Thanks to a horrendous 2006 season, the Bucs are assured of a high draft pick in 2007, possibly even the first overall.

What should they do with it?

Defense is the word.  We need a new outside linebacker that Derrick Brooks can mentor for a year or two before he retires, and one that might be able to challenge Mr. Apple-has-fallen-very-far-from-the-tree Ryan Nece.  We need new safeties, Lord, do we need new safeties.  We are getting beaten down the middle entirely too much.  I wouldn’t mind seeing another young shut-down cornerback get drafted by the Bucs as well.  The run defense isn’t too bad right now, but we are getting killed on the 5-15 yard passes.  And maybe someone to replace Simeon Rice, hopefully someone with less bark and more bite.

I wouldn’t also mind seeing a continuance on drafting the offensive line, I think that given time, Joseph and Trueblood are going to be great on the line, and we need to continue to get younger, as well as better in that area.

I would like to see us get Joe Thomas OL or Brady Quinn QB.  We have 2 second round picks we can use on D.  Also we should try to get extra picks by trading some of the following: Rice, Kelly, Quarls, White, Simms, Bolden and use those picks on defensive players/return man.

First and foremost before we waist another draft, we need to get both Gruden and Bruce Allen out of there.  They seem to either screw it up completely or draft a one year wonder like Clayton and Williams.

Now to business, I’m all about trading down to the 10-12 pick range.  These picks usually produce great players that don’t have the pressure or risk of the top picks.  I think the goal should be to get at least 6 picks in the first 3 rounds.  That should be able to infuse the defense with some young, good talent and leave a couple picks to use on offense if a good player falls to us.

Let’s get some defenders out on the field.  Since Gruden has been there all we’ve done is let our good defenders get older, slower and we try to replace them with 4th -7th rounders.  Let’s put some good players on the field. 

Don’t go after a QB in the top of the first round.  Really look back, when was the last Super Bowl that was won by a QB drafted in the top 5?  If the rest of the team is strong a QB in the mid-first round or lower can win.