Will the improved play of the Defense cause Bucs to look Offense in 1st Round?

[Feel Real Good]

Thomas was no doubt the gem of a weak tackle class, but Long was in a stacked class.

[Biggs3535]

Thomas was no doubt the gem of a weak tackle class, but Long was in a stacked class.

That's my recollection as well.

Thomas was a no-brainer and while Long wasn't quite as good a prospect, there wasn't a whole lot of doubt that he would be a very good LT.

[dalbuc]

So were Jake Long and Joe Thomas according to so many.

I don't recall that.

And I would be all for drafting a franchise LT, I'm just not sure Okung is that guy.

Oh please, all the Thomas had short arms stuff? Long was a Big 10 slow can't play with SEC fast type guys arguments. Franklly, if Okung played UF people'd be all over him like white on rice.

[ALong13]

Suh
Berry
Okung
Dez Bryant
McCoy

That be my order, but I;d be fine with any of them

[Biggs3535]

So were Jake Long and Joe Thomas according to so many.

I don't recall that.

And I would be all for drafting a franchise LT, I'm just not sure Okung is that guy.

Oh please, all the Thomas had short arms stuff? Long was a Big 10 slow can't play with SEC fast type guys arguments. Franklly, if Okung played UF people'd be all over him like white on rice.

All players have facets of their game that are critiqued, so I'm not sure what your point is.  

You won't find any quotes of mine questioning Thomas or Long.  I just don't think Okung is as good as those guys.

[Feel Real Good]

Oh please, all the Thomas had short arms stuff? Long was a Big 10 slow can't play with SEC fast type guys arguments. Franklly, if Okung played UF people'd be all over him like white on rice.

That's just typical top 5 nitpicking. Adrian Peterson is an upright runner and injury prone, Matt Ryan doesn't have an elite arm, Calvin Johnson is a long strider, etc. Everyone gets that.

And considering two of the best left tackles in the game went to Boise State and Eastern Washington, I'm not so sure anyone is denigrating Okung for being Big XII/non-SEC.

[Detrimental]

Well what does Okung do that Penn doesn't? He isn't an upgrade regarding run blocking so it's a moot point to dump Penn for an unproven guy.

[Ft. Myers Buc Fan]

Well what does Okung do that Penn doesn't? He isn't an upgrade regarding run blocking so it's a moot point to dump Penn for an unproven guy.

That is my thinking as well.  If we dump Penn and draft Okung or dump AB and draft Dez Bryant, then are we really getting better?  I think at least if we draft Bryant and keep AB, then we can have them both on the field at the same time. 

Now is we bench/cut Hovan or bench Sabby or Ward and plug in McCoy, Berry or Spiller, then I see that as a significant upgrade.

[alldaway]

Well what does Okung do that Penn doesn't? He isn't an upgrade regarding run blocking so it's a moot point to dump Penn for an unproven guy.

Penn can be used for a season or two while Okung gains some seasoning if he was drafted by the Bucs.

If you ask me I like Okung a lot more than other the DL prospects after McCoy/Suh. 

[bucsense]

Penn sucks!!  Bring in Rosie O'Donnell or Rush Limberger......

[dalbuc]

Well what does Okung do that Penn doesn't? He isn't an upgrade regarding run blocking so it's a moot point to dump Penn for an unproven guy.

Well there's a chance he won't suck, something Penn can't stop doing.

[Biggs3535]

Okung looked very, very good today in the Cotton Bowl.  He pretty much stonewalled whoever lined up against him on run and passing plays.

[kjbugman]

CJ Spiller will be the new Chris Johnson, the guy is a freak'n match-up nightmare with the ability to go the distance on any play.

I would cream myself if we got him

NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN!

[Mellow]

The whole "BPA" thing bugs me.

What is the best player was a punter, the best one to come along in 20 years . . . do you take him with the #5 pick?

What if the best player were a center . . . do you take him?

I say: hell no!  BPA has to be balanced with value, which encompasses lots of things, predominantly:

(a) Does the guy play a position that has a large impact on the outcome of games, given your scheme?  Obviously QB falls in this category, and I would argue for the Bucs scheme, DT is VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRY important.  WR, RB . . . not so much, IMO.  LB, not so much.  S, not so much.  CB, more so.

(b) Does history show that the very best guys at his position are taken early, and very hard to find in later rounds?  Or is it very much a crap-shoot, with many good gems discovered late?  Into this category I'd put LOT as a high-value pick--sure, there are Penn's to be found, but by and large, the good ones are drafted early, very early.

(c) In a similar vein, how easily can this guy's position be filled in FA?  Again, OT is a perfect example--good ones almost never come on the market, which makes point (b) even more critical.  In contrast, it seems good WRs are available nearly every year in FA, probably because they are typically such divas, complaining about being underpaid or underutilized and looking to move. 

(d) What is the bust factor? Again, history shows that some positions are harder to predict than others, which means that many guys drafted high turn out to be busts.  Usually this goes hand-in-hand with point (b), but not always.  DTs, unfortunately, are not all that bust-proof.  QBs are notoriously risky, which is why picking one (conflict between point (a) and point (d) so difficult).

Anyway, short version: "BPA" sounds good, but I think it's basically meaningless.

[Biggs3535]

What is the best player was a punter, the best one to come along in 20 years . . . do you take him with the #5 pick?

What if the best player were a center . . . do you take him?

This argument has been put forth before, and I frankly think it's silly.  If you could show me when those instances you have offered has happened in any draft, I'd like to see it.

Maybe if people thought about as Best IMPACT Player Available, that would make more sense to some folks.