JDouble's last Mock

[JDouble]

The movers are coming tomorrow to pack up my stuff. It's finally time to move to Tampa. I'll be without my computer for 2-3 weeks so I won't be posting anymore Mocks or my Favorite 50 before the draft. I'll still use my phone to keep up with stuff so I'll be lurking around. Probably just won't be posting much. Anywho...


2011 Draft Class


1. RE Ryan Kerrigan - He might end up being our LE down the road, but this year he will be our RE and that is an upgrade over anyone on our roster. There isn't much bust factor here. He's just a hard working guy with good instincts and good fundamentals. His love for the game and his work ethic make him a solid pick that should provide 8+ sacks a year and improve our run defense.



2. CB Ras I Dowling - This guy is a Talib clone but a better tackler and he is a very well mannered intelligent guy. He won't be punching any cab drivers or teamates. Even if Barber returns he will only be a one year stop gap, and Lewis/Biggers are solid depth for nickel and dime packages or in case of injury, but I'm not convinced either is a play making starter. Right now they both appear to be more on the level of Phillip Buchanon, which is nice, but not ideal. With Dowling we could have two shut down physcial corners that are also good in run defense. Biggers, and Lewis still play an important role in Nickel and Dime formations, as well as providing great depth in case of injury. No more Mack though.



3. MLB Nate Irving - Probably not ready to step in immediatly and be our MLB and lead our defense, but he has everything you want in a MLB. Leadership, size, strength, instincts, a hard hitting mean streak. He does well in coverage, but his strength is his ability to shed blocks to stop the run and rush the passer. He is as quick/fast as Ruud, but lacks the top end speed to be our WLB. He'll need to improve his tackling fundamentals too, but he'll be ready to be a stud MLB for us in 2012 and beyond. This year he would provide good depth and see spot duty at MLB or could possibly start at SLB.



4. WR Greg Salas - I know, I know. WR is not a need at all. Doesn't matter to me. This kid has everything I want in a reciever and a football player in general. Briscoe and Stroughter are promising young guys but haven't proved anything yet, plus it's unknown how much effect Benn's knee injury has on him this season. Salas could immediatly challenge for the #3 slot position. Dude is just tough. He's fun to watch and I'd really get a kick out of watching him in Pewter and Red on Sundays. Many would be upset initially to draft another WR, but I believe he would instantly be a fan favorite once people saw him play.



5. TE Julius Thomas - Big physical ex basket ball player with great potential as a recieving TE. Needs experience in finding the soft spot in zone covberage, but is already an outstanding blocker with some nastiness to him.



6. RB Allen Bradford - We need another big power back to fill in for Blount when he needs rest or is injured. Bradford is that man. He is almost as big as Blount and just slightly less amazing. Blount & Bradford could be the scariest RB duo in the NFL. He replaces Lumpkin.(This is the compensatory pick for Antonio Bryant)



7a. MLB Mario Harvey - Under rated. Only 5'11" but 250lbs. Has great instincts and strength. More production than any of the top ranked MLBs in this draft. Solid depth if not a starter for us. I could see him competing with McKenzie and Black for the starting MLB spot this year. Could also play SLB, but really belongs in the middle.



7b. RB Chad Spann - Change of pace back. Doesn't have elite speed (ran a 4.52) but he has great lateral quickness and shiftyness. Gets low and breaks a lot of tackles. Only 5'8" but 200lbs. Very underrated.  Spann reminds me of Ahamd Bradshaw. I think he could step in and replace Caddie as our 3rd down back right away.



Undrafted Rookie Free Agents

OLB Mike Gee - Small school but big time player. Great rushing LB with perfect size and speed. Great depth or eventual starter at strong side. He is also from a small town in Jersey just blocks from where Rah grew up.



ILB  Tressor Baptiste - Hard to judge guys in division II, but he looks promising. He looks good when pass rushing and stopping the run, but what really caught my eye is his abilities in coverage. Really seems to enjoy big hits

[lazoran]

Jdub so who do we(or would u) pick if Kerrigan is off the board in the first and Ras is gone in the second?

[JDouble]

Fav 50

1. DE Ryan Kerrigan - Purdue 
2. DE Cameron Jordan - Cal
3. DB Ras-I Dowling - Virginia
4. DE Robert Quinn - NC Tarheels
5. DE JJ Watt - Wisconsin
6. WR Greg Salas - Hawaii   
7. OG Marcus Cannon - TCU
8. MLB Nate Irving - NCS Wolfpack 
9. C Mike Pouncey - Florida
10. OT Gabe Carimi - Wisconsin
11. RB Allen Bradford - USC Trojans
12. OG Ben Ijalana - Villanova 
13. RB Chad Spann - N. Illinois
14. DE Justin Houston - Georgia
15. RB Jacquizz Rodgers - Oregan State
16. DE Aldon Smith - Mizzou
17. DE Jabaal Sheard - Pittsburgh 
18. DB Jalil Brown - Colorado
19. OLB Chris Carter - Fresno State
20. TE Greg Little - NC
21. MLB Mario Harvey - Marshall
22. TE Julius Thomas - Portland State 
23. DB Quinton Carter - Sooners
24. DB Jaiquawn Jarrett - Temple
25. MLB Casey Matthews - Oregon 
26. OLB Brooks Reed - Arizona
27. DB Rahim Moore - UCLA Bruins
28. WR Noel Devine - West Virginia
29. RB Delone Carter - Syracuse
30. RB Mario Fannin - Auburn 
31. DB Deunta Williams - NC Tarheels
32. OG John Moffitt -Wisconsin
33. DE Sam Acho - Texas
34. MLB Mark Herzlich - Boston
35. DB Ahmad Black - Florida
36. OT Joe Barksdale - Loiusiana State 
37. OLB Mason Foster - Washington
38. OT Matt Reynolds - BYU
39. OLB KJ Wright - Mississippi State
40. MLB Alex Wujciak- Maryland
41. DE Greg Romeus - Pittsburgh
42. TE Jordan Cameron - Southern Cal
43. C Kris O'Dowd - USC
44. C Tim Barnes - Missouri
45. OLB Mike Gee - IUP Div II 
46. MLB Tressor Baptiste - Div II
47.  MLB Colin McCarthy - Miami
48. OT DeMarcus Love - Arkansas
49. RB Nic Grisby - Arizona
50. MLB Josh Bynes - Auburn
51. DE Christian Anthony - Grambling
52. DE Marc Schiechl - Div ll

[JDouble]

Jdub so who do we(or would u) pick if Kerrigan is off the board in the first and Ras is gone in the second?

Personally, If Kerrigan and Jordan are both gone at 20 I would consider an offensive lineman like Carimi or Pouncey. Maybe try to trade back and gain another pick if possible.

If we don't get a DE in the 1st then we definitely need to trade up to the top of the 2nd to get a Houston or Sheard. Then aquiring Charles Johnson or Ray Edwards in FA would be a must instead of a bonus.

[BucBalla85]

I like the Kerrigan pick. I dont think we draft a corner or WR in this draft. Thats just my opinion. Corner and WR were probably our strength as well as Freemans play. I just dont see it. However if LB is the position of strength in next years draft like many are saying, then maybe we go after some luxury picks like a Ras I Dowling. However if you are so high on him, why wouldnt he get picked in round 1?

[The Anti-Java]

I dont believe the Bucs got anything for Antonio Bryant.  I think we got that extra 7th for losing Wilkerson and someone else whose name escapes me at the moment.   In any event I think Kerrigan is gone by 20.  He has been moving up the boards pretty steady lately.  I am starting to lean towards picking up a great  O-lineman at 20.  And then go after a DE later in the draft and pursue Ray Edwards or that Johnson from Carolina.

[JDouble]

I'm wondering what it will take to move up to 15. I'm not sure Kerrigan even makes it to 15, but if he does and we want him we'll need to jump in front of Jacksonville to get him.

Everyone seems to think Miami wants to draft Mark Ingram. If that is true they could move back to 20 and still get him, so they would probably be open to a trade. The other thing that helps is that Miami has no 2nd round pick. I think we could get their 1st and 3rd for our 1st and 2nd. We'd lose out on a 2nd round pick, but we'd get Kerrigan and have two 3rds. (#78 and #83) I'm thinking if we move, this is the most likely scenario. It would mean no Ras-I Dowling, but I'd be down with this scenario. It would be worth it to land Kerrigan and there are plenty of 3rd round guys I like.

The draft point chart is only there as a guide, but this trade would make sense point wise. Miami's 1st and 3rd equals 1245 points, and our 1st and 2nd equals 1230 points.

[Hate]

JDub, check your PMs

[awitron]

No effort made to improve the team in areas where its needed(which also happens to work into where the depth of this draft is) and instead is replaced by a bunch of players you like. This is not mock draft, this is a compilation of players you like. Greg Salas? Allen Bradford? Ras-I Dowling? Really?

[MUSCLE_HAMSTER]

No effort made to improve the team in areas where its needed(which also happens to work into where the depth of this draft is) and instead is replaced by a bunch of players you like. This is not mock draft, this is a compilation of players you like. Greg Salas? Allen Bradford? Ras-I Dowling? Really?

1) Obviously we need to draft a DE
2) Rah is a DB guy. This is a passing league. People clamor for Asomugha because it would be incredible to have a great tandem. Move Myron Lewis to FS (where most draftniks said he'd go) have Cody Grimm at SS. Then our Secondary is Talib, (Barber for 1-2 years) Dowling, Biggers, Lewis and Grimm. We can't count on Tanard, so I'd be thrilled if this is became our secondary.
3)We need to improve our LBs, especially against the run. Irving brings that
4)This is the closest thing to not improving the team, but this regime has continuously said they want to give Free weapons. Benn tore an ACL, if he can't regain form then our corps is MW19, Sammie and Briscoe. Not exactly bulletproof.
5)Julius Thomas is gonna blow up. Kellen has been healthy and great so far, but there is nothing wrong with drafting a security blanket and his eventual replacement. I believe this kid will do big things
6)We need a backup for Blount. We can't count on Huggins, we know what we have in Caddy. I don't know if Lumpkins is worth relying on to be the backup.
7)Now we're in the 7th round, we're looking mostly at depth and Special Teams. Another LB and another RB.


Keep in mind, this mock is a part of JDub's offseason forecast where we grab at least one DE in FA, like Ray Edwards or Charles Johnson. What area that isn't addressed in all of this needs to be addressed? Maybe OLB. You could replace Dowling with a Bruce or Chris Carter. OL? I think we're fine, we've got lots of depth and youth (as witnessed this past season) that will hopefully improve under new coaching.

[Kerrigan2011]

I like the top 2 picks. I think the Bucs could use another CB and possibly groom Myron Lewis into a safety. However, I don't know if the Bucs should draft 2 runningbacks. Seems rather wasteful considering Caddy is revitalized in his 3rd down back role so all we would really need is a fast guy. I've all but given up on Huggins because hes a good story and could be Mr.August but the fact of the matter is that the Bucs need to be smart with their choices. I feel like we could get some home-state talent from the Big 3 schools if we wanted. (What about instead of Ras Dowling we go with Rodney Hudson?) I think the Bucs will have an interesting draft soon enough.

[Skull and Bones]

No effort made to improve the team in areas where its needed(which also happens to work into where the depth of this draft is) and instead is replaced by a bunch of players you like. This is not mock draft, this is a compilation of players you like. Greg Salas? Allen Bradford? Ras-I Dowling? Really?

the goal is to get the best talent you can with each pick you have in the draft.  Why draft a MLB for example if you don't view any as an upgrade to what you already have.

[JDouble]

No effort made to improve the team in areas where its needed(which also happens to work into where the depth of this draft is) and instead is replaced by a bunch of players you like. This is not mock draft, this is a compilation of players you like. Greg Salas? Allen Bradford? Ras-I Dowling? Really?

Well you might think we'd be better off if we drafted all DEs and offensive linemen, but that's just not how I think. They are the players I like because I believe in taking the BPA. When you draft for need you are constantly trying to patch holes and catch up. When you ignore position and take the BPA you end up with a great team with solid depth all around.

Greg Salas is the only stretch, but I like him that much that I would still take him in the 4th if he's there. Other than that we need everyone of these guys.

Kerrigan obviously fills a big need at DE and I think we should sign another DE in FA.

Some of you seem to think we are so set at DB but Barber is gone next year, Mack is horrible, Tanard can not be counted on, and Biggers/Lewis are not proven. Ras-I excels in zone and plays the runs better than most CBs. He could play FS or CB for us and would be a perfect fit. That's why I like him so much and that's why I have in in the 2nd round. I'm sure you think we should take a DE here but after the top 10 DEs go off the board there is a drop off. DE will not be the best value in the 2nd round. Might be an OT here that presents better value though, and if there is I'm all for it, but taking the 11th or 12th DE over the 4th or 5th CB is stupid.

LB is a need. Ruud sucks and is likely gone. Hayes sucks and needs competition. Black might be gone as well. Irving and Harvey fit our system. They fill a need and are great football players. Plus I like Justin Durant in FA.

Other than Blount we have Lumpkin Chumpkin, an old Caddie with two bad knees, and 57 year old Graham. Huggins is already a part of Bucs lore and will not be back. We have no depth. Bradford and Spann are late round value that rejuvenates our RB stable. It's been a need for awhile now.

Everyone and their mom knows we need another TE to replace Jeremy Stevens. Julius Thomas is a big guy that can block and catch. Fills a need.

So what are the biggest needs that I am ignoring? The O-line? Hey if a great value O-linemen falls to us then I say take him, but I think we'll resign Davin Joseph, and we have Penn. I'd like to see what we have in Hardman, Lee, Barker, Carter, Malecki, Dile, Larsen, Zuttah, and Dotson. Might even have Trueblood back if he comes cheap. Faine is the only guy I'd like to see go. If the right FA O-lineman is out there then that's cool too, but I say give these young guys a chance to evolve and see what we have in house. They did pretty good last year and I think they'll just get better.

I really don't get your post.

[SunnyD]

I just think taking Dowling would be a complete waste of Myron Lewis and E.J. Biggers.

The secondary still fared quite well with Biggers in there instead of Talib and Lewis was the only player on the team that could cover Calvin Johnson.

With Ronde still playing at a high level and Lewis waiting in the wings with a ton of potential, I just don't think that pick makes sense.

Also, It's only Biggers third season. He could still get even better.

[awitron]

I agree that getting a TE, RB, and MLB are important. I also agree that we are probably going to go for a pass rusher in the first. I just feel strongly that you are looking at the wrong players in some of these cases. We are 5 deep at WR right now, Salas is a waste of a pick. Take a flier on a guy late rather than spend a mid-round pick on a guy just cause. Allen Bradford is not as good as you make him out to be. This guy is UNPLAYABLE on passing downs, he offers nothing as a blocker or receiver on 3rd down which is when he is going to be on the field because Blount is our workhorse. I like the Julius Thomas pick, I actually have him in the mock I'm almost done with as a 5th rounder. Kerrigan is not going to be there when we pick at #20, he wont make it past Jacksonville and the Jags might even have to move up for him.

I dont see the hype around Dowling. He's a good player but you overrate the hell out of him. People make the case to move Lewis to FS and draft him but Dowling projects more to safety than Lewis does. Lewis was very impressive in limited reps last year. We are 4 deep in starting caliber corners right now, there is no need to take one that high and go against the strength of this draft which is also our need areas. I dont mind the Nate Irving pick, but my concern is his coverage ability. The MLB I like, Quan Sturdivant, is not as stout against the run but his ability to play in space and excel in coverage is a big plus over Irving.