Tampa Bay Buccaneers - NFC South, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Draft Was
... Full of good value, but it's a quirky draft. Aqib Talib,
Drew Moore, and even sixth round LB Geno Hayes should all be a
big part of the defense, but it's the 4.33 speed of Appalachian
State's Dexter Jackson and the upside of QB Josh Johnson that
makes this among the most intriguing drafts. OG Jeremy Zuttah
was a fine in the third round. Best Value Pick: Geno Hayes, LB Florida State. 6th Round.
He has fantastic speed and good versatility. He's the type of
all-around playmaker defensive coordinators love to have at
their disposal. Biggest Reach: Dexter Jackson, WR Appalachian State. 2nd
round. He's a home-run hitter and a good returner, but Tampa Bay
paid a huge price for him with several more established, far
safer receivers still on the board. They Should've ... Gotten another receiver. Jeremy Zuttah
was a good pick, but getting another weapon like Mario
Manningham or TE Jermichael Finley would've made more sense to
win right now.
#
Pick
20
20
1st Round
Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
At 6-1 and 197 pounds with 4.49 speed, Talib has the measurables.
He had few problems against any receiver with size and could
stay with most speed receivers, but he had a few problems in
some big games. Kansas State's Jordy Nelson ate Talib alive. A
superior athlete, he was used as a receiver before finally
settling into the defensive backfield full-time last year.
There's an attitude, for good and bad, and he's been used to
being a special player on a team full of overachievers. He'll
have to be ready to be humbled a bit and use it for motivation
to get better; he can't just assume he's the most talented
player on the field anymore. CFN Projection: Second Round CFN
Position Rank: 7
27
58
2nd Round
(from Jacksonville)
Dexter Jackson, WR Appalachian State
Unreal speed, he cranked out a 4.36 to build on the brewing buzz
building after the Michigan win. Stronger and more physical than
his size, he won't be afraid to take a hit and is more than
quick enough to avoid tacklers on the move. Just get him the
ball in a variety of ways and let him go to work. The problem
will be his size at 5-9 and 182 pounds. He's not going to block
anyone and he'll get shoved around by the stronger NFL corners.
Even so, he'll be a killer slot receiver if he's not the focal
point of a passing game. CFN Projection: Mid-Second to Third Round
CFN Position Rank: 10
20
83
3rd Round
Jeremy Zuttah, C/OT Rutgers
Where's he going to play? A great pass-protecting tackle and a
tough guard, he actually projects to be a center at the next
level. He was great at the Combine and the East-West Shrine
game, but he's not a next-level tackle and not quite girthy
enough to play guard. If he can show early on that he can handle
himself well in the middle, and if he can prove a gimpy ankle
isn't a problem, he can be a regular. His versatility will make
him attractive. CFN Projection: Fourth Round CFN
Position Rank: 4 (as a C)
16
115
4th Round
(from trade)
Dre Moore, DT Maryland
A potential lead brick of a tackle, he's a run stopper who beat
the tar out of everyone at the Senior Bowl when matched up one
on one. He's still a bit of a project and he needs a year or two
of NFL coaching, but he's extremely strong and very powerful.
Even though he needs polish on his technique, he doesn't miss
many tackles. CFN Projection: Third Round
CFN Position Rank: 6
25
160
5th Round
(from trade)Josh
Johnson, QB San Diego
The underground buzz was deafening after throwing 43 touchdown
passes and one interception last year, and 113 touchdown passes
and 14 interceptions over the last three years. He dominated the
D-IAA (sorry, FCS) level and is among the most creative
quarterbacks in the draft. Quick, mobile, and very smart, he'll
work to make himself better, but will rely on his athleticism to
get by early on. Size is an issue at around 6-2 and 200 pounds,
but the biggest problem is overcoming a few horrendous
off-season workouts when his passes were all over the place. He
has to get better at driving his throws to the outside and he'll
need a lot of coaching. However, there is a payoff coming. CFN Projection: Fourth to Fifth Round
CFN
Position Rank: 9
9
175
6th Round
(from trade)
Geno Hayes, LB Florida State
A tremendous athlete with good speed and a great nose for
getting into the backfield, Hayes closes in a heartbeat and he
finds ways to make plays. He's not big at only 6-0 and 227
pounds, but he plays bigger and hits like a ton of bricks.
However, that's his size; he's not going to get bigger. Purely a
weakside linebacker at the next level, he could be an
ultra-productive starter if he has help around him. CFN Projection: Third Round CFN
Position Rank: 11
31
238
7th Round
(from trade)
Cory Boyd, RB South Carolina
A hard runner who isn't afraid to mix it up and get dirty, he'll
do whatever is needed and won't be afraid to throw his body
around as a blocker. Off-the-field issues kept him from ever
reaching his potential at South Carolina, but he'll be a good
NFL practice player who'll be a key special teamer and will have
one or two games a year where he looks like a possible starter.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round CFN
Position Rank: 22
