I have been preaching for a few weeks that I don’t think the Bucs will end up drafting S Eric Berry in the 2010 NFL Draft. With the antiquated system for paying rookies that currently exists, guys like Berry who are top 5 talent, fall out of those slots because of teams unwillingness to pay premium money to a non premium position (DE, DT, T, RB, QB). This is no knock on Berry, because I personally love watching the guy play. He is a ball hawking beast, and while people might throw around comparisons to Ed Reed all the time very casually, he has the ability to be just as good.
What I do think the Bucs will end up targeting (this is as long as Suh and McCoy go numbers 1 and 2) is a Defensive End. There are a few in this draft who have the potential to be standout NFL players, and just as badly as we need to upgrade the safety position, we need to upgrade the defensive end positions. Good defensive ends that create pressure will cover up some of the awfulness that we saw from our SS position last season.
I tend to think that after the combine, either Jason Pierre Paul or Carlos Dunlap will end up being top 5 picks, and I have said that a few times on this very site. Todd McShay of ESPN.com in his latest mock draft agrees with me. He also agrees with the fact that the Bucs will end up targeting a DE with our 3rd pick. He has the Bucs taking Jason Pierre-Paul with that pick. I would rather target Dunlap because of his size, and arsenal of moves, as opposed to Paul who still seems raw and mainly works off just speed. The Bucs once drafted a guy who very similar to Paul in size and freakish speed, and he was one of the biggest busts in Bucs draft history. Dunlap on the other hand is a 290lb chiseled specimen. I’m of the belief that not only will he excel in the NFL as a pass rusher in a 4-3 or Tampa 2 style defense, but he will also be quite effective against the run. While McShay has Dunlap going 17th, Scouts Inc grades Pierre Paul and Dunlap out very similarly.
Scouts Inc.
Jason Pierre Paul – 6’5″ 263 lbs
| Production | 3 | 2007: Started his career at College of the Canyons; 49 tackles, 19 TFL, 14 sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT, 1 FR. 2008: Transferred to Fort Scott Community College; 70 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR; First-team Community College All-America. 2009: Transferred to Sout |
| Height-Weight-Speed | 2 | Possesses a high-cut frame with good overall bulk and length along with above-average top-end speed. |
| Durability | 1 | Durability is not a concern. |
| Intangibles | 2 | Has made an immediate impact in his first season in the FBS. Has the athleticism to transition to a 3-4 rush end at the NFL level. |
| Pass Rush Skills | 2 | Excels in this area. Shows good anticipation of the snap count and a quick first step. Bends naturally around the edge. Uses long arms and hands to keep offensive tackles from engaging. Flashes the ability to generate leverage and rock tackles back int |
| Athleticism/Versatility | 2 | Above-average athlete. Light on his feet and plays with good overall balance. Moves laterally with ease. Changes directions well enough to spot-drop into coverage on occasion but cannot be counted on consistently in that area. |
| Versus the Run | 3 | Still developing in this area. Needs to play with lower pad level. Struggles to generate leverage and anchor when teams elect to run at him. Will turn his back to the play against double-teams and is easily rooted off the line of scrimmage when he does |
| Instincts/Competitiveness | 3 | Shows a consistent motor and rarely takes plays off. Hustles from the back side in pursuit. Needs to show more aggression and is more of a finesse player at this point. Does a nice job of getting hands in passing windows when he sees quarterback startin |
Carlos Dunlap – 6’5″ 293 lbs
| Production | 3 | 2007: (13/0) 7 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 INT. 2008: (14/2) 39 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 INTs; Named the Defensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game. |
| Height-Weight-Speed | 2 | Prototypical height and bulk and good top-end speed for his size. |
| Durability | 2 | 2009: Undergoes abdominal surgery and misses spring workouts. |
| Intangibles | 2 | Has blocked four kicks during his career at UF. Work ethic and effort in practice have improved over the past three years but he still needs to mature and become a more consistent player. Recent DUI arrest (12/1/09) adds to character and maturity concern |
| Pass Rush Skills | 2 | Excellent upper-body strength and flashes the ability to toss interior offensive linemen to the side. Flashes the ability to collapse the pocket coming off the edge. Shows an effective spin move and has the potential to develop an arsenal of pass rush mov |
| Athleticism/Versatility | 1 | Moves very well for his size and even returned kicks for high school team. Can recover when caught collapsing too far inside or too far upfield. Shows good lateral mobility when scraping down the line of scrimmage. Can line up anywhere on the defensive li |
| Versus the Run | 2 | Quick enough to disrupt plays in the backfield. Lacks elite range but takes adequate pursuit angles and an effective wrap-up tackler that can make plays in space. Extends arms and sets the edge when lined up at end but doesn’t always shed blocks in time t |
| Instincts/Competitiveness | 2 | Keeps head up and locates the ball quickly. Rarely gets caught watching the play but effort in pursuit is a bit inconsistent and could play with more of an edge. Can be a step late recognizing screens in third-and-long situations. Can get drawn offside a |