FAB 5. SR’s BUC SHOTS
• How great does Bucs middle linebacker Kwon Alexander want to become? So great he even named his personal website KwonTheGreat.com. That’s where you can buy some of his personalized t-shirts. Check it out if you’re an Alexander fan.

• Bucs middle linebacker Kwon Alexander isn’t the only one who is excited about the start of the team’s offseason workouts on Monday, April 17. I could hear the excitement in the voice of Tampa Bay right tackle Demar Dotson and left guard Kevin Pamphile, too.

“I can’t wait to get after it,” Pamphile said. “We were so close last year to making the playoffs it was disappointing. I’m excited to get started so we can make that happen this year. It starts on Monday with everybody working out. I know Coach [Dirk] Koetter is excited. I’m excited. Our free agent pickups – DeSean [Jackson] and Chris Baker – I think they’re going to help us a lot.”

• HBO’s Hard Knocks training camp show often features a colorful assistant coach. Last year it was Los Angeles Rams defensive line coach Mike Waufle, a former Marine, who used quite a bit of salty language when addressing his players in the meeting room and on the field. The Rams’ resident tough guy coach made for some great TV, and former Bucs defensive line coach Joe Cullen would have been a great fit if the Bucs were to be selected for this year’s show, and if he were still in Tampa Bay.

Bucs OL coach George Warhop – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

Cullen left last year to become Baltimore’s defensive line coach and was replaced by the more mild-mannered Jay Hayes. So if Tampa Bay is the chosen team for Hard Knocks, who becomes the most colorful coach that the show might feature?

Well, Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop is quite the ass-chewer, according to the team’s O-linemen. They love Warhop to death and work hard for him, but also work hard to try to avoid his wrath.

“Oh man, I think Hop would take it overboard just because we’d have cameras in the room,” Bucs left guard Kevin Pamphile laughed. “It would be exciting to see how guys’ personas would be on Hard Knocks, but I wouldn’t want it to be a distraction from our goal, which is to get in the playoffs and go to the Super Bowl. That’s what we’re preaching. But Coach [Warhop] would certainly make it interesting.”
 
• Just a hunch, but I’m guessing the next player inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor is going to be legendary cornerback Ronde Barber. Part of the reason why safety John Lynch was inducted last year is because he has been up for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame the last two years, and having him in the team’s Ring of Honor is another feather in his cap and accomplishment on his resume.

This is the first year that Barber becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame and the Bucs want to do everything they can to make the strongest case possible for his induction. It’s a smart move by the Glazers for a player that I regard as one of the Top 5 Buccaneeers of all-time.

And Glazer family – I’m talking to you – another very worthy candidate is middle linebacker Hardy Nickerson, who was the heart and soul of the late 1990s Buccaneers. The player known as “Hardware” helped groom the likes of defensive tackle Warren Sapp, linebacker Derrick Brooks, Lynch and Barber. Those guys wouldn’t be who they ultimately were without his guidance and leadership.

It’s time to get Barber in the Bucs Ring of Honor this year and put “El Dragón” in the ring in 2018.

• I’ll finish up with some Bucs draft insight for you. At this point I still believe that Tampa Bay will go defense in the first round, and that USC cornerback Adoreé Jackson, Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis, Washington safety Budda Baker and Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton are in play at No. 19. That’s because the majority of offensive weapons the Bucs the might be interested in will be gone by pick No. 19.

I’m not ruling out Miami tight end David Njoku, Washington wide receiver John Ross or Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey for the Bucs if any of those players make it to the 19th selection, but I just have a feeling that because this draft is deep at wide receiver, running back and tight end that there are some players in rounds 2-7 that the Bucs like just as much as some of the offensive weapons that may be available in the first round.

USC CB-KR-PR-WR Adoree Jackson – Photo by: Getty Images

Jackson is one to watch because of his versatility. The Bucs have shown interest in several players that cannot only play a position on offense or defense, but be a factor in the return game. That explains Tampa Bay’s interest in Michigan defensive back Jabrill Peppers, who returned punts and kicks and also played on offense as a receiver and a Wildcat quarterback. Jackson was a prolific return specialist during his three years at USC.

Jackson returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a freshman in 2014, and then scored on two punt returns as a sophomore in 2015. Last year was his best year as a return specialist for the Trojans, returning two kicks and two punts for TDs. Keep in mind that the Bucs had the league’s worst kick return average last year, a pathetic 14.6 yards per return.

With Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter doubling as the team’s offensive playcaller, he’s going to want better starting field position for his offense in 2017. And it’s worth noting that Jackson’s 4.42 speed was also used on offense occasionally where he had 628 yards and six touchdowns on 39 catches as a part-time wide receiver at USC.

• I’m not buying the supposed draft day slide of Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, who was at One Buccaneer Place for a visit this week, meeting with head coach Dirk Koetter and general manager Jason Licht. April is the silly season for draft speculation and smokescreens and some prominent national media members have been fed some information that Cook has surrounded himself with some questionable people that have some NFL teams concerned behind the scenes.

Who knows if it’s true or if it was planted by teams picking later in the draft to help try to create a first-round slide for Cook? I don’t believe Cook will be available at No. 19 when the Bucs are on the clock. If he somehow does make it to Tampa Bay I believe the Bucs will select him in a heartbeat, and pair him with former Seminoles teammate Jameis Winston, who could keep Cook on the straight and narrow.

The only reason that Cook wouldn’t be drafted by the Bucs at No. 19 would be because something didn’t go well on his visit to One Buccaneer Place. We’ll have to wait until Thursday, April 27 to know for sure.

• I hope you join us tonight, April 14, for the second PewterReport.com Charity Bowling Mixer at Pinchasers.  You can RSVP by clicking on this message board link or clicking on this Facebook link.

Our second mixer will be held from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Pinchasers location on Armenia Avenue in Tampa. The cost is a $15 charitable donation per person and that allows Tampa Bay fans unlimited bowling for two hours, while enjoying FREE pizza and soft drinks courtesy of Pinchasers, plus a rewards card good for 5 more FREE bowling games – a $35 value.

Tampa Bay offensive tackle Demar Dotson and tight end Alan Cross will be attending the event and will be available for photos and autographs. In addition, there will be raffles for a number of prizes, including autographed Bucs merchandise, gift cards, and even a bowling ball donated by Pinchasers. At 8:00 p.m. there will be a 10-minute Q&A with Dotson and Cross followed by the raffle drawing.

Our first bowling mixer drew over 50 participants, and this one will reach Pinchasers’ capacity. Make sure you RSVP today and we’ll see you there!

• The 2017 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching. Make sure you stay in the loop with Bucs updates on PewterReport.com’s social media sites. Join the largest Bucs media outlet on Twitter and follow @PewterReport on Twitter by clicking here and follow us on Facebook by clicking here.

And yes, I have switched the name of the @PewterReport account to my name and used my profile pic in an attempt to appease those Bucs fans that want to see our account get verified by Twitter. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, no big deal. We still have the largest Twitter following of any media source covering the Buccaneers with nearly 25,000. Thank you all tremendously for your support. That’s a very humbling number of followers and we are grateful to have you as part of our Pewter Nation.

• Speaking of Pewter Nation, the latest Pewter Nation Podcast is up on PewterReport.com. You can click here to listen to it on the site, or subscribe to it on iTunes or nearly a dozen other platforms we upload the Pewter Nation Podcast to. Mark Cook, Trevor Sikkema and I are the perfect drive-home companions for your afternoon commute today on Good Friday or for your weekend listening pleasure.

Episode 5 is called “Mixon It Up,” as we dive deep into Bucs draft discussion about Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, who visited the team a few days ago and Florid State running back Dalvin Cook, who visited One Buc Place on Thursday.  As always there is plenty of hilarious banter between the Pewter Reporters, and we make fun of Trevor’s “workout attire.” But do we finally get to my long-awaited Chuck Berry story, which is achieiving legend status by now? Listen and find out.

Your Buccaneers report for work on Monday at One Buccaneer Place!

Have a Happy Easter, Pewter Nation.