Tampa Bay was coming off a last-place finish in the NFC South with a 4-12 record in 2006. They had the fourth overall pick in the first round. The draft was conducted by then-general manager Bruce Allen and head coach Jon Gruden. Current director of college scouting Dennis Hickey was in his same role at the time.
First Round
Bucs pick: defensive end Gaines Adams- fourth overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson- seventh overall
San Francisco LB Patrick Willis- 11th overall
New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis- 14th overall
Carolina LB Jon Beason- 25th overall
Other Quality Options
Pittsburgh LB Lawrence Timmons- 15th overall
Cincinnati CB Leon Hall- 18th overall
Tennessee S Michael Griffin- 19th overall
New York Giants CB Aaron Ross- 20th overall
Kansas City WR Dwayne Bowe- 23rd overall
New England S Brandon Meriweather- 24th overall
New Orleans WR Robert Meachem- 27th overall
Analysis: Adams had a solid debut as a rookie, but never panned out and was eventually traded to Chicago for a second-round pick. Tragically, Adams passed away in January of 2010. The Bucs could have gotten the best linebacker in the NFL in Willis or maybe the best cornerback in the NFL in Revis. Two years earlier, the Bucs had selected Barrett Ruud to be their middle linebacker. At the time the Buccaneers felt good about cornerbacks Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly and Philip Buchanon heading into the 2007 season. They passed on Peterson because they took Cadillac Williams with the fifth-overall pick two years earlier. Any player in the list above would have been a better pro than Adams.
Second Round
Bucs pick: guard Arron Sears 35th overall pick
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Pittsburgh OLB Lamarr Woodley- 46th overall
New York Jets MLB David Harris- 47th overall
Other Quality Options
Oakland TE Zach Miller- 38th overall
Philadelphia QB Kevin Kolb- 36th overall
New York Giants WR Steve Smith- 51st overall
Analysis: Sears was an excellent guard for the Buccaneers in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Due to off-the-field mental issues, Sears has not played football the past two seasons. Some sources have said Sears' mental concerns were known when the Buccaneers drafted him, while other sources have refuted that. The Bucs passed on some excellent players for Sears. Woodley is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Harris is one of the best linebackers in the NFL. Right now, with Sears out of football any of those picks would have been more productive in the long-term.
Bucs pick: safety Sabby Piscitelli 64th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Carolina DE Charles Johnson- 83rd overall
Denver RT Ryan Harris- 70th overall
Other Quality Options
Green Bay WR James Jones- 78th overall
Seattle DT Brandon Mebane- 85th overall
Baltimore T Marshall Yanda- 86th overall
Minnesota DE Brian Robison- 102nd overall
Analysis: The Bucs made an astute trade in sending Booger McFarland to the Colts for this pick, but they ended up blowing it on Piscitelli. Any of the players listed above would have been better picks than Pisctielli. Johnson broke out with 11.5 sack season last year, while Harris has been a quality right tackle for years, but has had a number of injuries. Mebane, Yanda, and Jones have been solid players. Robison was re-signed to a nice contract to replace Ray Edwards as the Vikings starting left defensive end. Again, all of those players would have been better picks.
Third Round
Bucs pick: linebacker Quincy Black 68th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Carolina DE Charles Johnson- 83rd overall
Denver RT Ryan Harris- 70th overall
Other Quality Options
Green Bay WR James Jones- 78th overall
Seattle DT Brandon Mebane- 85th overall
Baltimore T Marshall Yanda- 86th overall
Minnesota DE Brian Robison- 102nd overall
Analysis: The book on Black is not yet complete. He has been a two-year starter for Tampa Bay and at times has flashed and is coming off his best season - although it was shortened due to a broken arm at the end of the 2010 campaign. However, Black could leave Tampa Bay in free agency. The only player from the list above that definitely would have been a better pick is Johnson. Black is the top remaining player from this draft class for Tampa Bay.
Fourth Round
Bucs pick: safety Tanard Jackson 106th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Baltimore FB Le’Ron McClain
Other Quality Options
Indianapolis LB Clint Session
Analysis: Jackson has shown the ability to be one of the better safeties in the NFL, but his problems with substance abuse have kept him off the field. Jackson has been suspended for 18 games over the past two seasons and will be suspended for at least two games in the 2011 season. If Jackson could have avoided suspensions he could have ended up being one of the best picks in the entire ’07 draft class. Now, his NFL career is hanging by a thread. McClain is one of the better fullbacks in the NFL and had a season of 902 yards rushing before Ray Rice took over the running load for the Ravens. Session was a two-year starter for the Colts, but is not really an impact player.
Fifth Round
Bucs pick: defensive tackle Greg Peterson 141st overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Arizona WR Steve Breaston
Philadelphia TE Brent Celek
Other Quality Options
Carolina TE Dante Rosario
Analysis: The Bucs gambled on Peterson coming out of North Carolina Central College. Peterson played in 10 games as a rookie and two games in 2008 before being cut in 2009. Peterson hooked on with the Washington Redskins briefly. Breaston has been a great third receiver for Arizona with two seasons of over 700 yards receiving back-to-back after a 1,006-yard season in 2008. Rosario is a decent, backup tight end.
Sixth Round
Bucs pick: linebacker Adam Hayward 182nd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Green Bay K Mason Crosby
Other Quality Options
None
Analysis: Hayward has turned into a quality player for Tampa Bay. He is a capable backup linebacker and an excellent player on special teams. He may never be multi-year starter in the NFL, but Hayward is the kind of good depth contributor that winning teams need. Crosby has been a solid kicker for Green Bay, but the Bucs didn’t need a kicker at the time due to the presence of Matt Bryant.
Seventh Round
Bucs pick: tackle Chris Denman 214th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Kansas City QB Tyler Thigpen
Atlanta RB Jason Snelling
Other Quality Options
Arizona TE Ben Patrick
New York Giants S Michael Johnson
New York Jets WR Chansi Stuckey
San Diego LB Brandon Siler
Analysis: Thigpen could have been a quality backup quarterback for Tampa Bay. Snelling has turned into a solid backup running back in the NFL that has hurt the Buccaneers. Patrick, Johnson, Stuckey, and Siler all would have been better depth options than Denman, who never panned out for Tampa Bay.
Bucs pick: cornerback Marcus Hamilton 245th overall and running back Kenneth Darby 246th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
New York Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw
Other Quality Options
None
Analysis: Bradshaw has been a dangerous running back for New York. Prior to LeGarrette Blount breaking out in 2010, Bradshaw was better than any running back the Bucs featured in 2007-2009, even though Bradshaw was a backup to Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. Hamilton was developing nicely but ended up being claimed off waivers by the Chicago Bears. Darby has been a contributing backup for St. Louis after the Bucs cut him, but he is not a backup capable of significantly reducing Steven Jackson’s role.
Final Results: With a top-five pick, two second-rounders, and four picks in the top 68 picks the Bucs were supposed to emerge from the 2007 draft with long-term starters and building blocks. The top three picks of Adams, Sears, and Piscitelli all played a significant role in the 3-13 record in the 2009 season. To make matters worse, it was known that the Bucs could have traded up with Detroit to get wide receiver Calvin Johnson in exchange for the fourth pick and the Bucs’ second-rounders but the trade was nixed by the powers that be.
If Jackson had managed to avoid his substance abuse problems he could have combined with Black and Hayward to push this draft into being respectable. As it stands now, the Bucs came away with only one dependable starter. There were a number of good to great players in this draft that the Buccaneers passed on. It is an understatement to say that Tampa Bay could have had a much better draft.
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