2013 Draft Class Shaping Up
December 9th, 2013
There were lots of things to like about the Bucs defense yeterday.
The offense, well, Joe won’t go there, other than to say it seemed the offense could have used some 10w-40.
Guys were making plays all over the field on defense, veterans, young players, and rookies. Yes, rookies.
Johnthan Banks had an interception and is playing solid ball of late. Defensive lineman Will Gholston was making his limited presence felt whether it was tackles, sacks or a batted down pass.
This made Joe want to peek back at the 2013 draft.
First round (traded for Darrelle Revis): Now that Revis is nearly 100 percent, he’s playing pretty well, don’t you think? He had a helluva stick yesterday to force a pick and channeled Ronde Barber with a sack.
Second round: Banks, now entrenched as a starter, playing really, really good football, despite getting the MRSA.
Third round: Quarterback Mike Glennon, though he’s had a couple of hiccups the past two games, has played better than most anyone dreamed.
Fourth round: Akeem Spence, defensive tackle, has started every game and is an undeniable upgrade from Roy Miller. He is helping keep bodies off Gerald McCoy and the results speak for themselves.
Fourth round: Gholston, who continues to get better and better. Another solid player who is learning and growing.
Fifth round: Steven Means. Though the Bucs still think he can make a difference, with the emergence of Gholston, Means is now a fixture on the inactive list. Jury is very much out on Means.
Sixth round: Running back Mike James did a helluva job replacing the injured Doug Martin until James himself was injured. A steal in the sixth round.
All in all, it seems the 2013 draft, while not as sexy as the 2012 draft, looks to be pretty damned solid. Five starters and possibly six (including Revis) came from this draft. That’s strong.
Damn that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik!
December 9th, 2013 at 9:05 am
The puppet pop-star is taking notes and doing what he is told. Funny how Coach Schiano walks thru the door and it now appears that the Bucs can draft. The Bucs need another good draft and they will finally have a core group again.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:07 am
I watched Means get tossed around on a couple of plays yesterday. Not impressed with his development at all.
Revis looked like two first rounders in one body yesterday and that’s worth the picks and salary we gave up.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:24 am
Another draft like that and the Bucs will be in business!
December 9th, 2013 at 9:30 am
Great read Joe thank you!!!!
December 9th, 2013 at 9:34 am
Very good draft thus far…no denying it. Throw in Rainey off the street ( or Browns practice squad…whichever ) and Dom too is very well making a late season push for his job perhaps.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:42 am
Hey @joe ever notice that rockstars best two years of drafting came with this coaching staff onboard helping pick the talent.
I’m just saying there is a stark differance between drafts 09-11 and 12-13
December 9th, 2013 at 9:50 am
@bucsfan13
no, some just don’t notice. Love can make one blind. but as long as the pop-star keeps his head down, takes notes and do as he is told, the rest of us will have to live with this. At least now there are people in 1Buc to stop the pop-star from making mistakes. Besides, someone has to do the paperwork and make the coffee!
December 9th, 2013 at 9:56 am
The Revis piece is up for debate. Just last week he was dominated by Ted Ginn. He also has left the previous two games at the half as a result of injury.
Banks has been playing good football.
Akeem Spence? I am not sure there is a measurement that can determine whether or not he is more or less effective than Roy Miller.
Gholston has been playing well in limited work the past couple of weeks. CROWN HIM.
Again, in the past a lot of Dominik draft picks have payed early dividens…and faltered late. Lets hold off here.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:09 am
Bucs have a very promising nucleus of good young players. Now for 2014 lets get some playmakers on offense to match our playmakers on defense. Playmakers and dominators
December 9th, 2013 at 10:10 am
Maybe, as with any job, Dom is getting better. Raheem drafted Freeman so Schiano must be helping as well. But, he still drafted guys like Mike Williams, McCoy, Clayborn and others.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:10 am
I just want to say, as someone who lives in Buffalo and has watched his fair share of AFC East games over the years, I’ve noticed that Darrelle Revis has had some trouble with two receivers in particular over the course of his excellent career; Stevie Johnson and Ted Ginn.
What most people choose to ignore is the fact that Ginn would be able to beat almost any corner when he’s streaking down the field, especially with the rules slanted in favor of the offense; it’s just that he is very inconsistent with his ability to actually catch the football. To his credit, Ginn has improved somewhat over the last two years, but talk to me when a slow footed receiver is roasting Revis and then you’ll have something to work with. As of now, the trade was an excellent one for the Bucs to make, and the proof is in the improved secondary.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:18 am
Spot on Joe…..But one of two things has happened here. Dom has gotten better with experience or Schiano and his group have helped. Maybe both. That said, one thing that is mentioned in passing but not as much straight on is Schiano’s ability to develop talent. I would say its hard to argue that that isn’t his strength.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:33 am
@Biff barker means didn’t play so how did he get tossed around ?
December 9th, 2013 at 10:37 am
I dont care who is doing the drafting but something has changed for the better. We might look back at the 2012 wheeling and dealing that got us Barron, Martin and DAVID as the best draft since 1995 (Sapp & Brooks).
December 9th, 2013 at 10:41 am
The early results are promising. The first round pick for Revis was well worth it.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:48 am
The alternative for revis was Millner….yeah the guy who was benched this year!!! Banks has been the best CB out of this years class, bucs won that exchange.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:56 am
Agree Joe. The class is turning the corner and looking impressive the last 3-4 games
December 9th, 2013 at 10:57 am
means did play in the game yesterday.
December 9th, 2013 at 11:02 am
Means was in the game late in the 4th quarter. I’m not sure if he recorded any stats but I did catch a play where he was basically shrugged off by an offensive lineman.
Hopefully he improves and can contribute a little more next season.
December 9th, 2013 at 11:15 am
@warrenfb12
Joe said the 2013 class is “shaping up”
Gholdson had one good game, and no one is crowning him, joe simply said he is developing nicely. Which he is because he was able to do things yesterday that we haven’t seen him do this season.
Spence has done pretty much what Miller has done but a little bit better. His job is to take on bodies so McCoy doesn’t have to. He has been a good consistent starter, this is basically all you could ask for from him and more.
Banks is coming along and has gotten better seeming every game. Defended Megatron and held his own.
Your looking at Revis wrong. Yes he got beat by Ginn but ever corner gets best and if I recall correctly that’s the first time I’ve seen him get beat for a touchdown ALL SEASON LONG! Not to mention the impact to the secondary as a whole. Leading the league in interceptions says it all!
December 9th, 2013 at 11:29 am
Schiano is definately developing players here, it’s working.
December 9th, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Looks good! Thanks Joe.
I’d give means some action the last 2 games to see what we got.
December 9th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
i think Dom, like most GMs, works with the coaching staff every year to assemble a draft board. recent success says as much about the misguided vision raheem had for this team as it does about the savvy of Schiano’s staff in selecting college talent. from day 1, Raheem was trying to build a team with “swag”…i think he actually used that term but i’m not mistaken. Schiano is trying to build a team full of players who love football more than anything else. the team has a way to go, but we are seeing rookies make a bigger impact in less time over the last 2 years vs Morris’ tenure and i think it has to do with the mold of players they are targeting
December 9th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
*”if” i’m not mistaken, not “but”
December 9th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
^^^what pick6 said perfectly^^^
December 9th, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Make no mistake about who is in charge in Tampa.
It is Coach Schiano and his team of veteran coaches, that are responsible for much of the past success we have had, in the draft.
Mike James came from guess where ? Miami Hurricanes.
So did Dave Wannstadt, Coach Schiano, and Butch Davis.
It looks like Mark Dominik and Coach Schiano work real well together.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:38 pm
The best thing about Mark Dominik is he is a cap salary/contract wizard.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:58 pm
“Make no mistake about who is in charge in Tampa.
It is Coach Schiano and his team of veteran coaches, that are responsible for much of the past success we have had, in the draft.”
Gee, I didn’t know they were here to Draft GMC, and Mike Williams too!! He’s such a genius , to do that all the way from Rutgers. Guess that means he’s also responsible for Freeman, and all the other failures of that period, too. Absolutes can work both ways, dude. Got no clue, personally, what the dynamic is at One Buc Place, between Schiano & Dominic, and couldn’t care less, as long as it’s working. My guess is you don’t know , any more than I do, you’re just willing to make more assumptions. So, what assumptions are you going to make if Schiano gets dumped & the good drafts continue? Guess it’ll be the new guy’s doing… anybody but Dominic, right?
December 9th, 2013 at 11:49 pm
I wish they would start grooming Means to play SLB. I thing he would do well with that position. He played OLB and DE at Buffalo and has the speed to do well at that position.