MVN: Most Valuable Network

Who To Watch Out For in The 2009 Draft

The draft is over with, but it's never too late to look towards the future. This is something I've had in the works for a few months, before ESPN started letting Mel Kiper Jr. open his yap. Here are a few players that I want to watch out for in the 2009 Draft. Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan One of the hidden gems in college football, LeFevour is a real star. In case you didn't know, LeFevour became only the second player in Division 1 FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. He will only be a junior, but he already holds Central Michigan's career records for passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, and total offense. He is seventh in school history in rushing touchdowns. He also holds single-season records for passing yards, completions, attempts, touchdown passes and total offense. He ranks...

What The Management Has To Say

With the draft over with, Bruce Allen and Jon Gruden have decided to speak out on their draft picks, and some current Buccaneers. Here are a few excerpts I have picked out. Bruce Allen Why did you choose a quarterback on Day Two? "We like the talent of Josh. He has not good statistics, not great statistics, he has spectacular statistics. He has been coached by coaches that we are very familiar with, Johnnie Morton has said some very positive things about him, and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh has said some great things about him. We want to give him a chance to see what he can do in the NFL." What does this mean to Chris Simms and Bruce Gradkowski? "I have said to you before, and I will say it again, we will bring five quarterbacks to training camp. That is what we planned on doing and that is...

Analyzing The 2008 Draft Class

Another Buccaneers draft is in the books, and another seven players are on the team. While this draft gave Bucs fans a lot of questions, some of them were answered as well. The Bucs effectively used trades to pick up a few more players. In this draft, the Bucs gained a Jayhawk, a Mountaineer, a Scarlet Knight, a Terrapin, a Torero, a Seminole, and a Gamecock. Here is the Bucs draft class. Rd. 1- Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas In 34 career games, Talib had 162 tackles, 43 passes blocked, and 13 interceptions. The Bucs surprised many by going for a cornerback in the first round, and then taking Talib over hometown favorite Mike Jenkins. Talib has character concerns, as he has not only tested positive for marijuana while at Kansas, but was also suspended because of disciplinary issues. He runs the risk of being a big star or a big bust. Talib is physical,...

Draft Thoughts and Surprises

Even though I was invested in the Bucs draft class, that doesn't mean I can't pay attention to the rest of the draft. I watched a lot of college football last year, and I got familiar with many players. Here are my thoughts on the draft. It surprises me that the second QB taken was Joe Flacco. From the start people were hailing Brian Brohm as the second overall QB in the draft. Brian Brohm and Chad Henne, two of the top quarterbacks, fell far in this draft. No faith in Aaron Rodgers? The Packers not only picked up Brian Brohm, but they also nabbed Matt Flynn. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I hate that Chad Henne fell as far as he did. I also hate that he wound up with the Dolphins. I only hope that he can be the face of that franchise...

With The 58th Pick In The Draft...

The Buccaneers select: Dexter Jackson! Okay, I'll admit it. This is a pleasant surprise. Honestly, I forgot about Jackson, but I'm not disappointed with this pick. What the Bucs did was risky, but hopefully it will work out. Unfortunately, some speculate that Jackson may only be a 3rd or 4th wideout, never a starter. The Bucs need an explosive player to carry the load. In 55 career games, Jackson had 110 receptions for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch. He became the face of the Appalachian St. program following their knockoff of Michigan this season. His 4.37 40-yard dash was the 2nd fastest among the wide receivers. Jackson doesn't have the ideal height for a wide receiver, and he's not very tough, but he's got great speed, vision, and is a deep threat. The Bucs need a speedy receiver to be the face of their...

Bucs Trade 2nd Round Pick To Jaguars

Why? Limas Sweed is still available, and the Bucs need to get a top-tier wide receiver. Instead, they trade down their pick six spots. The only thing I can think that will benefit them, is that they will get a 6th or 7th round pick, something they didn't have before. This move still confuses me. Update The Steelers have just selected Limas Sweed with the 53rd pick, one pick after where the Bucs were supposed to go. Now this move really has me pissed. The Bucs will get a 5th rounder and a 2009 7th round pick in return, but they just gave up the best receiver available. They may wind up with Mario Manningham after all....

With The 20th Pick In The 2008 Draft, The Buccaneers Select...

Aqib Talib! The speedy and talented cornerback from Kansas is the Bucs first overall selection. To tell the truth, I'm surprised the Bucs went so heavy for a cornerback in the first round. As of Pick 24, DeSean Jackson, Devin Thomas, and Malcolm Kelly are still available. While there have been some surprises already (Flacco and Mendenhall fell far, Brohm still not selected?), I believe this to be a big surprise on the Bucs behalf. Everyone expected a wide receiver to go first. A cornerback is no big deal, but why Talib? The character issues are a concern, and the Bucs seemed to like Mike Jenkins from USF. Talib has played limited time at wide receiver, but he is purely cornerback for the Bucs. In 34 career games, Talib recorded 162 tackles, had 43 passes broken up, nabbed 13 interceptions, and returned them for a total of 322 yards. He...

Reviewing The 2007 Draft

The draft is a few days away, and the promise of another new batch of youngsters rides with it. The draft is always an exciting time, one in which us fans get introduced to our future stars. Speaking of stars, how is the draft class of 2007 doing? Let's look back at the draft, and see how these Bucs are doing. Rd. 1 Pick: Gaines Adams He was supposed to be the defensive savior for the Bucs. A slow first half of the season got people wandering. He finished the season strong with a great second half performance. He is a true pass rusher and is starting to like the run as well. In his rookie season, Adams played in all 16 games, and recorded 55 tackles, 6 sacks, and 4 passes defended. If his sophomore year can be like his second half, we will have a Pro Bowler on...

White May Want Out of Contract

Another day, another Buc wanting money. Greg White, the Bucs standout defensive end from last season, may ask for a trade if the Bucs don't offer him more money. Last year, White had 45 tackles, 8 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. The Bucs don't have to offer him more money, or trade him, but they better do something. We don't want one of our better defensive players pissed off all season. Listen up Bruce Allen: Pay the Man!...

My Draft Dreams

If I could dream of draft picks that I wanted in the upcoming draft, these are the players I would select. Every one of them has caught my attention, and I believe they can all be successes in the NFL. There are not obvious favorites in here, just favorites of mine. If I had the choice, all of these guys would wind up with the Bucs. But it won't happen, so I can only dream. Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii If you haven't heard of Colt Brennan, you probably live under a rock. Not only does he own every passing record at Hawaii, but he owns many in the NCAA as well. He owns over 20 NCAA passing records, including most career touchdown passes (131), most career touchdowns responsible (146), single-season record for most touchdown passes (58), passing efficiency in one season (186.0), and most career touchdown passes by a quarterback-receiver...

The 10 Worst First Picks in Tampa History

With the draft approaching, an article by rivals.com gave me an idea. Who are the worst first picks in Tampa's draft history? Simply put, who are the worst players that the Bucs have selected with their first overall pick in their draft history? Let's take a look. 10. 1998-Jacquez Green, WR, Florida This was a pick that they got from Oakland, and Green wasn't selected until the second round. He started in two seasons, but never really had the size to be successful. In four years, he caught 157 passes for 2,217 yards and 7 touchdowns. He left the Bucs in 2002. 9. 1989-Broderick Thomas, LB, Nebraska As the sixth overall pick, more was expected of Thomas. His highlight as a Buc was setting a record for sacks for linebackers in a single season. He recorded 461 tackles in 5 seasons before being released in 1993. 8. 1985-Ron Holmes, DE, Washington The Bucs picked...

The 2008 Schedule: Good vs. Bad

Since the Bucs 2008 schedule has been announced, I've had time to analyze the matchups and filter the good vs. the bad. The Bucs had a relatively easy schedule last year, due to their misfortunes in 2006. But coming off of a 9-7 season where they won their division and made the playoffs, the Bucs schedule has some meat added to it. Here now is the good and the bad. The Good Week 2: Atlanta The first redemption game for Warrick Dunn. After being released by the Falcons for lifetime backup Michael Turner, Dunn has a lot to prove against his former team. The Falcons, although picking high in the draft and receiving players in the off-season, still have a long way to go before becoming a threat again. Week 4: Green Bay The longtime rivals will face off for one game this year, with Brett Favre most notably absent....

Bucs Finally Receive National Recognition

I can't remember the last time the Bucs have been on national tv, for every one to see. Not during their Super Bowl year, not in the years following. Apparently, winning their division and making it to the playoffs is good enough for the Bucs to be recognized. I never get to see the Bucs on tv, so this year is one I'm looking forward to. Here are the nationally televised games: Sunday October 19, 8:15 pm, NBC The Bucs will face off against the Seattle Seahawks, for the third time in three years. This will be the Bucs first time ever on Sunday Night Football on NBC, which will be in its third year this year. Luckily, this game will be played in Tampa. Monday December 8, 8:30 pm, ESPN Are you ready for some football? The Bucs haven't been on Monday Night Football since 2006, when they lost...

Will The Bucs Take...Mario Manningham?

Perhaps the most needed position for the Buccaneers this year is the position of Wide Receiver. While there are many good receivers, the Bucs will have to wait until the 20th pick to get one. By that time, the list could be whittled down. Here is a potential pick in Mario Manningham. Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan (5'11, 181, 4.45-40) One of the most underrated wide receivers in the draft, Manningham spent three fantastic years at Michigan before deciding to declare for the draft. In his career, Manningham caught 27 touchdown passes in 34 games, and collected numerous awards and recognition, including making the All-Big Ten Team every year that he was there. 2007 was the year that Manningham was truly recognized by everyone. Despite the Michigan season starting slowly, Manningham was still a breakthrough star, becoming the ninth receiver in school history to record 1,000 yards in a season. At...

Bucs Want More Money

A couple of key Bucs players are demanding more money. Earnest Graham and Jeff Garcia are both unhappy about their contracts, wanting new ones. Graham is insisting that his new contract resembles Frank Gore's. Unfortunately, they both share the same agent in Drew Rosenhaus. Jeff Garcia is also upset about his contract, wanting a new deal that will ensure that he finishes his career in Tampa. He is one of the lowest paid quarterbacks in the league. He only has one year remaining on his contract. The Bucs have refused to comment. Is this another sign that the Bucs will pick up a QB in the draft? This could get interesting. ...

Will The Bucs Take...Joe Flacco?

I'm starting a new series here entitled, "Will The Bucs Take...?" The draft is approaching very quickly, and I want to look at the positions the Bucs need, and the potential players they could pick from. I believe that the Bucs need to explore the quarterback position, so I'll look at some of the quarterbacks that could fall to the Bucs at pick #20. First up, Joe Flacco, from the University of Delaware. Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware (6'6, 236, 4.80-40) One of the least known players to start the draft process, Flacco is now considered one of the top quarterback prospects, ranking in the top 5 in virtually every quarterback ranking come draft time. Failing to make a name for himself at Pittsburgh, he transferred to Delaware for his junior year. An injury to their star running back caused Delaware to fall to 5-6 in Flacco's first year as a starter....

Alstott To Come Out of Retirement

Having only been retired for 2 months, Bucs fullback Mike Alstott decided that was too long. In a move that has surprised, but enlightened everyone, Mike Alstott has said that he will join the team once training camp begins. "Those few months away cleared my head. Ultimately what I needed was to be back here in Tampa," Alstott said. He will be joined in the backfield by the Bucs newly acquired running back, and old friend, Warrick Dunn. The quarterback situation is one that is yet to be solved. The Bucs recently picked up Trent Dilfer, Tim Hasselbeck, Tim Rattay, and Chris Weinke to help fill in the quarterback position. In order to make room for the quarterbacks, the Bucs released Joey Galloway and Ronde Barber. "Whatever position we don't get through free agency, we'll pick up in the draft," said coach Jon Gruden. The rest of the team is...