2011 Draft Class Still Hanging Tough

August 27th, 2014

TCDominik11Treated as an incompetent evildoer by most Bucs fans, former rockstar Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik has a bigger stamp on this year’s team than would have imagined a month ago.

With yesterday’s trade of Tim Wright, 2011 fourth-round pick Luke Stocker has emerged with a job — a real job as this year’s blocking tight end.

Other members of the 2011 draft class are thriving, too.

Adrian Clayborn had his best game in a long time starting against Buffalo on Saturday, including a ferocious sack, and Mason Foster is thriving under linebackers coach Hardy Nickerson and making all the defensive calls. Anthony Gaitor is somehow hanging around, and Da’Quan Bowers, well, he’s being his usual self.

They say it takes three years to properly evaluate a draft class, but perhaps the 2011 class will take another season to properly judge. If Clayborn can stay healthy and pull an eight-sack season, and Stocker can prove he’s an NFL player, Dominik might go from villain to something less severe.

27 Responses to “2011 Draft Class Still Hanging Tough”

  1. eric Says:

    Great Cap Guy and again when that is your GM claim to fame, (JOE Gave him Rock Star Status) you have to move on you have to be able to evaluate and pick talent!

  2. lightningbuc Says:

    Where’s the offensive lineman he drafted in 2011? Oh that’s right, “rockstar” didn’t believe in that!

  3. Joseph Mamma Says:

    The prize gem of the 2011 tampa bay draft: Luke Stocker. Dude’s the second coming of Mike Didtka.

  4. Love and Warrick Dunn Says:

    Remember, Luke Stocker cost 2 fourth rounders, not one.

  5. stevek Says:

    The draft pick traded for Stocker was used to acquire MLB DeMeco Ryans.

    To this point, Ryans has been the superior player.

    Stocker cost the rock star two 4th round picks, and Dom went on to say, “Luke Stocker has a 2nd round grade”.

    Terrible production for a draft pick period, especially for a “2nd round talent”.

  6. stevek Says:

    If anything, we should be singing Greg Schiano’s praises, as he got rid of Freeman, drafted like a boss, and found us Tim Wright who got us the much needed OG yesterday.

    Thank you Greg! You are a martyr!

  7. NewTampaChris Says:

    If I remember correctly, getting Bowers at 51 was universally praised as a great value pick. That’s one I can’t blame on Dominik.

  8. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    You cant make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear!!!

    GMC is the only player remaining after these two drafts…..

    2009 -Freeman, Miller, Moore, Fulton, Bigges, Stroughter

    2010- Price, Benn, Myron, MW19, Bowden, Grimm, Watson, Lorig

    So, Joe….I guess 1 out of 15 ain’t bad!!!

  9. BucsFan007 Says:

    Anyone know who the Bald guy to the right is ?

  10. BigMacAttack Says:

    BucsFan07,
    The guy to the right of Dominick (in red)is Davi Sherwin of the Bucs. He is my season ticket rep and an all around fantastic guy. His extension is 2505 if you need tickets.

  11. Patrick in VA Says:

    @eric – not why he was given “rock star” name. he got that name when he was making a significant number of media appearances during the 10 win season. Had nothing to do with how he managed the cap

  12. Theodore Says:

    So Dominic didn’t fail 100% of the time. Schiano won a few games too.

  13. Mac Says:

    Mark Dominik will never get another chance to destroy a team in the NFL again…

    He and Matt Millen will go down as the two worst GMs in football history…

  14. Prince Says:

    Let’s get real. Dominik didn’t get rid of Lorig, Williams or Watson, and Miller had a strong 2012 here. Williams has been an excellent NFL player.

    They got a lot out of Stroughter and Grimm as 7th rounders and at least Freeman proved he had the talent with one elite season and one strong one before he went wacko.

    Now why Dominik ditched Michael Bennett and made some other moves, I don’t know.

    2012 and 2013 draft classes are hardly busts yet

  15. Carls Toe Says:

    The guy to the left is Cody Grimm.

  16. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    @ Prince

    Not saying the picks were bad or worthless….just pointin out that only 1 of 15 is still with the team….that seems to be a low number to me from two draft classes only 4/5 years ago.

  17. Owlykat Says:

    The only player Schiano brought us in the 2013 draft was Glennon, his anointed pet who would turn our losing season around. How did that stupid pick turn out? He ruined our season and we are still stuck with an untradeable loser who could only muster one TD in three games and no comeback wins! He is a dead weight on our roster and was outplayed by Kafka who with only a quarter of Glennon’s playing time drove us down the field at the end of the game and threw a TD strike in the face of a blitz! Tell me another lie about how great your precious Schiano was!!!

  18. Goodolebucfan Says:

    sorry Schiano didn’t draft crap it was Dominik. Funny how people want to blame Dominik for the bad picks but the good picks were from the just hired college coach. Get real they didn’t give Schiano that much power coming from a college program.

  19. stevek Says:

    owlykat,

    Your opinion couldn’t be any less wrong.

    Freeman ruined the Bucs last year. If we wasn’t flopping his contract year, then he was releasing medical info to try and torpedo the Bucs.

    All things considered, Glennon looks like a steal in the 3rd round. I’d take Glennon over Manuel (1st round) or Geno (2nd round).

    Johnthan Banks was a great 2nd round pick too.

    I laugh at you, and your opinion, as you are a tainted Freemanite.

  20. BUCTROOPER Says:

    Again, I would like to remind all Joe Bucs fan readers…

    How many of Mark Dominik’s draft picks have garnered a contract extension? How many players did Mark Dominik find that were deemed worth keeping?

    So far? One. And he plays for the Buffalo Bills now.

    I also want to remind people that this is the GM who looked at Michael Clayton’s performance and said “he needs another $10 million for all those drops.”

    The worst GM in Bucs history.

  21. whocares92 Says:

    @stevek
    Schiano is to blame for the 2013 season as he was the head coach in charge of the ship. It starts from the top and Schiano was no leader of men.

  22. WestCoastBucsFan Says:

    Most teams do not have more than one or two players from five year old draft classes. Look it up. It is quite rare even for a team like the Patriots.

    Dominik clearly didn’t have all the skills to be a great GM but comparing him to Matt Millen is pretty low in my opinion.

    Schiano is what ended him.

    It’s over now, Lovie and Licht are here to stay and I am all for it.

  23. Architek Says:

    I’m so glad we don’t have to deal with the incompetence of Dominink regarding talent evaluation – great cap guy but not a football guy!

  24. Jon Says:

    In three years minds will change. Allen use to be the worst then Dominik next licht. Just the fans we are. Dominik did claim Bennett so why is he to blame for letting him leave? How many players are still in the league from 2009 draft for any clubs? He did bring in Dotson, glennon, Martin, James, lorig, Watson, foster, Clayborn, McCoy, banks, Vincent Jackson, goldson, spence, david, heck almost the entire defense including the depth. Stop hating, worst ever like Millen, not even close. He drafted and signed better than Allen and maybe McKay if being honest. McKay didn’t get lynch, hardy, signed Harper and Emanuel but we forget. Drafted reidel and green etc.

  25. BigMacAttack Says:

    The Bucs best signing over the last 10 years was Rachel Watson out of USF. She was All Pro through and through, and they let her walk. She was easily worth a mid 6 figure contract in the Fan Relations Dept. or Director of In Stadium Lap Dances.

  26. Ernest T. Bass Says:

    USF Bull Rachel Watson was let go because she had a dangerous stalker who kept showing up at One Buc. She had to be let go, for the safe and security of the other Bucs cheerleaders.

  27. Brandon Says:

    I don’t think you guys understand the term “Rock star”. Joe isn’t/wasn’t saying he was great, he’s saying he got rock star treatment from the media and that he had colorful quotes and was very charismatic, like a rock star.

    Joe said he was a rock star, not a good one, he’s no Steve Tyler or Axel Rose. he’s more like the wimp from Great White or the man girl from Mr. Big.