarterback David Carr, played for Jeff Tedford in college.

Tedford, of course, is now the Bucs’ offensive coordinator.

“Teddy,” as Derek Carr refers to Tedford, and the younger Carr have a long, strong bond. The two have known each other for nearly two decades, before Derek Carr went to grade school. [read more]

There’s no fear of Khalil Mac at One Buc

Joe knows many local college football fans grow bitter when the Bucs draft a guy out of the Big Ten. The same crowd sneers when a guy from the Big XII is selected. The same fans scoff if a draftee (not from Florida State) played in the ACC.

And the same crowd grabs a bottle of Absolut if a player from the MAC is chosen. [read more]