Leading up to the draft, Bucstop.com will look at the many drafts of the Bucs in their 40th Year of existence. We'll delve into the crazy trades, the Franchise Running Backs, and before draft week- Detail the Franchise QBs the Bucs have selected.
Leading into our draft series, we don’t want to leave out any notable draft picks or draft events..there have been many. Everyone knows about the 1995 draft, arguably the best ever as we scored Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks in not only the same draft but same first round. Funny thing most people don’t know about that draft, the Sapp pick was traded down…The Philadelphia Eagles wanted Mike Mamula so bad, they went for the trade up to NO. 7 and the Bucs got the lower pick and others and still selected Sapp at 12. Derrick Brooks trade came from Dallas.
But in sheer volume of starters, the 1987 draft under Ray Perkins produced more starters for a longer time than any one Bucs draft.
- 1 Vinny Testaverde
- 2 Ricky Reynolds
- 2 Winston Moss
- 2 Don Smith
- 3 Mark Carrier
- 4 Ron Hall
- 4 Bruce Hill
- 7 Curt Jarvis
While none are in the Bucs ring of honor, these players formed a nucleus of the Bucs team for the next half decade. Mark Carrier is considered one of the best Bucs Wide Receivers, he’s the current Bucs all time Receiving yardage leader, although present 2014 draft pick could have something to say about that. Reynolds and Testaverde went on to have some success with other teams, Patriots and Jets to start with, Vinny setting records for longevity.
Speaking of Wide Receivers, the Bucs had no clue what a Gem they found in 1980’s round 2 with Illinois Kevin House. He played longer and had more playoff appearances than than years NO.1 overall pick Billy Simms. House was the 49th player chosen, and still has a place in Bucs record books as he was a favorite TD Bomb target of Doug Williams (whom we will be looking at in our last week in the series).
Going back to that 1987 draft, Bruce Hill is 12th on the all time list, having been pushed out of the top 10 by Vincent Jackson, and Ricky Reynolds is 22 in Bucs history in total tackles.
Few people appreciate the irony of getting a player you missed out on drafting later on from the same team. In 1999 the Raiders drafted Matt Stinchcomb just a couple picks after the Bucs selected Booger McFarland. A few years later Bucs GM Bruce Allen picked Stinchcomb up as a Buc. In 1996, Tampa Bay had it’s eyes on Leeland McElroy. He was taken by the Cardinals, Bucs settled for Mike Alstott. McElroy was cut years later and made the Bucs, but he wasn’t at all the Tampa Bay’s coaching staff had hoped for and didn’t last.
Tight End Anthony Becht who is part of the Bucs Radio team, was drafted by the Jets in a trade for Keyshawn Johnson. Years later Becht was picked up by the Bucs in Free Agency!
Don’t Forget to check out Bucstop.com during the month of April for in depth Bucs historical looks at the Draft History, as we get closer, the articles get more in depth!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going into their 40th draft, and as everyone expects it to be QB Jameis Winston, there are some who want the Bucs to trade their No.1 pick. It’s been a long time since the Bucs have done that, so stay tuned as we kick off Draft Series April 2nd with The #1 Trades.
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