Jan 9, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Morris Claiborne (17) carries the ball during the first half of the 2012 BCS National Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

I’m sure by now you’ve heard that the Buccaneers are probably going to take a corner with the 5th overall pick in this upcoming NFL draft, which starts on April 26. And you’ve also heard this name floating around: Morris Claiborne. So, if you’re not familiar with this name, my goal is to introduce you to Morris Claiborne, cornerback from Louisiana State University.

Floyd Reese, the former GM of the Tennessee Titans, once stated that ”the optimum height is about 5-11,” referring to the height for a cornerback in the NFL. Morris Claiborne fits the bill because he’s listed as 5’11″, 188 pounds. Reese contended that taller cornerbacks don’t normally make it in the NFL because they “tend to get hurt.” Claiborne is the top corner in the upcoming draft and here’s why:

Man Coverage: Claiborne is solid in man coverage mainly because of his quick feet. Moreover, Claiborne’s reach also allows him to press on the line, and he rarely gets behind when pressing because of that reach and those quick feet. However, he can be lazy at times, allowing the opposing receivers to throw a quick move on him. Many NFL receivers, such as Larry Fitzgerland and Calvin Johnson Jr. will have a significant height and weight advantage. Fitzgerland outweighs Claiborne by about 30 pounds.

Zone Coverage: I’ve noticed that Claiborne is a solid tackler, and that he doesn’t give up many yards after the catch, which is big in the NFL. The Buccaneers struggled immensely with tackling last season. Claiborne also doesn’t shy away from the contact, but at times takes bad angles. However, these are all things that can be worked on, of course. In the zone, many good quarterbacks will find the soft spot between the corner and the safety. Often times, Claiborne overestimates his closing speed and the receiver and quarterback will find that soft spot for an easy completion.

Intangibles: Morris Claiborne was a former receiver so he has good hands. However, he’s still learning the corner position. He might be overwhelmed at first in the NFL, but generally he’s got a tenacious, hard-working attitude. He’s got relatively good size for a corner, and long arms, which will help him with tackling, defending passes, and blitzing. Claiborne’s also good at shedding the blocker on running plays, so expect to see him in the backfield often. Claiborne’s skill set is rather similar to Patrick Peterson’s. His coverage skills might be comparable to those of Vontae Davis of the Miami Dolphins.

Final Word: The Minnesota Vikings have expressed their interest in drafting Claiborne with the 3rd overall pick. This just goes to show how teams have come to value corners in this new, pass-heavy NFL. The Pewter Plank reported yesterday that Ronde Barber will return for a 16th season, which is another reason why the Buccaneers may draft him. Barber could be an excellent mentor for Claiborne, someone that he can really learn from. Moreover, Aqib Talib’s status is still unknown, and adding Claiborne will give the Buccaneers at least two starting corners. One thing is for sure, the corner out of LSU will be heavily pursued by at least three teams come draft time.

 
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Nov 20, 2011; Green Bay, WI, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Mason Foster (59) warms up prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Buccaneers 35-26. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

By now, you all have heard that the Buccaneers went berserk in free agency, spending $140.55 million on Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, and Eric Wright. And oh yeah, they signed QB Dan Orlovsky to a two-year deal as well. However, there is still uncertainty on the defensive side of the ball. If you watched any Bucs game last season, you probably realized that the front seven had trouble stopping the run.

Now, we can blame the lack of success on defense on many things, the fact that we had a long lockout, Bucs were very, very young on defense, and there appeared to be a lack of will and hustle at times under Raheem Morris’ regime. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Gerald McCoy was sidelined with an injury for the second straight season.

Many also point to Mason Foster’s somewhat disappointing season as the starting MLB. However, the aforementioned issues contributed to his “sub-par” play significantly. Foster, as a rookie, was forced to start without much preparation time, and he was also given the burden of calling the signals on defense. That’s tough for a rookie, there’s no question there. That being said, I think he handled it quite well. Foster finished the season with 84 tackles and one interception.

So, where do the Buccaneers go from here? Well, I have a feeling that the Bucs will have to address the linebacker position in free agency. I know, I know many of you have been lobbying for Curtis Lofton to come to Tampa. However, I don’t see that happening, unless he lowers his asking price. But, the man did have 147 tackles in 2011, which is substantially higher than Foster’s 84.

I have been an advocate of bringing in Stephen Tulloch, the former Lions LB. Tulloch is seen as a cheaper version of Lofton. Tulloch had a 111 tackles for the Detroit Lions in 2011, and would bring leadership to this group of young linebackers.

Moreover, the front four need to find a way to stay healthy. Adrian Clayborn had 7.5 sacks as a rookie. He really did play well in 2011. Da’Quan Bowers, another rookie, also had a solid season, though only finishing with 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The interior needs to stay healthy. Gerald McCoy can’t catch a break. He only played in five games in 2011. Also, the Buccaneers offered Michael Bennett a tender, which will keep him in Tampa Bay unless he refuses to play under those terms.

In conclusion, whatever the Buccaneers do with Foster, it appears he will only improve over last season. He will have a full offseason to prepare, and he will already have an NFL season under his belt.

You can follow Max Luckan on Twitter: @MaxLuckan, or check out his blog: NFL Inside Track

Feb 28, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; LSU Tigers defensive back Morris Claiborne participates in pass interception drills during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Rounds 1-3

Now that the Bucs are just about finished in free agency, they can turn their attention to the NFL Draft, which will start on Thursday, April 26, 2012, and ends on Saturday, April 28, 2012. The defense was last season was laughable. The offense, at times, non-existent. The Bucs still have three, very important holes to fill at corner, linebacker, and running back. Keep in mind, the Bucs have made an offer to LB Curtis Lofton, who will also meet with the New Orleans Saints on Saturday. But an ideal draft would look something like this:

Round 1, 5th overall: CB Morris Claiborne, LSU

Why?: With the uncertainty of Aqib Talib’s pending trial, set to start on March 26, the Buccaneers have a hole at corner. They did address this in free agency by signing Eric Wright, but they still need another corner. According to reports, Ronde Barber is expected to be back, however, it remains to be seen how effective he will be in his 16th season. Morris Claiborne has very quick feet, and is effective in press coverage. Claiborne also loves to make contact at the line, that’s part of his physical style, which Greg Schiano would love. Having Claiborne and Wright, possibly Talib and Barber, would give the Bucs depth at the corner position.

Round 2, 36th overall: LB Mychal Kendricks, California

Why?: Assuming the Bucs aren’t able to land Curtis Lofton, they will need a linebacker. Kendricks’ stock has been improving because of his solid 40-yard dash time, 4.47. Kendricks is also a solid tackler, something the Buccaneers desperately need. However, the tapes show that his zone coverage is not the best, but that’s something Mr. Bill Sheridan can work on.

Round 3, 69th overall: RB Doug Martin, Boise State

Why?: If the Bucs select Morris Claiborne, it’s likely that they won’t get Trent Richardson. Thus, they will need another running back to complement LeGarrette Blount, unless they address this in free agency. Doug Martin is a bruiser-type back like LeGarrette Blount, but with the addition of Carl Nicks, they should be able to burst through the line. Martin is often seen as a stronger, more physical version of Ryan Mathews of the San Diego Chargers. His quickness should also not be underestimated for a guy who weighs 215 pounds.

Part 2 will feature rounds 4-7.

You can follow Max Luckan on Twitter: @MaxLuckan