The Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to address their special teams unit with their sixth-round pick. The Bucs selected Virginia Tech punter Brent Bowden with the 172nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The Buccaneers needed a punter after cutting Dirk Johnson and Josh Bidwell prior to free agency. Considering Tampa Bay spent a pick on him, Bowden instantly is likely to be the starting punter over holdover Sam Paulescu.

In 2009 Bowden averaged 43.8 yards per punt, and had a long punt of 60 yards. Last season he had 20 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line and had 14 punts of over 50 yards. He was a first-team All-ACC selection.

As a junior in 2008 Bowden averaged 40.36 punts with a long punt of 57 yards. He had 24 punts downed inside the 20, and 12 punts of over 50 yards. His first season of playing time was as a sophomore and he averaged 42.52 yards per punt that season with a long of 59 yards. He had a career high of 28 punts downed inside the 20 and 14 punts of over 50 yards.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Bowden has the reputation of being a strong-legged directional punter. Bowden is the younger brother of former Florida State punter Chris Hall. Entering the draft the top consensus punter was Michigan's Zoltan Mesko. The New England Patriots took Mesko in the fifth round. Bowden was the second punter selected in the draft.