Fans of any sport turn ugly and bitter when they believe there’s no hope for success entering a season.

It’s just how fans roll. They need to believe.

Even the overhyped New York Yankees ranked in the bottom half of the American League in attendance from 1989 to 1992. Guess what? The Yankees had crappy teams in those years.

Joe is certain that hope for the Bucs among fans is near an all-time low. It’s beyond depressing. Especially considering optimism is much easier to come by for NFL fans because of the short season and the promise a quick start can bring. 

Joe, who considers himself a diehard fan and optimist, can find real hope for the Bucs in 2010 at every position, except receiver. This assumes, of course, the Bucs draft one of the defensive tackle beasts in the first round.

But even if the Bucs snag a promising wide receiver in the second round, or trade up for one, Joe just doesn’t believe that will be enough at the position to give even the most optimistic fans hope for 2010.

There’s just not enough there.

Joe aches for Josh Freeman at the thought of his receiving corps. He’ll need a miracle.

Mark Dominik can’t take this team to training camp without more juice at wide receiver and crossing his fingers. Hope is the fans’ job, not the general manger’s.

Buccaneers Madness finishes its semifinals today. A reminder: Buccaneers Madness is run in conjuction with the NCAA basketball tournament (Joe cannot remember a better one in years than this March), largely influenced by his good friend Jason McIntyre of TheBigLead.com and his annual Culture Tournament.

Not upgrading the receivers could lead to Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman running for his life and perhaps imploding.

The Bucs have so many needs, that general manager Mark Dominik could throw a dart at a wall and whatever position it would land on would be an upgrade.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com breaks down what positions the Bucs need help at and has an interesting twist on the Bucs.

Second-year general manager Mark Dominik has a lot of work in front of him. This is a team filled with holes, but they can fill a big one with the third overall pick. They also have two second-round picks.

The Bucs are the perfect case study in how quickly things can turn around in the NFL. They better hope the flip the other way can happen just as fast as the fall.

Prisco lists the Bucs greatest need as wide receiver, not defensive tackle. This gives Joe a chance to detail an item he’s been holding onto for a few days.

Last week on Sirius NFL Radio while co-hosting “The Blitz” with Adam Schein, former NFL quarterback Rich Gannon was discussing why so many quarterbacks taken early in the draft are busts.

The premise is, that for every Peyton Manning, there are a Ryan Leaf, Akili Smith and Tim Couch. Part of that, Gannon said, is that quarterbacks taken high in the draft are often selected by lousy teams, which stands to reason, otherwise the teams wouldn’t be drafting high up the ladder.

One of the reasons why the teams that draft quarterbacks high are lousy is that the teams lack virtually anything on offense: the line is subpar and there are few if any receivers. This, Gannon said, puts a young quarterback behind the eight ball; that young quarterbacks need what Gannon called “protection” with either a decent offensive line in front of them, or weapons to throw to, or both.

While discussing the plight of young quarterbacks, Gannon invoked the name of Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman and the (current) miserable lot of receivers on the Bucs roster. Gannon suggests that unless the Bucs acquire some receivers to help Freeman out, it will be “a nightmare” and that the Bucs are risking Freeman imploding by not upgrading the wide receiver position.

While Joe understands that Gannon is a Chucky acolyte and listens to what Gannon says about the Bucs with a grain of salt, Joe thinks Gannon is right on target in his analysis.

Joe has given Dominik the benefit of the doubt and understands his philosophy. However, Joe is still perplexed by the release of Bryant and the dumpster diving the Bucs have undertaken in an attempt to upgrade the receivers position.

While the Bucs may have thought Bryant was a bad influence, or freelanced too much or may have been an injury risk, can anyone at One Buc Palace look in the mirror and honestly say the Bucs receivers — and indirectly Freeman  — are currently better off without Bryant?

It would be different if the Bucs also had an All-Pro receiver. They don’t.

Today Joe read the intelligent analysis of former NFL personnel executive Mike Lombardi on NationalFootballPost.com and walked away concerned — again — about the Bucs’ scouting department.

All spin aside and without wagging a finger of blame, the group has been at best subpar over the past several years.

After reading the following passage from Lombardi, even the most optimistic Bucs fan has to be concerned the Bucs might not have the scouting horses needed to hit the grand slam they need in April. 

More mistakes are made by organizations incorrectly evaluating their own teams and counting on the wrong players. This is called a “convenient truth” that allows teams to believe something is true and failing to address the problem. Ask any quality NFL talent evaluator about the 49ers and he’ll tell you they need offensive line help and a quarterback. But the 49ers don’t see QB as a need, which is convenient for them.

Horizontal board, vertical board and more convenience

As we enter the final phase of draft preparation, all teams must make sure they have someone who can make an actual determination of the position board and the value board. For example, if a team has a cornerback rated the same as an offensive tackle, it will always take the position of need. But are the players really the same value? If the corner was graded by different scouts and coaches than the tackle, who makes the call on who is actually the better player? This is the reason teams say they go with their board and not their needs, but in reality, the board is rigged to fill their needs.

It takes one or more evaluators in the organization who know their own team really well and can apply the horizontal and vertical boards to their team. The draft is about improving, and improvement can only happen when you focus on the real areas that need improvement. It might be convenient to believe that your team is solidified in a certain area, but is it actually true? And it might be convenient to believe the corner and the tackle are the same grade, but it might not be true.

Do the Bucs have the ability in their personnel department? Joe isn’t sold.

This is why Joe scoffed at Joel Glazer last week when he told the media money is no object for the Bucs and the key to the team is scoring in the draft.

Joe still firmly believes that if Glazer was being truthful on that point, he would have insisted Mark Dominik take a blank check to build the best damn scouting staff in the NFL. It sure seems like that never happened.

Might the Cards reach for this guy in Round 1?"

Man, those Cardinals have been busy this offseason.

What might they do in the draft?

You’ll find out here in the daily Draft Countdown, a look at every NFL team’s strategy and focus leading up to draft day on April 22. NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski, of WDAE-AM 620, does the honors in his analysis of the Cards with a keen eye on how Arizona’s moves might affect the Bucs.

It’s all part of the in-depth draft coverage here on JoeBucsFan.com.

Enjoy. (The Ravens are up on next on Tuesday) {+++}

[audio:cardinalsdraft.mp3]

Like a lot of Bucs fans, Vacation Man is not a fan of Byron Leftwich.

Writing for his Soviet-like employer, BSPN.com, Vacation Man argues with a Bucs fan that Leftwich has no trade value.

Ed in Cape Coral, FL writes:  You said again that Byron Leftwich has no trade value, but if Charlie Whitehurst (never even thrown a meaningful NFL pass) can garner a 3rd rd pick and Kevin Kolb (only 2 starts) is shopped for two first-round picks why can’t Leftwich or even Josh Johnson get something in between?

Vacation Man:  At absolute best, the Bucs might be able to get a sixth- or seventh-round pick for Leftwich. But I think even that might be tough to pull off. Your points on Kolb and Whitehurst are taken, but the reason they have value is because they are younger and teams view them as quarterbacks who might ascend. Leftwich is 30 and has flopped as a starter several times. There’s no upside with him. Also, every team around the league knows the Bucs probably will cut Leftwich if they can’t trade him. So why give up a draft pick if you might be able to sign him as a free agent? Also, you mentioned Josh Johnson. If I were the Bucs, I’d hang onto him. Not saying he lit it up by any means, but I saw some positives when he played last year. I think he can be a decent backup to Josh Freeman.

Here’s why Joe believes Leftwich has trade value, though Joe agrees with Vacation Man, it will be limited: Exactly what trade value did the great Luke McCown have last year? He was about to be cut. And Mark Dominik found a sucker (Jags) to give up a draft pick for him just before he was about to be cut.

Leftwich had a whole lot more success than McCown ever did.

"Yo Mark, that dude hasn't played a game since '07. You think he's better than me?"

Mark Dominik is a man of faith and confidence.

He sure needs to be, given the state of the Bucs. But Dominik is obviously a man who believes strongly in his ability to evaluate players.

Today, per TBO.com, the Bucs have re-signed linebacker Angelo Crowell. You remember him, he was the Bucs premier free agent signing in 2009. Back then, Crowell was fresh off a missed 2008 season and a rare knee surgery for a football player. He was very good in 2007 for the Bills, however.

Well, Crowell turned out to be unhealthy when he joined the Bucs. He played a bit in training camp, didn’t look sharp, and shredded his arm in preseason shortly after allegedly fighting off Aqib Talib in a taxi. Crowell found his way to injured reserve and a $2.5 million payday from the Bucs.

Welcome back, Angelo.

Yeah, Joe realizes Crowell surely has a prove-yourself-or-get-cut contract. But this is hardly an inspiring move.

Some folks have big money riding on their mock drafts.

One of those would be the oddsmakers for the popular European sports book SkyBet.

SkyBet just moved its odds on its NFL Draft wagers, and Sam Bradford has unseated manbeast Ndamukong Suh as SkyBet’s most likely No. 1 pick. You can now get 2-1 odds on Bradford being picked No. 2 overall or later.

Sure, its rather meaningless. But it could add to the growing speculation that Suh and Gerald McCoy will be waiting for the Bucs at No. 3.

[Update: If anyone is so inclined, Bradford’s workout is streamed live here.]

Monday mornings are not generally the time to test Joe’s brainpower. But Mike Florio, the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com is trying.

In a bizarre post this morning about the NFL expecting to play more regular season games  overseas — a practice which Joe believes is asinine — Florio suggested that that one or more teams will be in a regular rotation, meaning a handful of teams may play a home game — or multiple games – on foreign soil regularly.

Additionally, one of those teams playing a home game annually in England will pull up its roots and plant itself in London permanently.

That team, Florio suggests, will be the Bucs.

But here’s the unspoken yet inevitable reality.  The teams chosen to build a fan base in England become the most likely to eventually move there.

Right now, we’d bet on the Bucs becoming one of the teams to regularly play in Britain — and on the Bucs becoming one of the eventual candidates to pack up the literal Mayflower and sail back to the land from which the earliest American immigrants came.

Quite frankly, Joe thinks this is outrageous. Joe can understand why the Bucs will want to play one game each year in London: 1) They can’t sell tickets here; a game in London is a guaranteed sellout. 2) Expand its marketing to a largely populated country overseas. 3) Team Glazer owns a kickball team of some sort over there.

On face value, the notion of the Bucs moving there is crazy beyond words. Joe has e-mailed Florio to decipher how he came to this conclusion. Previously, he claimed the Jags would move and that makes a helluva lot more sense than the Bucs.

Look, the Bucs have a fairly new stadium. It’s still in the Super Bowl rotation (unlike whatever the hell the stadium is called these days down in south Florida, only a mere 11 years older than the CITS), which is a windfall for Team Glazer.

Now Joe has hinted that sooner or later the CITS will need to be upgraded in order to stay in the Super Bowl rotation. Maybe Team Glazer is reading the tealeaves, that the Super Bowl rotation is about to include teams in the north, which would greatly decrease the number of times the Super Bowl will be played at the CITS.

Also, notice how the Tampa Bay area has thus far been hostile to the Rays in their need of a new stadium to replace that grotesque tomb in St. Petersburg they currently play in. Perhaps Team Glazer sees that getting the CITS renovated will be a lost cause?

Interesting fodder to start the week.

Manbeast Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy?

Which one is the Bucs’ savior at defensive tackle?

Former Bucs defensive end Steve White isn’t sold that either one will be available for the Bucs with their No. 3 pick. And if the Bucs do, in fact, draft one of these guys, White is certain the Bucs need to prepare to tell the world not to expect much from him in 2010.

White makes the case on his blog that the Bucs need to scale back expectations in a hurry, something they haven’t done yet in regards to the 2010 draft.

If they can perhaps get fans to have lower expectations heading into their rookie season then if they go out and shine they look even better. And if they’re average then at least some fans might be more willing to be patient with them. To me that’s the ideal situation you should want for your 1st round pick regardless so they can go out and perform without the worry that every mistake they make will be under a magnifying glass. Its worth a try at least.

White makes an interesting case backed up by stats and his wealth of experience. Check it out. And don’t forget to catch White’s popular Bull Rush column on JoeBucsFan.com on Wednesday or Thursday.

Buccaneers Madness rolls into the final four beginning today. A reminder: Buccaneers Madness is run in conjuction with the NCAA basketball tournament (Joe cannot remember a better one in years than this March), largely influenced by his good friend Jason McIntyre of TheBigLead.com and his annual Culture Tournament.

Much like the Bucs, the Chargers can use a fresh manbeast on their defensive line. This one seems to have dropped a cup size in recent weeks and might be on their radar.

Who around these parts can serve up a deep look at the ins and outs of the San Diego Chargers’ draft approach?

Answer: Justin Pawlowski, NFL Draft guru and WDAE-AM personality. “The Commish” anchors the stunning Bucs-focused subscription draft coverage at JoeBucsFan.com, a real treat for $10. It’s the most diverse draft coverage on the planet. Hands down.

Pawlowski’s next in-depth, monster of a mock draft will be out in a day or two — another draft-lovers orgasm. And yet another position breakdown is on tap late in the week, plus the daily team-by-team breakdowns.

For now, it’s the Chargers.  …Enjoy. {+++}

[audio:chargersdraft.mp3]

If you need a break during the final two NCAA region finals while dodging the expected rains this afternoon, this should cheer you up.

Joe wants to thank those directly, indirectly and remotely responsible for the Hulu.com video with embed codes provided by the NFL:

Chucky, Mark Dominik, Jaime Hanna, Team Glazer, Rich Gannon, Lincoln Kennedy, John Lynch, Marc Trestman, Mark Dominik, Jeff Kamis, Al Davis and Derrick Brooks, among many others.

One reason Team Glazer decided to gut the franchise and rebuild through the draft was the inept drafts under the guidance of Chucky and Bruce Almighty.

So bad were the drafts that some five years after Bruce Almighty’s first drafts with the Bucs, scant few are even playing in the NFL, documents the Mad Twitterer of the St. Petersburg Times.

The only player remaining from the 2004 draft is WR Michael Clayton, the Bucs’ first-round pick whose career has gone south since his rookie year. The Bucs did re-sign Clayton last year to a five-year, $24 million contract with $10 million guaranteed. He rewarded them with 16 receptions.

The 2004 draft was the first under then-general manager Bruce Allen. The 2005 draft wasn’t much better, netting only two starters from 13 picks — RB Cadillac Williams and LB Barrett Ruud — and no backups. Two of those picks are with other teams, and nine are out of the NFL.

Guards Davin Joseph and Jeremy Trueblood are the only starters remaining from the 2006 draft. From 11 draft choices, one other is a Bucs backup (WR Maurice Stovall), one is with another team, and seven are out of the league.

The backbone of any draft is how many productive players can be found in rounds three through seven. Not only did Bruce Almighty (and directly/indirectly Chucky) whiff on many early round picks, they were horrid on the second day picks.

So Joe can see why Team Glazer wants to start building through the draft.

Joe has made no secret of his lust for former Bucs cheerleader Rachel Watson, one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the Tampa Bay area.

So it was with great surprise and profound glee when Joe learned of the smartest public relations move the Bucs made since moving training camp to One Buc Palace and letting fans in for free was this overlooked procedure:

Rachel is back!

No, sadly, Rachel is not going to be a Bucs cheerleader again. Currently teasing (tormenting?) fathers as an elementary teacher in Land O’ Lakes, the Bucs brought Rachel back as a host of a video documenting tryouts for the Bucs 2010 cheerleader squad.

And Rachel still looks dynamite as one can expect. She changed her look however. No longer the traffic hazard, All-American neighborhood girl with short blonde locks, Rachel now has long, jet black hair, sort of a biker chick/shot girl look.

Trust Joe, she’s still stunning!

Joe can understand how Rachel almost had to tone down her image. Imagine the  scene she would have created at her school daily otherwise? Why, the traffic jams each morning and afternoon Rachel would have created with all the dads dropping off their kids and picking them up each day would be a massive headache.

That’s not counting all the unrest she would have caused in so many homes from suspicious, jealous hausfraus.

Sure, Joe even knows most dads (and yes, moms, too) have to work. But with all the dads in the Land O’ Lakes area blowing off work to drop off/pick up their children at Rachel’s school, work productivity in southeastern Pasco County would have plummeted.

This is not counting the dozens of daily parent-teacher conference requests  demanded by dads with Rachel as a teacher of their child. The poor girl would barely have a life much less time to do her job.

Whoever made the call to bring Rachel back, well done, well done. Bravo!

Now Joe’s not ready to say the Bucs should hire her as a permanemt video presense for their online offerings. Rachel doesn’t quite have the camera personality that Tiffany Jimenez has, but Rachel was fine in her debut.

How could she not be?

Tip o’ the hat to Bucstats.com.

The Bucs stunk last year. So, in part due to several misfirings, on face value it’s easy to say Bucs general manager Mark Dominik is on thin ice. He loosely played with Team Glazers’ checkbook and often it was wasted money.

Exhibit A is the blocking icon Michael Clayton — a move Dominik himself admitted live last fall on Sirius NFL Radio with Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan was “a gamble.”

Because of this, many Bucs fans are wanting to throw him overboard. It seems eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune believes Dominik has little wiggle room this season, based on a response he gave in a TBO.com question-and-answer format concerning Dominik.

Q: Is it safe to start the “hot seat” talks for GM Mark Dominik? Last year he spent money on Angello Crowell and Derrick Ward. This year he lets Bryant go because of his knees, his age, and to avoid the big contract. Then he brings in Reggie Brown. A 29-year-old with injuries in the past. Not to mention the Bengals signed Bryant to a $28 million contract. That’s too expensive? Didn’t Michael Clayton get a similar contract a year ago?

D.J. Smith, Tampa

A: There’s little doubt Dominik is battling for his professional life in 2010. He made a flurry of mistakes in his first season calling the shots, costing ownership significant money, but he has an opportunity to right the ship with a dynamic draft. If he nails it and adds 3 or 4 new starters who can play, all will be forgiven. Any way you look at it, that’s a lot of pressure on any NFL executive.

— eye-RAH! Kaufman

Joe isn’t ready to throw Dominik to the wolves for several reasons. First, when has an NFL team bounced a general manager after two seasons? It rarely happens. Second, Dominik seems to be turning around the Bucs draft fortunes. Granted, one draft — and only a year after that draft — is too soon to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down on a draft.

However, looking back at last spring’s draft, thus far, it seems to have been a success.

Also throw in the fact Dominik conned Chicago into coughing up a high second round draft pick — in a deep draft no less — for a defensive end who couldn’t start on one of the NFL’s worst defenses, well, Dominik is a wanted man in Illinois for larceny.

While Joe greatly respects Kaufman and realizes who Kaufman’s sources are with the Bucs, Joe cannot believe Dominik will be kicked to the curb if the Bucs stink this year.

And that’s not even factoring in that Joel Glazer gave Dominik a vote of confidence last week.

The Cowboys next slot receiver?

It’s Saturday night, and perhaps you’re without a warm, beautiful woman by your side. And that cold beer or flat Jack and coke just isn’t replacing the special feeling the girl would bring.

Joe’s got a solution.

How about cozying up to a pile of cutting edge NFL Draft articles, position breakdowns, audio takes and more from eraft guru Justin Pawlowski? They’re all right here.  

Right now, the daily Draft Countdown continues, as part of the subscription NFL Draft coverage on JoeBucsFan.com. Pawlowski, of WDAE-AM 620, breaks down all things Cowboys in this installment. It’s part of the daily look at the needs and strategies of every NFL team heading into the draft.

Those who subscribe on March 27 and March 28 will be mailed a $10 or $25 gift certificate to Mugs Grill & Bar in Clearwater, home of truly awesome food. What a deal!

Of course, Pawlowski keeps his eye focused on how the Cowboys’ moves might affect the Bucs.

Enjoy. {+++}

[audio:cowboysdraft.mp3]

There is no question the player that gets the biggest rise out of Bucs fans is wide receiver Michael Clayton.

Signed to a lucrative contract in the offseason following Chucky’s dismissal, in part due to his keen blocking, Clayton by any standards has lost virtually all credibility he built after having a tremendous rookie season in 2004.

In the past five seasons, the blocking icon has hauled in a grand total of three touchdowns. To Bucs fans, he is much better known for his drops, too numerous to count, than his blocking ability.

It has gotten to the point that even overly positive Raheem the Dream is implying, through the Mad Twitterer of the St. Petersburg Times, that Clayton may not be with the Bucs in 2010.

“Everybody is on the bubble,’’ Morris said. “You talk about Michael Clayton, he came in last year, you saw him in ota days, we thought he was going to come back and have a better year. Unfortunately, he pulled a hamstring, he did this and did that…he’s going to go out there and give it his best shot.

“The guy plays so hard, he gets little nagging injuries that hurts his performance then he drops the football and absolutely pisses everybody off and all anyone remembers is the drop. I have a lot of confidence in Michael. Michael has a lot of confidence in himself. I look for him to come out and be more prepared than he was last year.’’

More prepared? Joe was under the impression Clayton was in fine form until he got nicked up in preseason.

Maybe Joe missed something along the way, but this is the first Joe has heard that Clayton was not prepared for the 2009 season. If that is truly the case, after he signed such a monster contract, that’s a very damning comment by Raheem the Dream.

When news broke yesterday that Donovan McNabb might be had from the Eagles for as little as a third-round pick, Joe instantly thought of Chucky. Joe visualized poor Chucky hammering his fist against every nearby wall and tossing rapid fire F-bombs at the news.

Surely, if Chucky were still coaching the Bucs he would be salivating right now at the thought of scoring McNabb to put the Bucs over the top (after leading the Bucs’ to a Glazer-hating 9-7 season in 2009, behind hot young defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Ike Hilliard’s 50 catches and Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese splitting time).

“Jimminy Christmas! A third-round pick for that guy. That’s Donovan freaking McNabb, man. I love that guy. He’s a Hall of Famer, man. He’s still a kid, too. I love that guy.”

Sorry, Chucky. This all could have been yours if you just beat the Raiders at home in 2008. …But don’t worry. Matt Hasselbeck is probably there for you when you get back to coaching.

Update: Chucky was cornered by the Philly media at a formal event yesterday. Check out the near psychotic look in his eyes when he talks about McNabb being on his team.

Surely this guy will raise the Bucs' collective eyebrows if he's sitting there for them in the second round

Here’s another feather in the cap of the JoeBucsFan.com subscription draft coverage!

It’s NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski’s analysis of 15 linebackers (inside and outside) to keep your eye on at the NFL Draft. Several other position breakdowns are archived here.

Sign up today, Saturday, and score a $25 or $10 gift certificate to Mugs Grill & Bar in Clearwater.  …Or you can run to Publix and buy an outdated draft magazine.

Outside Linebackers

1. Brandon Graham – DE/OLB – Michigan
6’1’’ – 268 lbs – 4.72
Top 20

Why I’m taking him: Graham is a pure pass rusher. He had 20 sacks the last two years and has many moves in getting to the quarterback.  In his game against Iowa (Bryan Bulaga &Kyle Calloway) in 2009, Graham was simply dominant.  He does an excellent job at shedding blocks and not allowing offensive linemen to lock into him.  On film, Graham displays good strength and is a very good tackler.

Why I’m staying away: This is going to be a common theme with these hybrid outside linebackers, as many of them have the potential of struggling in pass coverage.  With a transition from defensive end to linebacker, Graham does not have much experience in dropping into coverage.  Graham also lacks the ideal height that scouts and coaches love.  Height might be overrated, but if the pick comes down to Graham and another player who’s 6’3’’ or 6’4’’, the team might choose the other player if Graham and that player are equally rated.  There are also times when Graham might also be a tad late off the ball.

Impact on the Bucs roster: I put Graham in the “linebackers” category because I feel that this might be the more likely position for him in the NFL.  Graham could easily play defensive end, but I still don’t see him being a factor for the Bucs unless they were to trade down.  The No. 3 pick is too early for him, and I can’t figure a scenario that has Graham falling to the 2nd round.  He dominated at Michigan, at the Senior Bowl, and at the combine.  That king of production can not go unnoticed.

NFL Comparison:   Anthony Spencer – Dallas Cowboys

 2. Sean Weatherspoon – OLB – Missouri
6’1’’ – 239 lbs – 4.68
1st Round

Why I’m taking him: {+++} I really like the size and speed combination Weatherspoon has.  He has the size to take on big offensive linemen, while also having the speed to chase down ball carriers.  Weatherspoon displays good awareness on the field, dissecting plays quickly, while also being a sure tackler.  Another thing to really like about Weatherspoon is his versatility; he can play inside or outside linebacker.

Why I’m staying away: The one negative that stands out to me more than others in regards to Weatherspoon is that I’m not seeing a mean streak at all. I like my linebackers to be violent, and I don’t see that with Weatherspoon. I’m also slightly concerned over Weatherspoon’s ability to shed blockers.

Impact on the Bucs: I really like Weatherspoon and think he is a perfect fit in a 4-3 defense while also being a nice fit inside in a 3-4 defense.  Much like Graham, the 3rd pick is way too early for him, and I doubt he’ll fall to the 2nd round.  I see Weatherspoon going somewhere in the middle of round 1 to a team like the Steelers or Falcons.

NFL Comparison:   Lawrence Timmons – Florida St.

 3. Jerry Hughes – DE/OLB – TCU
6’2’’ – 255 lbs – 4.69
1st – 2nd Round

Why I’m taking him: Much like Graham, Hughes is a pure pass rusher who just knows how to get to the quarterback.  He has great athleticism which he displayed at the combine in linebacker drills.  He also has good strength to go with that athleticism.  I really like Hughes’ burst off the ball and his motor till the end of every play.  There was also a few times where I saw Hughes getting offensive linemen off-balance.  Hughes might be a better rusher on film when he is standing up, which fits why teams consider him an ideal outside linebacker for the 3-4.

Why I’m staying away: I saw a few times on film where Hughes got pushed around by bigger offensive linemen or double teams.  He’s also converting to linebacker, so, despite his display at the combine, pass coverage is a concern.

Impact on the Bucs: This could be interesting if Hughes slips to the Bucs at the top of Round 2.  I see Hughes as a better fit for a 3-4 defense, but he is a pure pass rusher, which is a huge need for the Bucs. 

NFL Comparison:   Terrell Suggs – Baltimore Ravens

4. Sergio Kindle – DE/OLB – Texas
6’3’’ – 250 lbs – 4.71
1st Round

Why I’m taking him: Some scouts have said that Kindle is more NFL-ready than Brian Orakpo was last year, and Orakpo had 12 sacks his rookie season.  Kindle has very good quickness and awareness to read and dissect plays.  Although he doesn’t have elite speed, that quickness is lethal at times.  Kindle’s also very good with his hands and hand placement.  Leverage is another good part of Kindle’s game.

Why I’m staying away: I don’t see an elite rusher when I watch Kindle’s film.  I can’t see Kindle having near the production Orakpo had in his rookie season.  Kindle does not display very good strength at all.  He struggles against bigger offensive linemen or linemen with excellent technique.

Impact on the Bucs: I don’t think Kindle would be a very good fit for the Bucs defense.  He isn’t a good fit at defensive end, and isn’t good enough in pass coverage for the Bucs “Tampa 2” defense.

NFL Comparison:   Aaron Maybin – Buffalo Bills

5 . Thaddeus Gibson – DE/OLB – Ohio St.
6’2’’ – 243 lbs – 4.75
2nd Round

Why I’m taking him: I think there is a lot to like about Gibson.  He has very good combination of power and athleticism.  Gibson is also relentless in pursuit with excellent closing speed.  Gibson tested very well at the combine and shows good tackling ability on film.

Why I’m staying away: The biggest worry for me in regards to Gibson is that he might be a liability in pass coverage. 

Impact on the Bucs: Gibson isn’t the ideal fit for the Bucs.  He seems to small to be a defensive end for them, but no athletic enough to play outside linebacker in their “Tampa 2” defense.

NFL Comparison:   Bertrand Berry – Arizona Cardinals

6. Navorro Bowman – OLB – Penn St.
6’ – 242 lbs – 4.72
2nd – 3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: Bowman is another linebacker from “Linebacker U.”  He possesses great instincts and has a nose for the ball.  He’s also a very solid tackler.  Bowman performed very well at his pro day and should be able to hold his own in pass coverage.

Why I’m staying away: Bowman is a good linebacker, but far from elite. He lacks elite speed and is not overly athletic.  He also scored one of the lowest scores on the Wonderlic test.

Impact on the Bucs: Bowman isn’t a great fit for the Bucs because of his lack of athleticism.  I’m not sure Bowman would be an upgrade over any of the Bucs current linebackers.

NFL Comparison:   Paul Posluszny – Buffalo Bills

7. Eric Norwood – OLB – South Carolina
6’1’’ – 245 lbs – 4.70
3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: I have to admit it; I really enjoyed the tape I saw of Norwood.  I really like his tackling ability and the way he gets to the quarterback as a blitzer.  I don’t know if there is anything that frustrates me more than a blitzing linebacker who doesn’t come within five yards of the quarterback. Norwood is a powerful player who plays with a lot of swagger. He was a leader on South Carolina’s defense.

Why I’m staying away: Norwood does have power, but lacks athleticism.  This lack of athleticism hurts him in pass coverage. On film, Norwood sometimes finds himself out of position.

Impact on the Bucs: Despite my affection for Norwood, I’m not sure he’s a great fit for the Bucs. Him being a liability in pass coverage worries me in the Bucs defense.

NFL Comparison:   Kawika Mitchell – Buffalo Bills

8. Ricky Sapp – DE/OLB – Clemson
6’4’’ – 252 lbs – 4.70
3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: Sapp’s biggest assets are his speed and athleticism.  He also has experience in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense, making the transition easier to the NFL. Whether it is good or bad, Sapp seems to hop out of his stance at times.

Why I’m staying away: Sapp is a major liability in the run game with his lack of strength and power. He can be swallowed up by bigger offensive linemen and is too easily blocked one on one.  Durability is also a major concern after Sapp missed many games due to injury at Clemson.

Impact on the Bucs: The Bucs made this mistake a couple years ago when they drafted Gaines Adams. I just can’t see them making that same mistake twice, no matter what round it’s in.

NFL Comparison:   Gaines Adams – Chicago Bears

9. Nawa’akoa Misi – DE/OLB – Utah
6’3’’ – 251 lbs – 4.73
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: Misi might be an intriguing prospect in the middle rounds.  He is very durable and has the strength and instincts I like in linebackers.  While at Utah, Misi played defensive end, defensive tackle, and outside linebacker. He’s the type of player that will do what he’s told, and do it well.

Why I’m staying away: There are a few questions about Misi’s ability.  The first is my concern about Misi’s open-field tackling.  Sometimes how a linebacker tackles in the open-field can define him.  Misi is also a big liability in pass coverage with his lack of speed and elite athleticism.

Impact on the Bucs: Misi is not a good fit for the Bucs. He’s probably best as a defensive end, but because of his size, he’ll play outside linebacker in the NFL.

NFL Comparison:   Parys Haralson – San Francisco 49ers

10. Jason Worilds – DE/OLB – Virginia Tech
6’1’’ – 254 lbs – 4.47
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: Worilds is a firecracker who is active from the snap to the whistle.  He has superior speed and has a great burst off the ball. Worilds also has a nice array of pass rushing moves in his arsenal. His speed should help him in pass coverage.

Why I’m staying away: With all the speed that Worilds has, his strength is on the other end of that spectrum. He seems to rely so much on his speed because his strength is not there.

Impact on the Bucs: Worilds would be strictly a third-down pass rusher for the Bucs. I think the Bucs can do better with their 4th round pick.

NFL Comparison:   Quinton Groves – Jacksonville Jaguars

Inside Linebackers

1. Rolando McClain – ILB – Alabama
6’3’’ – 254 lbs – 4.68
Top 15

Why I’m taking him: I’m taking McClain because he is the best linebacker in the draft and one of the best players the draft has to offer.  McClain never missed one game at Alabama due to injury.  He is the leader of a national championship defense that lives in the weight room and the film room.  McClain wants to be great.  He is a great tackler and very instinctive.  McClain was recently clocked at 4.69 in the 40-yard dash, which is definitely fast enough for a 254 lbs linebacker.

Why I’m staying away: The biggest concern for McClain came at his pro day when it was revealed that he had Crohn’s disease.  Crohn’s disease is a disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive track.  This might be a reason why McClain wasn’t going more than 100% on the field at times.  Despite his 40 time, there are still concerns over his athleticism and speed.

Impact on the Bucs: McClain would be a huge improvement over Barrett Ruud.  Everything Ruud has been hyped to be, McClain is.  McClain would help one of the league’s worst run defenses finally improve on that stat, thanks to McClain’s physical play and willingness to SHED A BLOCK.

NFL Comparison:   DeMeco Ryans – Houston Texans

2. Daryl Washington – ILB – TCU
6’2’’ – 230 lbs – 4.66
2nd Round

Why I’m taking him: The first thing that stands out about Washington is his speed and quickness.  He’s also very disciplined and does not over run plays.  Washington is also a special teams standout as he blocked 4 punts in his collegiate career.  His speed and quickness helps him be effective in pass coverage and allows him to move freely sideline-to-sideline.  You’ll never find Washington giving up on a play as he is excellent in pursuit.

Why I’m staying away: I’d be slightly concerned about playing Washington in the middle with his lack of size.  He actually bulked up to 230 lbs.  At times, he looks like a safety playing linebacker.  He needs to get stronger.  His lack of strength hurts him in shedding blocks.

Impact on the Bucs: Well, Washington is the type of linebacker that fits the Bucs scheme.  He’s undersized and can run.  However, I don’t think he’d be an upgrade at middle linebacker or at outside linebacker, so I’d pass.

NFL Comparison: Jonathon Vilma – New Orleans Saints

 3. Brandon Spikes – ILB – Florida
6’3’’ – 249 lbs – 5.05
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: I love the size of Brandon Spikes in the middle to take on opposing run games.  He’s a physical player who plays with a mean streak.  Spikes was a team leader and very durable during his time at Florida.  He has great awareness and has great football smarts.  Once he gets to the ball carrier, he’s a reliable tackler.

Why I’m staying away: Spikes is slow.  At the Gators pro day, Spikes ran over a 5.00 40-yard dash.  There were offensive lineman that ran faster forties than he did.  In college, teams can disguise a players weakness like that, but in the pros they exploit it.  This lack of speed will probably have Spikes falling on draft day.

Impact on the Bucs: Trust me, I’d love the Bucs to have a physical presence in the middle of their defense, but Spikes is just too slow to succeed in the “Tampa 2”.

NFL Comparison:   Jeremiah Trotter – Philadelphia Eagles

4. Jamar Cheney – ILB – Mississippi St.
6’1’’ – 242 lbs – 4.54
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: I love the combination of size and speed with Cheney.  He can play like a missile on the field with great closing speed.  Cheney’s very aggressive, willing to take on blockers, and always hits the quarterback on a blitz.  In pass coverage, Cheney has the speed to cover the deep middle and does a good job of reading the quarterback.  Cheney possesses good leadership abilities as well.

Why I’m staying away: Durability and smarts are the big concerns with Cheney.  He was supposed to go to Georgia on a scholarship, but was not admitted due to academics.  Cheney also missed most of the 2008 season with a season-ending ankle injury. His aggressiveness is great, but sometimes he can be too aggressive and overrun plays.  Really needs to address his leg strength at the next level.

Impact on the Bucs: I think Cheney has been one of the more underrated prospects this year.  Watching him on film, he does everything I want my middle linebacker to do.  The Bucs have not signed Ruud to a long term contract, so if they’re looking to groom someone before Ruud leaves, Cheney might be the right guy.

NFL Comparison:   Jon Beason – Carolina Panthers

5. Sean Lee – ILB – Penn St.
6’2’’ – 236 lbs – 4.61
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: Lee seems to be the prototypical Penn St. linebacker.  Coaches have raved about his hard work and leadership on and off the field.  His instincts and recognition are off the chart as he dissects plays before they happen.  He’s a sure tackler and a big hitter.

Why I’m staying away: I’m worried because Lee struggles to shed a block.  If you can’t shed a block, you become like Barrett Ruud and make your tackles 8 yards down the field.  Lee also is not elite in coverage and will need to work on that.  Durability is also a major concern as Lee tore his ACL in his right knee in non-contact drills in April of 2008 and missed the entire 2008 season.

Impact on the Bucs: The Bucs already have Barrett Ruud, don’t they?  All jokes aside, Lee is a decent player who could be a solid linebacker because of his work ethic and leadership.  I’m not sure he’s a good fit for the Bucs before the 4th round.

NFL Comparison:   Barrett Ruud – Tampa Bay Buccaneers