Buccaneers: Five Biggest Draft Steals in Franchise History

5. Mark Carrier

When a third round pick is your franchise all-time leading receiver, he clearly was a steal.

Mark Carrier joined the Bucs in 1987 as their third round selection, 57th overall. He had a slow start as his rookie campaign yielded 26 receptions for 423 yards and three touchdowns. His next three years, however, were his biggest in Tampa. In ’88, he finished with 57 receptions for 970 yards and five touchdowns. Carrier’s only Pro Bowl appearance came in 1989 as he posted career highs in receptions (86), yards (1,422), and touchdowns (9). That year, he eclipsed the 100 yard mark on nine separate occasions, a staggering number for any receiver.

The Bucs may have only won five games that year, but amazingly, Carrier went over 100 yards in the final four straight games and five out of the final six. That’s about as good as it gets folks. Imagine how good he might have been if the team had been good that year.

He never approached those types of numbers again. In 1990 Carrier went for 813 yards on 49 catches on 49 catches, and his catches jumped up to 56 in his final year with the Bucs (1992).

For his 88 game career in Tampa, Mark Carrier caught 321 passes for 5,018 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Our number five steal, number 88, Mark Carrier!