Most Important Trait At No. 7?
April 30th, 2014
Jason Licht explained the No. 1 trait he is looking for in a player at No. 7.
Teams often look for certain traits in a player they draft high in the first round. It’s sort of a philosophy that comes from the top of an organization.
With former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, it was being a “Buccaneer Man.” With Raheem Morris it might have been, “who could best chest bump or swill ale with the coach?”
That key trait for the Bucs has changed under the direction of new Bucs coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht. Sure, the duo want a good football player at No. 7. And being quick is almost a prerequisite. But Licht said a player picked in the top 10 must be mentally tough.
“There’s a high bust rate up there, especially where we’re picking, so you want somebody that can handle the expectations that are placed on them from us, from you guys, from our fans,” Licht said yesterday during a draft chat at One Buc Palace. “He’s got to be a mentally strong player in addition to being a great player – he’s got to be very mentally strong. That’s probably the number one thing we look for.”
Just trying to connect the dots from Licht, he means “mentally strong” is a guy who can shut out the noise if things go bad — locked in on the job and dedicated to working at the craft in order to get over the hump.
If that is the definition, then it’s the opposite of leaky, sleepy Rip Van Freman.
April 30th, 2014 at 9:41 am
We all know the answer to this question: The ability to pull.
April 30th, 2014 at 9:45 am
“With Raheem Morris it might have who could best chest bump or swill ale with the coach. ”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Joe, that is the best line of the year. I would love to keep seeing more Raheemisms… unlike the Schiano haters who can not stand to hear his name, it doesn’t bother me. On the flip side, I love when you goof around on Reheem.
April 30th, 2014 at 9:45 am
Mathews
April 30th, 2014 at 9:53 am
Mike Evans is not an individual I would call mentally strong.
April 30th, 2014 at 9:55 am
As long as the philosophy does not change every year ( like the past GM did) I will be happy!
April 30th, 2014 at 9:59 am
Licht’s comments could also indicate that he would prefer to trade down in the first round. If a player slides down the board that another team covets, it’s possible. Otherwise a trade could be tough. As long as they get a great player with a good head on his shoulders.
April 30th, 2014 at 10:01 am
JOE, you guys had a chance to speak to Freeman when the cameras weren’t rolling. Was Freeman’s demeanor the same when off camera? Was he more candid and loose off camera? Did he seek the camera or was he one to shy away? To me, on camera, he always seemed so timid and reserved. He definitely didn’t seem like a rah rah kind of guy. Not that you have to be a rah rah QB to be successful but it does lend itself to being more receptive to a leadership role.
Freeman was hardly a limelight seeker. Very nice, pleasant guy. But who knows? Freeman did pose for that spread as Michael Jackson while the Bucs were in the heart of the 2012 playoff hunt. –Joe
April 30th, 2014 at 10:04 am
Mike Glennon 4 President! Trade down and draft an O-lineman
April 30th, 2014 at 10:13 am
“With Raheem Morris it might have who could best chest bump or swill ale with the coach. ”
Why?
First off, he has Vincent Jackson on the other side. He would have the least amount of pressure to perform than any 7th round pick.
And,he performed WELL against the SEC DBs game in and game out.
Mike Evans MADE Manziel.
Mike Evans is one of the safest picks in the draft.
6’5″ wo runs in the 4.4’s and has proven tobe a ball hawk among SEC DBs?
Solid asafe pick.
-Someone who knows
April 30th, 2014 at 10:14 am
oops… that quote above was supposed to be “Mike Evans is not an individual I would call mentally strong.”
April 30th, 2014 at 10:28 am
From everything I’ve read. Mack appears to be exactly what they are looking for. The guy seems determined and focused to be great. I didnt want to draft defense at all but this guy has me changing my mind. Probably wont be there but a guy can hope.
April 30th, 2014 at 10:36 am
Dont get me wrong, someone who knows, whatever that means. I totally think the guy can play and would be a valuable contributor to the team. VJax will help him refine his skills and from a talent standpoint, I totally agree he is one of the safest picks. But when you talm about “mental toughness” I saw a guy who would show more than a little immaturity ln the field and would freak out if a referee wouldn’t make the call he was looking for. The guy needs to mellow out and address his maturity level
April 30th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Joe I complained about the pop ups. They have stopped. Just want to say a sincere thank you!
April 30th, 2014 at 10:44 am
If you have questions on Mike Evans mental toughness, watch the Duke Bowl game… Mentally Weak individual!
April 30th, 2014 at 10:56 am
Bingo Joe!
April 30th, 2014 at 11:06 am
Mentally tough does NOT describe a QB who whines about getting a parking ticket and posts on Twitter that he can’t wait to leave A&M because of it.
Mentally tough DOES describe a QB who has a family, is proven to handle adversity with great maturity and who impressed more than any other QB at the combine this year.
Guess who that is, Joe? I know that you know.
April 30th, 2014 at 11:13 am
He mentioned that Evans has “deceptive” speed.
I think he wants real speed.
And, Lovie reiterated he wants speed, “even at the QB position”.
That surely isn’t MG. But it is JF.
April 30th, 2014 at 11:19 am
Guess that rules out Taylor Lewan.
April 30th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Pop ups are gone, but the 5,000 Hot Thai Women went away also!! 🙁
April 30th, 2014 at 11:28 am
P. Manning partied like a wild man at Tennessee and mooned a female trainer, which caused a major scandal at UT.
Later she sued the University and Manning for defamation as she said it was more than a mooning.
Was that “mentally tough”?
Is that more or less mentally tough than complaining about a parking ticket?
April 30th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
BucsfaninChina Says
“Mike Evans is not an individual I would call mentally strong.”
Not many WRs are…which is why the Bucs won’t take one in round one while Lovie is coach.
April 30th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
FLBoyInDallas Says
“Mentally tough does NOT describe a QB who whines about getting a parking ticket and posts on Twitter that he can’t wait to leave A&M because of it.
Mentally tough DOES describe a QB who has a family, is proven to handle adversity with great maturity and who impressed more than any other QB at the combine this year.
Guess who that is, Joe? I know that you know.”
Would that be Carr? I’m not sure about the combine, but he had a better college career than any of the other QBs in the draft. I don’t get why he isn’t ranked as the top QB.
April 30th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Just a stolen tweet from Trey Wingo:
Why the Bucs should target WR in the draft: Vincent Jackson 78 catches last season..54 more than any other WR on their roster
April 30th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
OH and no QB drafted in top 10 in last 30 years has been a 1st team all-pro other than Peyton Manning and Steve Young.
Also stolen knowledge.
April 30th, 2014 at 12:45 pm
Bonzai…it’s very simple, it’s because of his brother’s lack of success with the Texans after being the first overall choice in the draft. He flopped. The little brother always gets the shaft, because of the big brother. It’s part of life.
April 30th, 2014 at 12:57 pm
@BB
Yes, Carr. And you’re right about him. I can tell you that although the media and fans are behind the curve on Carr, the actual scouting reports from real NFL scouts that I’ve read all have him as the #1 or #2 QB in the draft. He will be drafted MUCH higher than the media and fans are predicting, and it’ll come across as some sort of surprise. But a handful of us won’t be surprised at all.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:06 pm
8 and a 1/2 more days to go…..
April 30th, 2014 at 1:12 pm
“OH and no QB drafted in top 10 in last 30 years has been a 1st team all-pro other than Peyton Manning and Steve Young.
Also stolen knowledge.”
Andrew Luck is pretty good.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:14 pm
Carr does look like a great prospect.
I like that Brett Favre look to him, similar release motions.
Chucky says he is the best, that’s good enough for me.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
Of the top 10 potential draft prospects, none come across as being mentally strong as Manziel. That is one of my favorite things about him is his competitive makeup. I also like his arm and leadership abilities.
The biggest thing he has to get better at is working the play and not running at the first opportunity. He will get crushed.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
In the NFL Manziel is a dead man walking (or running). RGIII is bigger, stronger and probably faster than Manziel. Dead man walking.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
Thats silly, that is just 1 player ’87.
Brees is just about the same size as both of them and he’s pretty good and hasent been injured. I’m not saying he’s going to be as good as Brees. Just saying for every guy you say is injury prone because of his size, theres another who hasent been.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
David is the one who got the shaft playing behind Houston’s awful line for so many years. That will not effect Tedford and the Bucs picking Derek.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
@stanglassman
David is the one who got the shaft playing behind Houston’s awful line for so many years.
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Not according to JOE. He says a franchise QB should be able to overcome a bad O-line and less than adequate receivers, and still win consistently. That’s been the premise of JOE’s argument about Glennon all summer. The reason why P Manning, Tom Bradee, Aaron Rodgers, etc… have been so successful in their careers can be attributed to their all pro offensive lines. When their O-lines struggled, so did they.
Case in point, Atlanta, and the G-Men last year. Both teams have franchise QB’s but their O-lines and WR depth were terrible last year and it was the reason why they did so badly. For some reason it’s not an excuse when it comes to the Bucs, but it was acceptable for JOE when he used it to explain why Matty Ice didn’t do well. The whole game is won and lost in the trenches.
If the O-line holds and gives the QB time and opens holes for the running game they usually win but when the line struggles, and allows pressure, sacks, hurries, and stuffs, more times than not, they will lose. Kind of hard to be consistent when your constantly under duress, and it doesn’t matter who the QB is.
April 30th, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Couch Fan …size and style of play. Manziel’s style of play almost mirrors RGIII” except Manziel likes to run first. Just like Michael Vick. Another running scrambling QB. Dead man walking. No matter how silly you think it is.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:03 pm
I’m on board with Carr. He looks like a winner to me. Smart. been reading D’s since he was a kid. Mobile, quick release and very accurate. Can make all the throws. Christian / Family man (fits well with Lovie). Excellent football IQ. I would disagree with the pundits that say his brother was a flop and therefore he will be a flop. That logic makes zero sense.
David Carr got crushed behind a sh!t OL and really toughed it out. As a younger brother you get 1st hand insight and learn from the things your siblings go through. Which other QB really knows what it’s like to be drafted high in the draft? which truly knows what the NFL is all about? I would draft Carr first.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Actually Manziel is outstanding from the pocket, completing 70% of his passes.
Now, lots of his highlights are from mad scrambles so it makes it look like he runs first. he doesn’t.
Can he get out of the way of the rush? Sure can. Can he scramble? Yep.
An athletic QB like Lovie has said he likes.
But if you watched JF for an entire game he completed lots of passes from the pocket and can make all the throws. Nothing like Vick.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
Eric….Manziel’s first thought is to run. Even when WR’s are open. Much like Vick.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
“I would disagree with the pundits that say his brother was a flop and therefore he will be a flop. That logic makes zero sense.”
k1ngadroc…I don’t agree with the pundits either, but it’s out there. I’m saying his brother is going to make teams a little leery about drafting him. I’m not saying that he’s going to mirror his brother’s performance just by what David did. I’m saying his brother will and should play a factor when some teams are drafting.
Do you think if the Texans trade down, that they would take Carr? I’d say no way in hell.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
His first thought is run. That’s how he threw for 450+ yards vs. Bama
Twice.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:39 pm
Personally I don’t have a problem with JFF’s talent. He has plenty of it. It’s just that with his build I believe he will miss a lot of games with injuries. Just like RGIII. Because of that, and because of his questionable maturity, I’m not sure he will ever reach his potential in the NFL. It will be frustrating to watch his career and I just don’t want that for the Bucs.
April 30th, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Against Bama he just tossed it up to Mike Evans. Underthrown, double or triple covered… it did not matter because Mike Evans was there to get it.
Mike Evans MADE Manziel… trsut me.
April 30th, 2014 at 6:09 pm
Kap and Wilson are scrambling QBs, so I would disagree that it should be assumed up front that Manziel will be a bust. Manziel will have to curb that, just as he did from his freshman year to his sophmore year – I believe he reduced his scrambling by 50%; so he is capable. And he has great qualities that make for a franchise NFL QB: 70% completion, great competitiveness, and leadership.
April 30th, 2014 at 6:40 pm
I say we trade our 1 3 an next years 4 to move up with oak for there 1 an 4 this year.. get Sammy an with the draft so deep we still get a good player in the 4th.. my wish
April 30th, 2014 at 7:45 pm
Yeah that’s it. Mike Evans caught 450 yards of jump balls from JF in one game.