The Tampa Bay Buccaneers deserve an “A-minus” as their collective draft grade for their efforts in the 2011 NFL Draft. Here I break down each selection and offers up analysis and a grade for each of Tampa Bay’s eight draft picks this year.

ROUND 1 – IOWA DE ADRIAN CLAYBORN
If Clayborn can replicate or come close to replicating his junior season at Iowa when he had 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and a blocked punt for a touchdown, he will be worth the 20th overall selection and likely become the pass-rushing threat off the edge that the Bucs have lacked since Simeon Rice left following the 2006 season. If his production in the NFL more closely resembles that of his senior season when his numbers dipped to seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble, he will be no better than former mediocre Bucs defensive ends in the first round like Regan Upshaw and Marcus Jones.

Reason to hope: Clayborn is a big, physical defensive end that plays with a nasty demeanor that has sorely been lacking since the departure of Warren Sapp in 2004. Clayborn’s toughness and size will play a big role in helping Tampa Bay’s porous run defense. The fact that he did have a double-digit sack season at Iowa shows he has the potential to be that kind of player in the NFL.

Reason to mope: Clayborn doesn’t have elite speed to run around offensive tackles nor does he have a wide array of pass rush moves to run through pass protectors. It may take a while for Clayborn to come close to becoming a double-digit sacker – if he achieves that level at all.

Final analysis: With California defensive end Cameron Jordan still on the board, the Bucs will be criticized for passing on him if Jordan, who was drafted with the 24th overall pick, winds up being more productive.

Draft pick grade: B

ROUND 2 – CLEMSON DE DA’QUAN BOWERS
To say that this is a risky pick is an understatement given the reports of his torn meniscus injury and the condition of his right knee. Some reports suggest that Bowers may need the controversial microfracture knee surgery or that he has a degenerative knee condition. The team disputes those reports, but cannot say exactly when Bowers, who is still rehabbing his knee from offseason surgery, will be ready to play in 2011. Still, the potential reward was too great for general manager Mark Dominik to ignore and if Bowers, who led the nation with 15.5 sacks and was second with 26 tackles for loss, can get his knee healthy and have it stay that way, the Bucs may have the steal in the draft.

Reason to hope: If Bowers’ rehab goes as well as possible and his knee remains healthy, he could become Tampa Bay’s best pass rusher because of his unique blend of size, speed and power. Bowers has the ability to school slower right tackles and the potential to dominate the way Michael Strahan and Kevin Carter did from the left end position in their prime.

Reason to mope: Should Bowers’ knee already be shot, not respond to rehab or get reinjured, not only would Tampa Bay be without a second-round pick, they would also be sorely lacking in the pass-rushing department because Bowers has the potential to become the best sacker on the Buccaneers roster.

Final analysis: The Bucs picked the best player available with the 51st overall pick in Bowers – a player that could have been the first overall pick had he been healthy. Bowers’ knee injury makes this a risky pick, but the potential upside of a high reward is worth the risk.

Draft pick grade: A-

ROUND 3 – WASHINGTON LB MASON FOSTER
Foster was the nation’s second-leading tackler last year with 163 tackles and he has a knack for creating turnovers with eight forced fumbles and four interceptions in his Huskies career. Not only is Foster adept at stuffing the run and dropping into coverage, he is also quite the blitzer with 10.5 career sacks, including 6.5 during his senior season. The Bucs need more size, physical play and production from their linebacking corps and the versatile Mason brings all of those elements to Tampa Bay’s defense.

Reason to hope: Foster has the talent and football IQ to be a starter as a rookie. He can play any of the three linebacker spots and the team would be wise to put the 6-foot-1, 245-pounder at middle linebacker and have him compete with Tyrone McKenzie so that Tampa Bay can move on from Barrett Ruud, who will likely be asking for at least $5 million per year once he hits free agency. With too many of his tackles coming downfield rather than at the point of attack, Ruud is not worth it – especially when Foster is stout against the run.

Reason to mope: There really isn’t much downside to the selection of Foster. He did not time very well at the combine, but improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.67 at his pro day. Foster is a good athlete, but not a superb one. That may be the only hole in his game transitioning to the next level.

Final analysis: Getting Foster in the third round is a steal for Tampa Bay. To get a highly productive player to fill a need this late in the third round was simply shrewd drafting by the Buccaneers.

Draft pick grade: A

ROUND 4 – TENNESSEE TE LUKE STOCKER
The Bucs feel like grabbing Stocker in the fourth round was a steal, even though Tampa Bay had to trade up 12 spots in the fourth round of the draft to do so. In a draft that was not deep at the tight end position, the Bucs got the last most complete player in Stocker, who is equally capable of being an in-line blocker and a receiver. Stocker was underused at Tennessee where he only caught 85 passes for 956 yards and eight touchdowns in his career, including 39 receptions for 417 yards and two scores as a senior.

Reason to hope: Given the fact that he essentially has two fourth-round draft picks invested in him (including next year’s fourth-rounder), Stocker is all but assured of being the number two tight end behind Kellen Winslow. That means he will be a quasi-starter as long as he picks up the offense.

Reason to mope: The drafting of Stocker and the investment the team has in him likely means that the team will not be re-signing veteran John Gilmore, who was the team’s best blocking tight end. Gilmore showed some stealth receiving skills last year and was a great veteran locker room leader. There will be a lot of pressure for Stocker to step in and become a force as a run blocker because that is not Winslow’s forte. Plus giving up a fourth-rounder next year could come back to bite Tampa Bay depending on the talent the Bucs won't have a shot at acquiring.

Final analysis: Tampa Bay had a higher draft grade (second round) on Stocker than a fourth-rounder and that’s why the team was so aggressive in trading up to get him. Stocker is a better receiver than his college production indicates and he figures to be more of a weapon in the passing game than Gilmore was.

Draft grade: A-

ROUND 5 – FLORIDA SAFETY AHMAD BLACK
Tampa Bay selected one of college football’s top defensive playmakers in the fifth round with the drafting of Black, who grew up in nearby Lakeland and went to the University of Florida. Black, a lifelong Bucs fan, has 13 career interceptions, three forced fumbles, three defensive touchdowns, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. As a senior, this defensive team captain had five interceptions and three forced fumbles. He capped off his Gators career with two interceptions, including one for a touchdown and six tackles as the Outback Bowl MVP.

Reason to hope: With Tanard Jackson’s NFL future in doubt due to his suspension, the Bucs needed another ballhawking safety for their secondary. Black fits the bill as he had a hand in creating 17 turnovers in college. He is also a hard-hitter and a sure tackler, evidenced by his 244 career stops. In big games Black made big time plays.

Reason to mope: Black does not pass the eyeball test as he is only 5-foot-9, 187 pounds. He also ran a 4.84 at the combine, but improved that time by running a 4.75 at his pro day. He’s not fast on a stopwatch, but due to his instincts he plays much faster. But is he big enough and fast enough to play at the NFL level? Even if he is strictly a backup on defense at the NFL level, Black has the makings of being a standout special teams player.

Final analysis: Tampa Bay took a gamble on a player that is short and slow by NFL standards at the safety position, but the risk is lessened because the Bucs only spent a fifth-round pick on Black. If he eventually becomes a starter, which is possible due to his toughness, instincts, intelligence and playmaking ability, Black will be a late-round steal for the Bucs.

Draft grade: A

ROUND 6 – USC RUNNING BACK ALLEN BRADFORD
The Bucs went “big back hunting,” according to general manager Mark Dominik, with the selection of the 5-foot-11, 240-pound Bradford, who rushed for 1,585 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry during his USC career. The Bucs want to team Bradford with LeGarrette Blount to form a physical, powerful running back tandem. By having two big backs – three if you count Earnest Graham – the Bucs can always stick with their north-south approach when it comes to running the ball, even when Blount is not in the game.

Reason to hope: Bradford has the size to play fullback or halfback and he is used to splitting carries at USC. Those traits should acclimate him well to the running back room at One Buc Place. With Bradford getting drafted so late, it seems like he has a chip on his shoulder entering the NFL, which is certainly not a bad thing for rookies to have.

Reason to mope: Looking at most of the highlights and big runs of Bradford’s career, the blocking was so superb at USC on those plays that he is to the second level and even into the secondary before any defender touches him. There aren’t many massive holes in the NFL on a regular basis due to the talent level of the league’s defensive players.

Final analysis: Bradford may be a nice sleeper due to his blend of power and quick burst. He is a nifty runner for a big back and can also catch and block. The Bucs clearly got some great intel from USC coaches Monte Kiffin and Joe Barry, who used to be on Tampa Bay’s staff for years.

Draft grade: B

ROUND 7 – FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL CORNERBACK TONY GAITOR
The Bucs felt fortunate to grab a talented cornerback like Gaitor in the seventh round as he probably carried a fifth- or sixth-round grade due to collegiate production. Gaitor played in 49 games at FIU and recorded 197 tackles (136 solo), 25 passes defensed, 11 interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during his career. Gaitor impressed the Tampa Bay staff during his pre-draft visit because he wanted to play for the Buccaneers so bad.

Reason to hope: Gaitor was a consistent performer at FIU, notching at least two interceptions in each of his four seasons in his collegiate career. He returned three of his picks for touchdowns, which speaks to his playmaking ability. With a former seventh-rounder like E.J. Biggers coming from a smaller school like Western Michigan and excelling as a nickel corner and an occasional starter, there is hope that lightning could strike twice and that Gaitor could be another seventh-round steal.

Reason to mope: At just under 5-foot-10, and weighing 177 pounds, Gaitor resembles the smallish Elbert Mack in terms of stature. He will need to add some size to effectively play against the bigger receivers he’ll face in the NFL. At first glance, he seems like nothing more than a special teams contributor as a rookie.

Final analysis: Tampa Bay had a chance to draft Pittsburgh defensive end Greg Romeus to add yet another pass rusher to the mix, but passed in favor of Gaitor. Given the fact that Da’Quan Bowers has medical issues with his knee, drafting Romeus might have been wiser even though his own health problems caused him to slide to the seventh round.

Draft grade: C+

ROUND 7 – IDAHO TE DANIEL HARDY
The Bucs like to grab special teams candidates in the seventh round and like Hardy’s athleticism and skill set to not only potentially develop into an NFL tight end, but perhaps more importantly to cover kicks and punts. Although he only played in 28 games at Idaho, Hardy caught 39 passes for 691 yards and three touchdowns as a junior and had 32 receptions for 545 yards and one touchdown before a broken arm sidelined him for the last five game of the 2010 season.

Reason to hope: Hardy is considered to be more of an athlete than Stocker is and can run in the high 4.7-range. He brings more athleticism than Ryan Purvis and Nathan Overbay possess too, and gives Tampa Bay another fluid receiving tight end whose skills are more inline with that of Winslow’s.

Reason to mope: With the drafting of Stocker, the Bucs had four tight ends in Winslow, Purvis and Overbay. The selection of Hardy adds another candidate for the battle to be the third tight end in Tampa Bay when either Purvis or Overbay seemed competent enough to handle the position. At 249 pounds, Hardy must add size and strength to hold up as a blocker.

Final analysis: The Bucs selected two tight ends in the 2011 NFL Draft, which may have been a bit excessive. With potentially three linebackers hitting free agency this year in Barrett Ruud, Quincy Black and Adam Hayward, it would have been nice to see Tampa Bay draft another linebacker like Marshall’s Mario Harvey or Maryland’s Alex Wujciak instead.

Draft grade: C+