Early Draft Look

[dbtb135]

Correct.  A dominant NT will make everyone else on the line that much better.  Remember that the Bucs were reportedly ready to pull the trigger on Branch at the top of the 2nd round this year until Arizona nabbed him.

Thank god for that. Sears >>>> Branch.

[TOP SECRET]

Manningham sucks, and injury prone, he will be there in the 2nd round. And I wouldn't mind taking Frank Okam

Why would we take Okam? He isn't a pass rusher which is what we need... Hovan has been a very solid run stuffer and hasn't shown any decline, so spending a 1st rounder on a NT that we don't immediately need would be a huge mistake.

Okam isn't a pass rusher. The only reason you take him is if you think he can be a John Henderson type player, who has never had more than 6.5 sacks in a season, but clearly impacts a game.

Correct. A dominant NT will make everyone else on the line that much better. Remember that the Bucs were reportedly ready to pull the trigger on Branch at the top of the 2nd round this year until Arizona nabbed him.

Okam to me wouldn't even be that, but I could be wrong. I think you get the UT position shored up first, it is the most immediate need on the DL right now. We can produce at a high level with Hovan or Okam, we can produce at a much higher level with a very good UT though. If we sign Corey Williams, than I would consider drafting Okam to give us a nice young tandem at DT, or unless Okam is 100% undeniably the BPA at our pick, which i doubt.

[Feel Real Good]

Okam to me wouldn't even be that, but I could be wrong. I think you get the UT position shored up first, it is the most immediate need on the DL right now. We can produce at a high level with Hovan or Okam, we can produce at a much higher level with a very good UT though. If we sign Corey Williams, than I would consider drafting Okam to give us a nice young tandem at DT, or unless Okam is 100% undeniably the BPA at our pick, which i doubt.

Yeah, I don't think Okam is that good, either. Texas linemen, both offensive and defensive, have the problem of looking great in shorts but you never know what you're going to get when they put on pads. I don't think Mack Brown knows how to truly whip his players into shape.

[ShotCaller]

who cares what mack brown can or can't do. the question is can coyer get it out of the guy.

okam is a bright guy .. applying to law school, has the GPA, work ethic, etc to get it going. needs to be put in the right system and get the right coaching. he'll be a good one. i like okam for the NT position .. not sure he's the quick step, disruptive UT ... but could still be a great player to groom for hovan's replacement/depth.

remember, we still have greg peterson, who is tremendously raw, but has had a year of coaching/practice with the big boys. i don't see a UT option in the draft, so perhaps we fortify the NT and okam could help us there -- and 2 years from now, when hovan is 32, and played out his contract, we'll have our next NT primed.

if we want to stay a playoff team, need to keep our trenches rock hard.

[anberlinrawk]

there are UT options in the draft, they are just higher than were our pick will be.

[gypsie]

We need to stop worrying about who we have and just take the bpa you find a way to get your best players on the field. Only position I wouldnt draft is guard and safety because we are 2 deep at all four positions

[Fresh]

I don't see any DT other than Dorsey,Ellis worth a first round pick that would come in and play UT right away. Pat Sims,Kentwan Balmer,Trevor Laws, can be had later in the draft. I personally don't want to wait, but we have FA to get someone. Okam is a mammoth that fits the Shaun Rogers mold, but I don't watch Texas games so I can't say weather or not he is like Rogers fatigue wise. Like FRG said, he is the type of guy that clearly will impact games,demand and win double teams. By winning double teams doesn't mean getting the sacks it simply means pushing the Center and the guard 3 yards off the LOS. Forcing a pocket QB to move around

[alldaway]

Considering the Pack invested a 1st round pick in Justin Harrell and Corey Williams has exploded onto the scene unexpectedely I doubt the Pack keeps Williams as they have Jenkins to team with Harrell.

Then again Harrell is injury prone so they may hang onto Corey.  But Corey Williams would definately change the Bucs approach heading into the draft if he was acquired.

[TOP SECRET]

If we add Corey Williams, and have a shot at Okam in the draft, and he is the BPA on the board, I am all for adding him. If he does turn into a Shuan Rogers NT type player I would defanitely like to have him. I really hope we land Corey Williams, bc if we do our draft options open way up.

[Buc31]

I knew this mock was a joke when it said Norwood was the rb of the future for the Falcons.

[4bucs]

How we draft will depend on who we sign in FA....what we need is another qb  that fits this offense be he young or a vet....a huge DT....DE...Center...CB....WR... in any order at all ...and if they are the caliber of the new players this year we will be one of the top teams in the league.

    Me I like to experiment....make Bennett a flanker.....add 10 lbs to Clayton an make him a Chris Cooley....and hell yes I would love to see Jackson at cb Piscitelli at safty...it would be almost like having 6 LBS on the field....but thats just me.

   I would like to sign Mewelde Moore...think hes a great fit...and one of those FA tes ....any one will do ...they all look pretty good...b y  by Becht....Allen and Haynsworth  would look good at DE and DT,and a WR like Barrian.....what ever we don't get out of this group we fill in with in the draft....and if we sign a good vet qb....we'll go to the sb again...just need that security....but I love Garcia...hes the heart of the team.

[TOP SECRET]

How we draft will depend on who we sign in FA....what we need is another qb  that fits this offense be he young or a vet....a huge DT....DE...Center...CB....WR... in any order at all ...and if they are the caliber of the new players this year we will be one of the top teams in the league.

    Me I like to experiment....make Bennett a flanker.....add 10 lbs to Clayton an make him a Chris Cooley....and hell yes I would love to see Jackson at cb Piscitelli at safty...it would be almost like having 6 LBS on the field....but thats just me.

   I would like to sign Mewelde Moore...think hes a great fit...and one of those FA tes ....any one will do ...they all look pretty good...b y  by Becht....Allen and Haynsworth  would look good at DE and DT,and a WR like Barrian.....what ever we don't get out of this group we fill in with in the draft....and if we sign a good vet qb....we'll go to the sb again...just need that security....but I love Garcia...hes the heart of the team.

Yea if we had that offseason, I think everyone would be extatic.

I like the Bennett idea, but he doesn't have great route running or the best hands. I would just like to use him as a Reggie Bush type player, line him up in the slot, in the backfield, or out wide. To me you find creative ways to get the ball in his hands and he will be a big time player for us. I have a feeling Moore will be a Buc and he will be a nice fit, I would still like to add one more back, possibly someone from the draft.

You also know I am a fan of the TJax idea, but IDK if the team will do it bc, its an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"... type of situation. I think TJ could be a monster CB though, he reminds me so much of Ronde, and I think he could be as good of a CB as Ronde. Not to mention I want Sabby on the field, He is a smart, big, athletic kid that was a ball hawk in TC, and if JP hadn't turned into a Pro Bowl type safety, he would've held down the position well.

As for Berrian, I like him, but someone is going to throw so much money at him, I would rather get Drew Carter, who is a cheaper alternative and if he didn't have Smith over shadowing him, he would also be putting up Berrian type numbers, not too mention he is playing at a place which has had no QB all year. I also like Devery Henderson, he is blazing also, but he is a lot quicker than both Berrian and Carter, he could be a nice fit in this YAC based offense.

and Haynesworth and Allen will both be franchised, I have heard both GM's have said there is no way either of those players go anywhere, and I expect that to be true.

Alternative in FA for those two would be Corey Williams and Justin Smith. Smith would be a nice rotational end and could also slide down to UT on passing downs. Corey Williams has had an excellent year, but when you invest a 1st rounder in the same position in the previous draft, chances are you aren't going to pay him too. He would be an excellent fit here, and probably wouldn't be outragously priced.

I would also like to look into signing Jordan Gross, if we can lure him away from Carolina it would be huge. He would be the franchise tackle we have been looking for and it would be a huge blow to a division rival, he would be a perfect addition to a our young OL.

As for the draft, if we sign the players I mentioned, outside Gross, then our needs would be:
LT
NT
QB
WR
RB
CB

In that order

[dbtb135]

Gross is a bust, pass on him.

The thing about Carter/Berrian is that Berrian is producing well being the best WR in Chicago. Carter has Smith taking up all the attention, so while he is in Steve's "shadow", he's also benefiting PLENTY from that coverage-wise.

[4bucs]

if not Berrian....then Henderson...another burner but has good hands too....plus we stick it to the Saints.

[SwarmingDefense]

isn't gross a RT... I think he is a small upgrade over trueblood but not worth it