There are two areas on defense that the Buccaneers must get better at this season if they wish to get back to the playoffs and that’s, stopping the run and pass rush. While the Bucs secondary was able to give opposing quarterbacks fits and rack up the interceptions in 2010, stopping the run and getting to the quarterback was not part of the Buccaneers strong suits.
Enter Defensive End Adrian Clayborn.
The former Iowa Hawkeye was drafted 20th overall by the Buccaneers this year. At 6’3 281, Clayborn is extremely athletic for a player of his size, running a 4.13 in the 20 yard shuttle which led all rookie defensive ends. This drill measures lateral speed and how fluid ones hips are, and for a 280 pound person to run a time that’s comparable to running backs and even receivers is impressive amongst itself.
Along with his size and athleticism, Clayborn has a reputation of having a non stop motor and laying serious hits on both lineman and ball carriers.
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Clayborn was extremely productive at Iowa, especially in 2009 when he racked up 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. 2010 however, yielded lesser results as he recorded only 3.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. Nonetheless, Clayborn still had an impact drawing double teams and leading the way for Iowa’s rush defense, which ranked in the top ten among all NCAA D-1 schools in 2010.
Along with having the physical tools, Clayborn has the leadership skills and work ethic to be successful. Being a two-time team captain at Iowa, Clayborn was the clear sung leader of the Hawkeyes and lead both by example and vocally.
Clayborn is a different type of Right End. Most RE’s want to use finesse and speed to beat Left Taclkles, but Clayborn is a very physical player and loves to hit people; when rushing the passer, his favorite move is the bull rush. Obviously he will need to develop more moves, but Clayborn’s style of play will be much welcomed to a defense that lacked a physical presence. Where Clayborn will really be felt is against the run. To me Clayborn was by far the best run stopping defensive end in the draft, his ability to stay low at the point of attack and shed blocks is a very underrated aspect of Clayborn’s game. On top of that, he is phenomenal at recognizing plays. At Iowa, Head Coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff are great at coaching up players that mostly come from Iowa and are very fundamentally sound.
I don’t expect Adrian to get double digit sacks in his rookie year, but don’t be surprised if he comes close. He will make an immediate impact against the run and with players like Gerald McCoy, Brian price, and fellow rookie end Da’Quan Bowers helping out, Adrian Clayborn will have some chances to get one on one opportunities against left tackles and tight ends in certain situations.
My prediction for Adrian Clayborn in 2011:
Tackles: 55
Sacks: 6-8
Hurries: 23
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