Bucs Helped Change History With Barron Pick
June 1st, 2012
A handful of pundits thought the Bucs were nuts to grab a safety (Mark Barron) over a cornerback (Morris Claiborne) with the fifth-turned-seventh pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Taking a safety over a corner, these analysts claim, is like choosing a typical South Tampa cutie over Rachel Watson. A cornerback is always more valuable, they said.
Not so fast, says rockstar general manager Mark Dominik. Speaking to the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio yesterday, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, Dominik talked about how that logic doesn’t fly in the modern NFL.
Mark Dominik: That’s just one of those positions where historically you don’t take a safety in the top-10 as much, but historically things are changing in the NFL.
Steve Duemig: Did Eric Berry change that?
Dominik: I think [Eric Berry] did. He helped it. Certainly, you know, Eric Berry came in, he went to the Pro Bowl his rookie year and really had a phenomenal first season. I think that’s been a big step, along with what Sean Taylor had done in his early career.
That’s quite a bit of pressure Dominik put on himself with Barron. Berry, drafted fifth overall in 2010, was an instant star. And Taylor, who burned the Bucs in the 2005 playoffs, was very successful as a rookie and made a Pro Bowl before he was killed during his fourth season in 2007.
Dominik also said he loves what he sees at One Buc Palace from Barron and the Bucs have a good shot “to really hit gold” with the rookie.
Joe’s as hopeful as the next fan that Barron is the real deal. But the reality is that any guy taken that high in the draft has to be an impact player to not be considered a bust. Whether a safety or a cornerback, it makes no difference as long the player lives up to his billing.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:04 am
if he stays healthy..he is a stud. He had double hernia surgery at the end of the year so hopefully he fully recovers..Polamalu was a huge difference for the Steelers as was Sanders for the Dolts. A stud safety can be Huge.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:04 am
Cue the GMC bust bashing in 3… 2… 1…
Honestly I just hope Barron isn’t plagued by injuries. I’m sure after a double hernia surgery it’s not going to feel good making big hits for 16 weeks.
Just stay healthy. For the love of god stay healthy
June 1st, 2012 at 9:20 am
I’m sure Dominik and his employer hope more than you (Joe) and the fans. Dominik is about 1 bust from the unemployment line.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:26 am
Berry would have been a nice selection for us in 2010. I recall Monte pushing for that.
Although there are exceptions, conventional wisdom is that shutdown corners are of more value than a safety.
Perhaps Dom knows more than the other Gm’s, who werent chomping at the bit to draft barron.
Only time will tell.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:35 am
This post is especially cute if you remember the childish temper tantrum Joe posted after Barron was selected.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:38 am
A good Joe tantrum every few weeks is one of the best things about this site.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:42 am
@raphael
I had double hernia surgery a few years ago. Piece of cake as far as recovery goes. Painful the first 2 weeks, a month of soreness and then good to go. I wouldn’t worry about that.
June 1st, 2012 at 9:54 am
@Matt, yeah i had a hernia {single}surgery as well but also had elbow surgery at the same time.Doctors had this great idea to do both at the same time….seem like a great idea until the next morning ! Not so much!…..like you said after awhile better than ever.
June 1st, 2012 at 10:00 am
@ Raphael…Ouch!
June 1st, 2012 at 10:12 am
@Joe
If you’re talking about Rachel Watson, the bucs cheerleader then I have to intervene.
I hate to rain on your parade but shes not that fit. Granted I wouldnt throw her out of bed for farting. But surely there are better cheerleaders than her!
Each to their own I suppose…
P.s. Mark Barron is going to be a stud! bit annoyed on draft day that we didnt select Claiborne but our safety play was horrid. He has the potential to be truly special! Been thinking about next years draft, a safety to pair with Barron or a corner would be brilliant!
June 1st, 2012 at 10:14 am
Let’s hope Barron is the one changing some history, like how crap-tastic the defense was last year.
I don’t think you can fault Dom’s approach in that he got a guy who is a gamer and about as versatile as they come. I like that part of the strategy.
I think it’s going take a couple of years for both him to grow into his role and for the defense to come together but when it does it could be a pretty sweet culmination of building blocks.
We aren’t kidding anybody by saying we need the defense to grow quickly to be successful as a team. I think we have taken the highest percentage chance at success which is all you can do without a crystal ball.
June 1st, 2012 at 10:24 am
I think Dominik got too cute with his draft moves and had to go all in with the Barron pick. If Claiborne and Kuechly become all pros, Barron better be all world or Dominik will be gone.
Personally, I think the Rock Star should have been fired with Raheem.
June 1st, 2012 at 10:54 am
This is the same guy who evaluated talent and said that if Suh and McCoy were both on the board, he would have STILL taken McCoy.
This is the guy who has drafted 2 LEGIT starters in over 20 rounds of drafting over 3 years.
A Mark Dominik talent evaluation is about as credible as a Trent Dilfer quarterback camp.
June 1st, 2012 at 11:44 am
@adam… Right on. Dominik better pray every night that this draft is a huge success otherwise he will gone next year. He’s living on borrowed time.
June 1st, 2012 at 11:45 am
2 legit starters? Clayborn and Freeman? Other that that he brought in solid contributors like Price, Williams, Stroughter, Lorig, Benn, Grimm, Watson, Foster, Miller, and Stocker. (A side bit is Biggers, he was awful last year, but 2010 showed he has some talent when he was statistically one of the better corners in the leagiue http://footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2011/best-cornerback-charting-stats-2010Crazy huh?)
Injuries are hard to predict and luck has not been on our side with McCoy, Grimm and Bowers. McCoy has one more year to turn it around in my opinion.
The only real busts of the Dom era have been Kyle Moore, Xaiver Fulton, Brent Bowden, Allen Bradford, Daniel Hardy, and Myron Lewis. He hasn’t put anyone in the Pro Bowl but with time I think that’ll change….
June 1st, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Williams ill give you off that list. Very good player and draft pick.
The rest are either totally unproven or have been mediocre at best. (or crappy – Miller)
June 1st, 2012 at 2:06 pm
And this year should show if Freeman goes out the door as a Bust .
June 1st, 2012 at 2:14 pm
They went after physical play with Barron to put fear into receivers. They also bet that with an aquital for Talib, the NFL can’t suspend him. If this plays out, they will be ahead.
June 1st, 2012 at 2:46 pm
@Eric Miller is a decent back up/ spot starter and he is way better when you look at the 2009 draft over all because it was a below average year
How many of that group are starters tho? (when healthy) Price, Williams, Foster, Lorig, also Benn and Grimm until this year. Add in Free and Clayborn and you have a pretty decent set of draftees. Not an all star list I admit, but these guys can play.
You can’t ask every one of these guys to be amazing, even the great GMs have draft busts. My point is that these are contributing players that aren’t busts.
June 1st, 2012 at 3:35 pm
@ Eric
i really hope u were kidding when u said Monte was pushing for Eric Berry in 2010….Monte was already gone by then. Nice attempt at re-writing history tho buddy
pretty much everyone knew that Berry was a safe pick and was pretty versatile and NFL ready. however, McCoy fit a HUGE need and appeared to be the perfect mix of need and value at the top of the draft. nobody could’ve predicted McCoy’s injuries, or Berry instantly becoming an All Pro in his rookie season. it’s nice to have the benefit of hindsight, but don’t count McCoy out just yet. if ur gonna bash him for getting injured, u have to do the same for Berry.
June 1st, 2012 at 5:36 pm
I see Sean Taylor in this guy. Damn, i pray we have a stud like that at SS.
June 1st, 2012 at 6:57 pm
I’m glad the team has a good shot at “hitting gold” with the #5 pick in the draft in their possession. You are supposed to get a great player there. Not a ringing endorsement from Dominick by any means.
June 1st, 2012 at 8:52 pm
@BigMarlon,
I think Eric is saying it because Monte coached Berry at UT for one year. What Eric perhaps doesn’t understand is that all coaches will prop up their own player. That’s what they do. It greatly helps recruiting, as well as their resume. It’s a stupid argument on Eric’s part, but I think he knows Monte wasn’t here.