According to sources within and around the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Bucs have taken some unique steps to prepare for the 2010 NFL Draft. The Buccaneers hired former Cleveland Browns director of player personnel Bill Rees to help the team evaluate draft talent. Rees was hired by the team months ago. His first task was to access the Buccaneers current roster, and then to evaluate college talent for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Rees has not and will not attend organizational draft meetings at One Buc Place, but he is sending his evaluation reports to Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik. The Bucs owners, the Glazers, and director of college scouting Dennis Hickey also have access to Rees' reports.

Dominik has a close relationship with Rees dating back to working together at the Kansas City Chiefs when Dominik first entered the NFL out of University of Kansas. Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and Rees have been Dominik's mentors throughout his career. According to sources, the Bucs did not hire outside evaluators in the mold of Rees under former general manager Bruce Allen and head coach Jon Gruden.

Outsourcing help for scouting the NFL Draft is not commonplace, but a few teams have done so in the past and recently. The Philadelphia Eagles went a similar route with former Browns general manager Phil Savage when they hired him to be a player consultant for this year's draft.

Some league scouts and staff with other NFL teams tell Pewter Report that this is very rare for a team to hire an outside consultant to do draft evaluations. Some say that if you have confidence in your staff you don't need an outside source, and that is why you hire a director of college scouting.

Sources with the Buccaneers say Rees protects the team from getting tunnel vision on internal thoughts regarding draft prospects. The Buccaneers view Rees' hiring as a way to get another view on college talent from outside their own building. Dominik has repeatedly said that the team is going to be built through the draft, and this 2010 NFL Draft is of vital importance to the team's future. Thus, the team's view is that it won't hurt to get another set of experienced eyes doing evaluation work for the team.

Tampa Bay has 11 total draft picks at this time including the third overall pick. The Bucs have two second-round picks, 35th and 42nd overall. After compensatory picks were awarded, the Buccaneers have five picks in the top 101 picks in the draft.

Rees, 56, worked with numerous NFL teams including being the director of player personnel for the San Francisco 49ers (2001-2004), and the director of college scouting for the Chicago Bears in 1997-2000. Rees was part of the Browns in 2007 when they drafted left tackle Joe Thomas with the third overall pick, and traded their 2008 first-rounder in order to take quarterback Brady Quinn. With the Bears, Rees aided in the drafting of linebacker Brian Urlacher (2000), safety Mike Brown (2000), and wide receiver Marty Booker (1999).

Rees worked for the UCLA football program from 1979-1993. His first job in the NFL was as a college scout in Kansas City. Rees attended Ohio Wesleyan University.