2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ NFL Draft Review: Where Are They Now?

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Pewter Plank has brought you this series of NFL Draft reviews, to give you an idea as to how the Buccaneers have done over the past decade on draft day. As we get closer and closer to present day, we start to see more and more players making the roster and staying there to present day. But there was certainly a dark age of Buccaneer draft classes, and that is what led to the lack of talent during the Raheem Morris era. The 2010 Draft took place once Mark Dominik had really started to settle in as General Manager, and shows some of the things he looked for in college prospects. There was a mix of high character, and high risk, and it turned out to be a fairly productive draft, if it’s possible to judge a draft after this short of a time.

Without further ado, we bring you the 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Draft review:

1st round (3rd overall) – Gerald McCoy – Defensive Tackle – Oklahoma

The Buccaneers had plenty of needs in the 2010 draft, as is typically signified by teams that finish with the third selection in the NFL draft. Taking the best player on the board seemed like an obvious need, and taking one that would contribute to the pass rush wasn’t a bad idea, either. McCoy was a dominant high school football player, and an eventual All-American at Oklahoma, and would have been easily the best defensive tackle in the nation were it not for Ndamukong Suh‘s terrific season.

McCoy started off his NFL career slowly, mainly due to injuries holding him back, but came on strong in 2012, earning a Pro Bowl bid and leading the Buccaneers’ top ranked run defense. Gerald is a team leader, a public face for the franchise, and by all accounts, the definition of a “Buccaneer Man.” He figures to be the key to the defensive front in 2013 and beyond.

2nd round (35th overall) – Brian Price – Defensive Tackle – UCLA

The second defensive tackle taken in a row, Price figured to beMcCoy’s counterpart for years to come. Price was a sturdy, promising tackle out of UCLA, and passed up on his senior season to enter the draft. However, he failed to stay healthy, and spent the 2010 season on injured reserve.

He would then be infamously banned from the sideline by Raheem Morris after a senseless personal foul penalty cost the team a key sack against the Carolina Panthers. This was the beginning of the end for Price, who also reportedly was involved in an altercation with Mark Barron.

He would be traded for a seventh round pick, as the Chicago Bears were willing to give Price a chance. They would eventually waive him, and he has failed to officially make an NFL roster since. He has a chance to catch on with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.

2nd round (39th overall) – Arrelious Benn – Wide Receiver – Illinois

This pick was acquired from the Oakland Raiders, who traded down to the Buccaneers’ pick acquired in the Gaines Adams trade. The Bucs moved up to take Benn, who had a very impressive sophomore season at Illinois, but failed to impress in his junior year, but still declared for the draft to be sure he got drafted based on his impressive second season in college. It was believed his struggles in his final season were more thanks to the players around him, so he got the benefit of the doubt.

It turned out that Benn wasn’t competitive enough or talented enough to make a big impact with the Buccaneers. He contributed a few dozen catches over his first two seasons, and scored five touchdowns, but mainly because of the extreme lack of talent at wideout for the Bucs. When Vincent Jackson came to town, and with the emergence of Mike Williams, Benn found himself buried on the depth chart, and unable to climb up to a more important position.

Benn was traded to the Eagles this offseason, in exchange for an upgraded draft pick (The Buccaneers traded their seventh round pick for the Eagles’ sixth rounder).

3rd round (67th overall) – Myron Lewis – Cornerback – Vanderbilt

In a third round that saw two future Pro Bowlers selected (Navorro Bowman and Jimmy Graham), the Buccaneers instead selected Myron Lewis. Lewis has the size and strength of a safety, but still impressed at cornerback while at Vanderbilt. He has failed to do the same at the Pro level, but remains on the roster as depth. Lewis fits the bill physically for what Greg Schiano wants in a corner, but doesn’t have many more chances to earn a bigger role on the defense.

Click the next button for the remainder of the Buccaneers’ 2010 selections.