Obviously it is foolish to judge a draft immediately afterwards because nobody knows how the players are going to turn out at the NFL level. With that being the case Pewter Report looks back at the 2006 NFL Draft and how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fared. Check back later this month as Pewter Report will review other previous drafts for Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers were coming off a 2005 season that featured a first-place finish in the NFC South with an 11-5 record. They had the 23rd 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: guard Davin Joseph- 23rd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Cincinnati CB Jonathan Joseph- 24th overall
Pittsburgh WR Santonio Holmes- 25th overall
Carolina RB DeAngelo Williams- 27th overall
New York Jets C Nick Mangold- 29th overall
Houston LB DeMeco Ryans- 33rd overall
Green Bay WR Greg Jennings- 52nd overall
Other Quality Options
Indianapolis RB Joseph Addai- 30th overall
New York Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka- 32nd overall
Analysis: Davin Joseph has been a solid player for Tampa Bay. He started as a rookie and has been a quality run blocker and pass protector. Joseph is the lone player drafted from the previous regime to make the Pro Bowl, although as an alternate. The consistent negative about Joseph has been reoccurring injuries and at times inconsistent play. Holmes and Jennings have been two of the top wideouts in the NFL. Mangold is in the top two or three centers in the NFL. Ryans has been excellent for Houston. Corner Jonathan Joseph has been very good for the Bengals. While Davin Joseph has been a quality pick, all of those other players have topped out at a higher level of play.
Second Round
Bucs pick: right tackle Jeremy Trueblood 59th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew
Other Quality Options
Green Bay G Jason Spitz
Atlanta RB Jerious Norwood
Houston T Eric Winston
Analysis: The Bucs would have taken cornerback Richard Marshall, but he went one pick earlier to the Panthers. Trueblood has been a solid, dependable starter for the majority of his time in Tampa Bay. He is a strong run blocker that improved his pass blocking over the years. Controlling mental mistakes has been his biggest challenge as Trueblood had stretches of personal foul and false start penalties. The past two seasons, Trueblood was misfit in a zone-blocking scheme instead of the physical, man-blocking scheme he was drafted for. Jones-Drew is the only player the Bucs passed on for Trueblood that would definitely be considered an upgrade.
Third Round
Bucs pick: wide receiver Maurice Stovall 90th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
New Orleans G Jahri Evans- 108th overall
Denver WR Brandon Marshall- 119th overall
Other Quality Options
Houston TE Owen Daniels- 98th overall
New England K Stephen Gostkowski- 118th overall
Analysis: Stovall never turned into the wide receiver the Bucs envisioned. There were years where Stovall was dominant in training camp but never transitioned it into production during the regular season. He has been an excellent special teams player for Tampa Bay. Evans is one of the best guards in the NFL, and is better than Joseph. Marshall has been one of the best wide receivers, but has been plagued with off the field problems. Daniels and Gostkowski have been good players. Any of those four would have been better picks.
Fourth Round
Bucs pick: cornerback Alan Zemaitis- 122nd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Denver DE Elvis Dumervil- 126th overall
Minnesota DE Ray Edwards- 127th overall
Other Quality Options
New York DT Barry Cofield- 124th overall
Seattle G Rob Sims- 128th overall
Analysis: This one hurts. Zemaitis is the biggest wasted pick in this draft class as he never saw the field for Tampa Bay. Dumervil is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL after being dominant in college. Because he is short (5-foot-11), he fell in the draft. Edwards is a very good defensive end. Either player is massively better than any defensive end that has played for Tampa Bay since 2006. Cofield and Sims are quality pros that are easy upgrades over Zemaitis as well.
Fifth Round
Bucs pick: defensive end Julian Jenkins- 156th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Philadelphia LB Omar Gaither- 168th overall
Other Quality Options
Chicago DE Mark Anderson- 159th overall
Analysis: The Bucs blew a pick on Jenkins, but not many players turning out helps Tampa Bay. Gaither was a starter for a couple of seasons for the Eagles but lost his starting spot in 2009 and 2010. Anderson was a dominant pass rusher as a rookie that helped the Bears make a Super Bowl run. He was a one-year wonder, but that one year is a lot more than Jenkins produced in his brief pro career. Either Gaither or Anderson would have been better picks.
Sixth Round
Bucs pick: quarterback Bruce Gradkowksi- 194th overall and tight end T.J. Williams- 202nd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Indianapolis T Charlie Johnson- 199th overall
Indianapolis S Antoine Bethea- 207th overall
Tennessee CB Cortland Finnegan- 215th overall
Other Quality Options
Baltimore P Sam Koch- 203rd overall
Analysis: Gradkowski became a starter as a rookie and struggled. He never developed as a backup in 2007 and was cut before the 2008 season. Williams never made it on the Bucs roster. Johnson has been a starter for the Colts the past four seasons, and Bethea has been quality starter as well. Koch has been a good punter for Baltimore. Finnegan has the reputation as a dirty player but has been a quality starter for the Titans. Any of those four players would have been better than the Bucs sixth-round picks.
Seventh Round
Bucs pick: cornerback Justin Phinisee- 235th overall and defensive end Charles Bennett- 241st overall and tight end Tim Massaquoi- 244th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
New Orleans WR Marques Colston- 252nd overall
Other Quality Options
None
Analysis: Colston has been one of the better wide receivers in the NFL. Future head coach Raheem Morris recommended the Bucs draft Colston out of his alma mater, Hofstra. Morris was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State at the time of this draft. All three of the Bucs' seventh-round picks were non-factors and wasted picks.
Final Results:
The Bucs got two starters in this draft in Joseph and Trueblood, but that's it. Some of the players they passed on are unforgivable. Dumervil, Edwards, Evans and Jones-Drew top that list. This draft had the potential to be an incredible haul of talent, but as it stands now the 2006 Bucs draft class is below average and provided Tampa Bay with a minimal long-term impact.
The Buccaneers were coming off a 2005 season that featured a first-place finish in the NFC South with an 11-5 record. They had the 23rd 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: guard Davin Joseph- 23rd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Cincinnati CB Jonathan Joseph- 24th overall
Pittsburgh WR Santonio Holmes- 25th overall
Carolina RB DeAngelo Williams- 27th overall
New York Jets C Nick Mangold- 29th overall
Houston LB DeMeco Ryans- 33rd overall
Green Bay WR Greg Jennings- 52nd overall
Other Quality Options
Indianapolis RB Joseph Addai- 30th overall
New York Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka- 32nd overall
Analysis: Davin Joseph has been a solid player for Tampa Bay. He started as a rookie and has been a quality run blocker and pass protector. Joseph is the lone player drafted from the previous regime to make the Pro Bowl, although as an alternate. The consistent negative about Joseph has been reoccurring injuries and at times inconsistent play. Holmes and Jennings have been two of the top wideouts in the NFL. Mangold is in the top two or three centers in the NFL. Ryans has been excellent for Houston. Corner Jonathan Joseph has been very good for the Bengals. While Davin Joseph has been a quality pick, all of those other players have topped out at a higher level of play.
Second Round
Bucs pick: right tackle Jeremy Trueblood 59th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew
Other Quality Options
Green Bay G Jason Spitz
Atlanta RB Jerious Norwood
Houston T Eric Winston
Analysis: The Bucs would have taken cornerback Richard Marshall, but he went one pick earlier to the Panthers. Trueblood has been a solid, dependable starter for the majority of his time in Tampa Bay. He is a strong run blocker that improved his pass blocking over the years. Controlling mental mistakes has been his biggest challenge as Trueblood had stretches of personal foul and false start penalties. The past two seasons, Trueblood was misfit in a zone-blocking scheme instead of the physical, man-blocking scheme he was drafted for. Jones-Drew is the only player the Bucs passed on for Trueblood that would definitely be considered an upgrade.
Third Round
Bucs pick: wide receiver Maurice Stovall 90th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
New Orleans G Jahri Evans- 108th overall
Denver WR Brandon Marshall- 119th overall
Other Quality Options
Houston TE Owen Daniels- 98th overall
New England K Stephen Gostkowski- 118th overall
Analysis: Stovall never turned into the wide receiver the Bucs envisioned. There were years where Stovall was dominant in training camp but never transitioned it into production during the regular season. He has been an excellent special teams player for Tampa Bay. Evans is one of the best guards in the NFL, and is better than Joseph. Marshall has been one of the best wide receivers, but has been plagued with off the field problems. Daniels and Gostkowski have been good players. Any of those four would have been better picks.
Fourth Round
Bucs pick: cornerback Alan Zemaitis- 122nd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Denver DE Elvis Dumervil- 126th overall
Minnesota DE Ray Edwards- 127th overall
Other Quality Options
New York DT Barry Cofield- 124th overall
Seattle G Rob Sims- 128th overall
Analysis: This one hurts. Zemaitis is the biggest wasted pick in this draft class as he never saw the field for Tampa Bay. Dumervil is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL after being dominant in college. Because he is short (5-foot-11), he fell in the draft. Edwards is a very good defensive end. Either player is massively better than any defensive end that has played for Tampa Bay since 2006. Cofield and Sims are quality pros that are easy upgrades over Zemaitis as well.
Fifth Round
Bucs pick: defensive end Julian Jenkins- 156th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Philadelphia LB Omar Gaither- 168th overall
Other Quality Options
Chicago DE Mark Anderson- 159th overall
Analysis: The Bucs blew a pick on Jenkins, but not many players turning out helps Tampa Bay. Gaither was a starter for a couple of seasons for the Eagles but lost his starting spot in 2009 and 2010. Anderson was a dominant pass rusher as a rookie that helped the Bears make a Super Bowl run. He was a one-year wonder, but that one year is a lot more than Jenkins produced in his brief pro career. Either Gaither or Anderson would have been better picks.
Sixth Round
Bucs pick: quarterback Bruce Gradkowksi- 194th overall and tight end T.J. Williams- 202nd overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
Indianapolis T Charlie Johnson- 199th overall
Indianapolis S Antoine Bethea- 207th overall
Tennessee CB Cortland Finnegan- 215th overall
Other Quality Options
Baltimore P Sam Koch- 203rd overall
Analysis: Gradkowski became a starter as a rookie and struggled. He never developed as a backup in 2007 and was cut before the 2008 season. Williams never made it on the Bucs roster. Johnson has been a starter for the Colts the past four seasons, and Bethea has been quality starter as well. Koch has been a good punter for Baltimore. Finnegan has the reputation as a dirty player but has been a quality starter for the Titans. Any of those four players would have been better than the Bucs sixth-round picks.
Seventh Round
Bucs pick: cornerback Justin Phinisee- 235th overall and defensive end Charles Bennett- 241st overall and tight end Tim Massaquoi- 244th overall
Top Players the Bucs Passed On
New Orleans WR Marques Colston- 252nd overall
Other Quality Options
None
Analysis: Colston has been one of the better wide receivers in the NFL. Future head coach Raheem Morris recommended the Bucs draft Colston out of his alma mater, Hofstra. Morris was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State at the time of this draft. All three of the Bucs' seventh-round picks were non-factors and wasted picks.
Final Results:
The Bucs got two starters in this draft in Joseph and Trueblood, but that's it. Some of the players they passed on are unforgivable. Dumervil, Edwards, Evans and Jones-Drew top that list. This draft had the potential to be an incredible haul of talent, but as it stands now the 2006 Bucs draft class is below average and provided Tampa Bay with a minimal long-term impact.
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