Xavier Adibi

[Booker Reese]

I'm with Cerious. Here are the facts:

Brooks - probably one year left;
Ruud - really solid starter;
June - played well, and he's potentially a really solid replacement for Brooks. He's looked great before (Indy 2005) and looked a little shaky (Indy 2006).
Black - who knows - tremendous athlete, but right now we don't even know his position. Could potentially play any of the 3 spots;
Heyward - On what evidence is this 7th round pick anything more than a lifetime ST?
Nece - probably a salary cut;

After that it's a bunch of special team lifers. I think Adibi's an excellent prospect, and if he can be great in one of the most important positions in this defensive system, the Bucs have to think awfully hard about passing on him.

I get that we have more important needs - DT for example. But good luck on finding the next great 3-technique where we are drafting. I think this is much more of a best player available draft - we've got most of the starting positions held down. We don't need to reach this time.

[STULAAKE]

I DO NOT think June will be Brooks' replacement...IMO Brooks' replacement is not on this team as of yet...

[dbtb135]

Before everyone makes Black the heir apparent to Brooks, has anyone actually seen enough out of him to know he'll be a good replacement... or is everyone basing this off of him being a higher pick?

I don't think he is, but it wasn't those fans that made the pick. I don't think the defensive staff would want the guy one year, then just toss him out the next. Keeping a pretty cheap, perfect fit in June, staple DB, and adding Adibi basically makes this high 3rd round pick completely irrelevant on the team for a couple of years. Nece is a fine back-up at SSLB. So that was a heck of an expensive waste on a team that is building almost entirely on the draft.

[STULAAKE]

Before everyone makes Black the heir apparent to Brooks, has anyone actually seen enough out of him to know he'll be a good replacement... or is everyone basing this off of him being a higher pick?

I don't think he is, but it wasn't those fans that made the pick. I don't think the defensive staff would want the guy one year, then just toss him out the next. Keeping a pretty cheap, perfect fit in June, staple DB, and adding Adibi basically makes this high 3rd round pick completely irrelevant on the team for a couple of years. Nece is a fine back-up at SSLB. So that was a heck of an expensive waste on a team that is building almost entirely on the draft.

I believe Al Singleton in an earlier coaching regime was a 4th round pick who played several years at the SAM and did just fine...I think Black according to the depth chart this past season is June's replacement at SAM in a year or two...look how long it took Ruud to start...What is wrong in a year of having a starting trio of Adibi (will), Ruud (mike), and Black (sam)?

[Feel Real Good]

Before everyone makes Black the heir apparent to Brooks, has anyone actually seen enough out of him to know he'll be a good replacement... or is everyone basing this off of him being a higher pick?

I don't think he is, but it wasn't those fans that made the pick. I don't think the defensive staff would want the guy one year, then just toss him out the next. Keeping a pretty cheap, perfect fit in June, staple DB, and adding Adibi basically makes this high 3rd round pick completely irrelevant on the team for a couple of years. Nece is a fine back-up at SSLB. So that was a heck of an expensive waste on a team that is building almost entirely on the draft.

I believe Al Singleton in an earlier coaching regime was a 4th round pick who played several years at the SAM and did just fine...I think Black according to the depth chart this past season is June's replacement at SAM in a year or two...look how long it took Ruud to start...What is wrong in a year of having a starting trio of Adibi (will), Ruud (mike), and Black (sam)?

Because the SAM backer is only on the field 2/3 of the time and is generally considered as being amongst the least athletically challenging positions on the defense so it is very questionable why you need a probable 2nd round pick (Adibi) or high 3rd round pick (Black) there instead of using that pick for a more important position that participates in every down in a game.

[GameTime]

if im drafting, im going after our current needs first, then our possible future needs.

[CeriousBuc]

Before everyone makes Black the heir apparent to Brooks, has anyone actually seen enough out of him to know he'll be a good replacement... or is everyone basing this off of him being a higher pick?

I don't think he is, but it wasn't those fans that made the pick. I don't think the defensive staff would want the guy one year, then just toss him out the next. Keeping a pretty cheap, perfect fit in June, staple DB, and adding Adibi basically makes this high 3rd round pick completely irrelevant on the team for a couple of years. Nece is a fine back-up at SSLB. So that was a heck of an expensive waste on a team that is building almost entirely on the draft.

I believe Al Singleton in an earlier coaching regime was a 4th round pick who played several years at the SAM and did just fine...I think Black according to the depth chart this past season is June's replacement at SAM in a year or two...look how long it took Ruud to start...What is wrong in a year of having a starting trio of Adibi (will), Ruud (mike), and Black (sam)?

There's nothing wrong with that scenario, some of us just refuse to see that outside of our three most glaring needs, none of our draft picks outside of the first round will be contributing to team in a major way.

Our three biggest needs are DT, C, WR, followed closely by CB and RB. Outside of WR in the first, we aren't going nab either of the top DT (having a 1st round grade) and there isn't a C worth draft on the first day (1st and 2nd rounds) in this years draft. If we're drafting by need then WR, CB, RB should be the picks in the first two rounds. My thought is that none of those players is going to start no matter how you draw it up, heck a second round CB or RB may not see the field outside of special teams. My thinking is if you draft BPA then you end up not hand cuffing yourself when a prospect like Adibi falls into your lap in the second round. On a team with as few major holes as this one, you must draft BPA and continue to stock talent.

[dbtb135]

I believe Al Singleton in an earlier coaching regime was a 4th round pick who played several years at the SAM and did just fine...I think Black according to the depth chart this past season is June's replacement at SAM in a year or two...look how long it took Ruud to start...What is wrong in a year of having a starting trio of Adibi (will), Ruud (mike), and Black (sam)?

So we're already pigeonholing Black and June's future with the team for a draft pick that really isn't a need right now? I personally would like to see more of June on the weakside and see if he's not the guy we want there in the near future.

[leeroybuc93]

If the Bucs truly feel that he is a Derrick Brooks clone as the post suggets, you have to take him. 

[GameTime]

If the Bucs truly feel that he is a Derrick Brooks clone as the post suggets, you have to take him. 

if the bucs truly feel that he is a derrick brooks clone, i would hope they wouldnt put that on the record.

[sammy8887]

If the Bucs truly feel that he is a Derrick Brooks clone as the post suggets, you have to take him.

if the bucs truly feel that he is a derrick brooks clone, i would hope they wouldnt put that on the record.

They didn't; "an agent" did...

[STULAAKE]

I believe Al Singleton in an earlier coaching regime was a 4th round pick who played several years at the SAM and did just fine...I think Black according to the depth chart this past season is June's replacement at SAM in a year or two...look how long it took Ruud to start...What is wrong in a year of having a starting trio of Adibi (will), Ruud (mike), and Black (sam)?

So we're already pigeonholing Black and June's future with the team for a draft pick that really isn't a need right now? I personally would like to see more of June on the weakside and see if he's not the guy we want there in the near future.

"Pigeonholing?"  says who?  just saying June IMO is not the answer to our future Will linebacking needs, and this thread allows me to address that topic with a prospect who potentially might fill that void...

[GameTime]

If the Bucs truly feel that he is a Derrick Brooks clone as the post suggets, you have to take him.

if the bucs truly feel that he is a derrick brooks clone, i would hope they wouldnt put that on the record.

They didn't; "an agent" did...

the bucs telling his/any agents that they believe he is a dbrooks clone is just a way to improve his draft stock.  and telling an agent that is basically putting it on the record, right?

[sammy8887]

the bucs telling his/any agents that they believe he is a dbrooks clone is just a way to improve his draft stock. and telling an agent that is basically putting it on the record, right?

Who are "the bucs" you're referring to here? Where did this direct coversation take place?

Hopefully, you can see the point being made here is that no one knows the circumstances through which this "agent" learned this information...Maybe "the bucs" wanted it to be public record, maybe not...

[GameTime]

the only "bucs" im talking about is from your original quote in the thread starter.  are you saying the point being made is that the quote you posted isnt reliable?