“I Think That Really Applies To Them”
March 5th, 2015
Often heard this time of year is the draft-the-best-player-available cliché.
The concept is nice, but it rarely applies to teams typically trying to blend need with who’s available.
Former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, currently a Yahoo! Sports draft guru, says the Bucs are, in fact, in the rare position to draft the best player available all through the 2015 NFL Draft — after snatching Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick.
King made the point on the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620. He said there’s no position group on the Bucs roster that’s top-5 in the NFL. So King says the Bucs should consider taking the best guy on the board through the remainder of the draft. “I think that really applies to them,” King said.
Running back should not be spared, King said, because “we don’t have a difference-maker” there. He called Doug Martin “ok.”
You won’t catch Joe arguing that the Bucs don’t have holes.
March 5th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
There are so many holes they should put up a giant Swiss Cheese sculpture next to the giant football outside One Buc Place.
March 5th, 2015 at 2:40 pm
Best player available should include the firs pick as well Joe!!!
March 5th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
this is what happens to a team when you give away players for peanuts and draft picks for over the hill guys.
l & l are in over their head and think some savior QB is going to come in and right the ship.
we can only hope
March 5th, 2015 at 2:44 pm
yeah, Leonard Williams is the best available….might make the defense dominant again like the old days…too many questions with the QB’s, Glennon will start in 2015 anyway…can add Hoyer or Jake Locker to QB roster for now
March 5th, 2015 at 2:49 pm
Unfortunately, long before the draft comes free agency. Let’s say the Bucs get most of the offensive line addressed in FA, would you be OK with the 2-4th picks also offensive line? Of course not.
You would expect them to address MLB, CB/S, or DE. So, best available only applies when considering need first.
March 5th, 2015 at 2:51 pm
really shaun king? so with all the needs we have you mean if the best player on the board was a running back you’d take him even though the line sucks or if it was a weak side linebacker? lavonte david is top 5 I guess if you exclude 3-4 linebackers. no need trying to draft a guy at GMC’s position or honestly even at Clinton mcdonald’s position but im gonna assume he knows that makes sense and he’s not talking about those spots. drafting to replace vjack yea maybe I could see that but once again most of this draft is probably going towards the offense anyway…defense with all it’s holes still was top 10 after their bye. defense needs vets and offense needs young talent
March 5th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
I agree 100% with taking the BPA. The key to drafting BPA is to have a respectable projected starting lineup prior to the draft so that we dont need to draft a starter. We ran into that problem last year which forced the trade for Mankins.
The bucs need to craft a roster with legitimate starters at every position group and then let the draft fall as it will.
March 5th, 2015 at 2:57 pm
The best football player in this draft is Marcus Mariota.
His decision-making and throwing mechanics are near elite, he has impeccable character and an unquestionable work ethic, and he’s a tenacious competitor who teammates would follow into the very depths of hell.
If we’re going BPA, let’s start at the top and work our way down.
March 5th, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Every team has holes… it’s up to the areas without the weaknesses and up to the coaches responsible for hiding them, to make a team a winner. The Seahawks have major holes… their WRs are crap… their DL is small and CAN be run on (see Mike James game) when they are in their pass rush packages. Russell Wilson is NOT a special QB when he is forced to stay in the pocket… but luckily for them, they do a good job of disguising their weaknesses and are winners.
I picked the Seahawks because they are seemingly one of the most complete teams in the league… obviously their holes are nothing compared to ours (OL/QB/OC) but if we get some of our holes improved, and our strengths become stronger, we can be a good team… remember, Indianapolis was one QB away from being in the playoffs and winning their division (under Manning) to picking 1st in the draft (at 1-15) to going back to the playoffs as as a division winner (under Luck).
March 5th, 2015 at 3:02 pm
Senor Mofo Says:
March 5th, 2015 at 2:57 pm
The best football player in this draft is Marcus Mariota.
His decision-making and throwing mechanics are near elite, he has impeccable character and an unquestionable work ethic, and he’s a tenacious competitor who teammates would follow into the very depths of hell.
If we’re going BPA, let’s start at the top and work our way down
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But unfortunately he still has to learn the basics of playing the QB position. NEXT!?
March 5th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
His decision-making and throwing mechanics are near elite, he has impeccable character and an unquestionable work ethic, and he’s a tenacious competitor who teammates would follow into the very depths of hell.
Damn can you redo my resume? lol your going alittle bit too far don’t you think. impeccable character is too rare to be throwing that out about someone you don’t know and only have read about and watched on gameday. Winston was a 2 sport star but tenacious leaders don’t sit the bench in high school
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Mariota attended St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was a two-sport star in football and track. In football, he was relatively unknown late in his high school career due to not starting until his senior season.
March 5th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
I think we should go with BTA or BCA in FA and the draft.
March 5th, 2015 at 3:06 pm
you can really see soft spoken mariotta rallying the troops in a buc uniform seriously….forget skills and teams they could go to and strictly look at the interview in front of the media at the combine. mariotta seems soft and kinda sensitive, theres already a leader of the Christian bible revival down in tampa, it’s time to draft a leader who know how to lead a team to victory, someone that will and isn’t afraid to be the bad guy and take the heat for the team….sorry MM I just don’t see it, right now he looks like an RG3 clone
March 5th, 2015 at 3:11 pm
just because a guys is soft spoken does not mean he does not have the killer instinct. hell just the opposite.
if your gonna pick a fight do it with the loudmouth. it’s the quiet guy in the corner whos keenly aware…..thats the guy you gotta worry about
March 5th, 2015 at 3:15 pm
Yep, the Bucs should take the very best, most dominant, #1 player in the draft, and that by far is Leonatd Williams. Hands Down. Neither QB is worthy of the #1 pick, especially Winston
March 5th, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Robert 9
Exactly. My very smart grandmother use to say that the people that talked the most actually had the least to say. She’s right as usual
March 5th, 2015 at 3:18 pm
Again….I find myself in complete disagreement with Shaun King.
I don’t call people names…so let me put it this way….”What an idiodic statement from someone who purports to be an expert”
King is saying…if the best player is a RB….take him…..WR….take him….TE….take him…
We have serious needs on the Oline, MLB, DE….perhaps S or CB…..
I’ll take the 2nd best player if they are at one of those positions….besides “BPA” is simply a lable put on a player by other experts who diagree…I am quite certain a great player at a position of need will be available at pick 34 or even 65.
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
March 5th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
what a difference a year makes. Now everyone is claiming that there are holes everywhere and the roster is garabage! LOL
March 5th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
it is realist.
L&L did a master full job of completely dismantling a team that actually had potential. the floppy hat club, mr laid back coach, lapdog GM that can’t negotiate with a wall. it’s actually quite funny.
March 5th, 2015 at 3:26 pm
Mariota isn’t soft spoken on the field. Could careless if he is soft spoken with the media or not.
March 5th, 2015 at 3:27 pm
Going BPA 2-7 could be ok because our team sucks except for 3-4 players.
March 5th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
hmmm wonder why Mario Williams got traded from Texans after they realized how good j.j. watt was. Houston’s defense didn’t miss a beat this season after Williams was lost for the year with a torn pectoral. In fact they may have improved. marcus mariotta right now he looks like an RG3 clone. you can look up and down the league and see quarterbacks who played in pro style offenses have success in the nfl. I have yet to see someone post something anything about a spread option quarterback doing anything more than having a couple good years. but theres a reason why teams trade up for quarterbacks more than any other position. the redskins traded up for a spread option quarterback who only threw 6 int’s his last year, got drafted and had the city buzzing about how amazing the franchise was gonna be but that lasted about a year until defenses got all that tape on him and then he was exposed….no thanks i’d rather have glennon than mariotta
March 5th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
TBBF, so you’re saying if Todd Gurley is there for us in the second round then you pass so you can take the 7th best OL?
That would be hard for me to do
March 5th, 2015 at 3:54 pm
The Buc Realist Says:
March 5th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
what a difference a year makes. Now everyone is claiming that there are holes everywhere and the roster is garabage! LOL
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Sloooooooooooow
March 5th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
There is an inaccurate narrative that spread QB’s aren’t successful in the NFL. The reality is that some of the most successful NFL offenses run what would be considered a spread offense.
Broncos
Chargers
Patriots
Eagles
Packers
Saints
Are all spread offenses.
QB’s that played in a spread offense in college.
Drew Brees
Russell Wilson
Phillip Rivers
Cam Newton
Ryan Tannehill
Colin Kaepernick
Ben Roethlesburger
Alex Smith
There is a long history of college QB’s from spread offenses succeeding in the NFL. Many of the most prolific Offenses in the NFL fall in the spread category. When analysts talk about the extinction of the fullback or the death of blocking tight end, they could just as easily reverse that and call it the rise of the spread offense in the NFL.
March 5th, 2015 at 4:16 pm
Nice post Drew. The JW homers won’t deal with the facts though.
March 5th, 2015 at 4:20 pm
king draft guru? wtf. what a idiot we don’t need a running back. our backfield has 2 or 3 decent backs and sims what 3rd round pick last year. we need oline help then I think the running game will be better imo. that after a QB naturally. king shut your PIE HOLE!
March 5th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
CreamsicleBananaHammock Says:
March 5th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
TBBF, so you’re saying if Todd Gurley is there for us in the second round then you pass so you can take the 7th best OL?
That would be hard for me to do
First of all….I don’t think Gurley is there…if he is someone would trade up with us to get him….Second of all….I never said 7th best anything…..I said 2nd best player at a need position…and we have many.
March 5th, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Drew Says:
March 5th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
There is an inaccurate narrative that spread QB’s aren’t successful in the NFL. The reality is that some of the most successful NFL offenses run what would be considered a spread offense.
Broncos
Chargers
Patriots
Eagles
Packers
Saints
Are all spread offenses. eagles of course it’s about the system but sorry the rest of these teams it’s about the quarterback…..they take snaps out of shot gun and none of them run gimmick type offense except chip Kelly…what in the world are you talking about…. big ben is not a spread option quarterback and isn’t a threat to run, alex smith, Ryan Tannehill both are average Colin Kaepernick, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton lol seriously is that the best you can do….why are cam newton and RG3 trying to get away from spread option…that was a horrible point of course with the weapons drew brees has he’s going to spread out the defense and THROW not throw or run….that’s horrible lol spread option offenses lol they are pass happy offenses
March 5th, 2015 at 4:38 pm
NFL value chart
Lines > QBs > Corners> Receivers> Linebackers> Punters/Kickers> Running Backs
Trading for AP, drafting Gurley, doesn’t matter, terrible idea. We still need to use Sims more for that pick to not be a total debacle. Running backs mean nothing in 2015 NFL
March 5th, 2015 at 4:40 pm
I think the point missed is that Oregon runs a spread option. Any NFL QB can run a spread. In fact, I can make a case that Jameis is likely to run it better than Marcus. More options available with Jameis. How many times have you seen Marcus run a simple slant? I’ll wait.
March 5th, 2015 at 5:12 pm
@ skyline agree with you. a lot of great QBs through the years were and are QUIET. rogers- brady – Wilson- eli- brees- etc. most don’t like the media. but it is part of the game.
March 5th, 2015 at 8:41 pm
BPA is not a bad thing if you take care some holes during free agency. If the Bucs sign Upati and say Franklin both guys are under 28 yrs old why not take the BPA it could be any position to say King is an idiot is stupid. So you guys would not take Gurley if he fell to the Bucs in the 2nd round if you say no you are more stupid than Steve Dumeig claiming that SUH is only a run stuffer.
. The second overall pick in 2010 has tallied 31 more pressures than any other defensive tackle since he entered the league and he’s collected the second most run stops over that same period of time (108). If you’re looking for weaknesses in Suh’s game, you won’t find many. His pass rushing prowess has been well documented since he led all interior linemen in sacks his rookie season with 11. What hasn’t been as feared over the years is his undisciplined run defense.
He’s always been disruptive, but early in his career he had a bad habit of washing himself out of plays with his over-aggressiveness. The good news is that that player has evolved. He’ll still fire off the ball, but his awareness has improved by leaps and bounds