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Buccaneers Draft Analysis - Aqib Talib
Two months ago, a poll was put up on this site, asking the readers to choose what position the Bucs should target in this draft. The choices were RB, WR, LT, DT and CB. The Bucs addressed them all this weekend. We obtained 3 players that I personally had high hopes of acquiring in Aqib Talib, Jeremy Zuttah, and Josh Johnson.
We will breakdown all of the picks made this weekend, there potential impact on the team, and throw in some highlights as well.
Round 1 - CB Aqib Talib, Kansas
Anyone who is a reader of this site knows that Talib was my first choice of corners. Not my first choice of corners that might be available when we picked, but my first overall choice. Mike Jenkins would have been nostalgic, but I believe that Talib is a much better fit. The Bucs had not chosen a CB on the first day of the draft since Dwight Smith in 2001, and Talib is only the second overall DB to be selected by the Bucs in the first round. He is a perfect fit for the Cover 2 in my opinion, and possesses great size and tackling ability. His biggest knock thusfar has been whether he will have the recovery speed to keep up with fast WR’s. In our defense, this point is moot. He has great instincts, and leaping ability. He led the nation in pass breakups per game at 2.8 last year, and was the MVP of the Orange Bowl. Talib should compete with Phillip Buchanon and Eugene Wilson for the starting job opposite Ronde Barber, and should see the feel often as we run a lot of dime and nickel sets. He should immediately become a player in the return game for us, competing with Ike Hilliard and Phillip Buchanon for those duties. I also would not count out Jon Gruden finding a way to utilize him offensively (he had 4 offensive TD’s last year).
Scouts Inc. - While it’s rare to see a two-way player at the next level, he has flashed the big-play ability to potentially contribute as a return specialist and occasionally on offense.
Jon Gruden - (Talib) has a knack for making plays on both sides of the ball.
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I would say he was picked two rounds early, but I think the Bucs’ brass sees him as two players in one, w/return & scrimmage possibilities..May be an OK selection.
April 28th, 2008 at 6:16 pmTalib had an amazing stat last year (AP FirstTeam AA BTW) in passes defended. He is big for a corner but fairly fast. If he can keep his nose clean he may turn out to be a steal.I suppose the team bypassed Jenkins because they didnt think he was physical enough (run support) for the cover 2.
April 28th, 2008 at 6:24 pm