SBNation NFL Mock Draft, Pick 20: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select...
by John Bena on Apr 7, 2008 2:50 PM EDT
in 2008 NFL Draft
29 comments
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 No. 20 |
 Pick by Buc 'EmDeSean Jackson Wide Receiver California |
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With the twentieth overall selection in the 2008 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have chosen DeSean Jackson, wide receiver, California. The pick was made by JScott, head blogger over at Buc 'Em, and he's here to explain his rationale:
When you take into account that General Manager Bruce Allen did absolutely nothing to upgrade the receiving corps this off-season (Antonio Bryant? Ben Troupe? Please...) and we currently use our 3rd down possession receiver (Ike Hilliard) as our Punt Return man, Cal’s WR/PR DeSean Jackson is a no-brainer for the Bucs and their 20th Draft slot. Granted he doesn’t have the best hands and as Jon Gruden kindly reminds us, he’s only 168 pounds, but he DOES excel at two facets of the game; receiving the ball and returning the ball.
With Joey Galloway turning 37 years old this season, big boy receivers Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall providing zero production, and a veteran quarterback (Jeff Garcia) that has a two year window TOPS, the offense needs new life and weapons now. DeSean Jackson will provide that immediately with his return capabilities. He should be able to step right into the offense and contribute there as well.
In the wild card playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, Joey Galloway re-injured his shoulder early on, the Bucs became one-dimensional, and that was all she wrote for the Bucs' offensive production. We need to improve the offense and injecting speed via DeSean Jackson is how we’ll do just that. This is the route the community at Buc ‘Em would like to travel; it remains to be seen whether Gruden, Allen, and Company will follow suit.
Matt Miller, host of this site as well as owner of New Era Scouting, provides his analysis below:
I have not been as high on Jackson as most draftniks, but I do like his value here and the need that this pick fills for Tampa Bay. This is a team who has been historically bad on kick and punt returns, and also a franchise that lacks an explosive play maker at any position. Jackson will give Jeff Garcia, or whomever is playing quarterback, a dependable run after catch threat and will give the offense the speed they lose with Michael Clayton. Jackson's value as a return man/receiver may make him drafted higher in three weeks, but for our draft this pick is perfect.
Grade: A :: DeSean Jackson Scouting Report - New Era Scouting :: Matt Miller's Top Five Prospects Remaining: 1. LB Dan Connor, 2. CB Antoine Cason, 3. QB Brian Brohm, 4. LB Jerod Mayo, 5. QB Joe Flacco
We've got one more pick coming your way tonight, and it'll be made by Hogs Haven. The Washington Redskins are now on the clock. Their pick coming your way at 8PM Eastern.
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No offense but...
Jackson is waaaaaaaaaaaaay overrated. I would rather have Lavelle Hawkins on my team.
Honestly, I am flabbergasted you wouldn't take Devin Thomas. The guy is a flat out playmaker and has great size speed combination.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 3:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah...
... I don't mind Jackson, and I like the value that he brings to the Bucs as a return specialist. But boy, Devin Thomas is just a better offensive player at this point, and I too was pretty shocked that he didn't go to the Bucs...
by Brian Galliford on Apr 7, 2008 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thomas
Only one good year, fellas. That's going to hurt him a lot more than people think. JUCO players really need to hit the ground running, no matter if it's a feud with a coach or not. Thomas is electric, but raw.
by MattMiller on Apr 7, 2008 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But it was his last year
so at the very least it shows he is an improving player, with a lot of potential. In addition, it is incredibly rare to find a WR to be an immediate starter. So when you draft for WR's you draft in a large part based on potential 2-3 years down the road.
What is concerning about Jackson is it seemed his production dipped Junior year and he was very inconsistent, for some reason. I think that raises a bigger red flag.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
QB Play
QB play is a lot of the reason for his "dip" in production. Their entire offense had a bad year. I'm in no way a Jackson fan, but he's a better player than Thomas.
by MattMiller on Apr 7, 2008 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Someone should tell Lavelle Hawkins that
because I don't think he got the memo.
QB play is a lot of the reason for his "dip" in production.
If you are an elite talent (first rounder) you should be able to put up numbers even with sub-par QB play.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow
Stats aren't everything, or anything, in scouting a player. That has to be mentioned first. But since you demand it:
Jackson
06- 59/1060/9
07- 67/762/6 1 Game Missed
Hawkins
06- 46/705/5
07- 72/872/6
Statistically they are very close, Jackson was more of a YAC threat in 2006, but this is mainly because teams were giving him bracket coverage with a corner and safety, eliminating his chances in the open field. Because of this, Jackson saw a decline in YAC and Hawkins saw more catches.
I think we'd all love to see some analysis from you. It seems like every pick you have a great opinion on. We're hiring at NES, maybe we need you on staff.
by MattMiller on Apr 7, 2008 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Its just kind of weird when your "number 2"
receiver puts up equal or better numbers than your number 1 receiver.
IMO, I actually think one should put quite a bit of weight on college production (especially if you play D-1), or else players like Emmit Smith, who had a pretty pedestrian 40 time and didn't have quite ideal size, might have been drafted much later.
But that is my opinion, take it or leave it. I am not quite as knowledgeable as you on the subject, but as I said these are just my opinions.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In addition, I don't think Jackson is terrible
I just don't think he is worthy of a first rounder.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
in response to my pick
by JScott on Apr 7, 2008 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can respect that
but you fail to understand that the Cowboys are going to win the Superbowl this season, so your "win now" logic is faulty.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
"Cowboys are going to win the Superbowl this season" - I can't argue with that... i hate to say this, but we'll see...
by JScott on Apr 7, 2008 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So you would have drafted Jason White?
by Braekneck on Apr 7, 2008 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure what you are implying
but his injury history would have made me think twice. Which is why I think Ellis may be a better pick than Dorsey, eventhough Dorsey is a better player.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe it's above your head.
But if you're "put[ting] quite a bit of weight on college production (especially if you play D-1)" then there should be no way you wouldn't draft a Heisman Trophy winner. A lot of guys produce gaudy numbers in college because of the schemes they play in, that's why scouting is more important than college production.
by Braekneck on Apr 7, 2008 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well firstly
Drafting a QB is an entirely different beast than any other position in football. So off the bat I don't think that is a relevant comparison.
Secondly, there is an obvious and inherent logical fallacy in your argument.
then there should be no way you wouldn't draft a Heisman Trophy winner.
I said "quite a bit", which doesn't necessarily mean greater than 50% of your decision. "Quite a bit" could be 35%. This means if he maxed out that 40% by being a Heisman winner (although that is assuming being a heisman winner earns you a 100% of 35%, which may not be the case) you still have 65% of you decision yet to be determined.
Also there could be variables that could be mutually exclusive from production like character concerns, where a team could take a player completely off their board regardless of production.
So basically, you misunderstood and oversimplified my position.
by Burt D on Apr 7, 2008 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I could pick any position
There are players collegiate players at every positions that put up big numbers in college but fail to translate into anything in the NFL. The point being that scouting trumps stats.
by Braekneck on Apr 8, 2008 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Depends like I said
Every situation is different. Emmit Smith may be the best runningback of all time, but his measureables are pretty pedestrian. College production is an important factor, but there are other important factors.
And not really sure what you mean by "scouting". That is a pretty weird and all encompassing term you are using there. There is no such factor as "scouting". Everything is part of "scouting", including what you do on the field in college, as in production.
by Burt D on Apr 8, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Scouting
Scouting is easy to define. It's analyzing on field play to determine a player's abilities.
by MattMiller on Apr 8, 2008 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So I am assuming then that the
SCOUTING combine doesn't fit your definition of scouting then?
Anyhoo the point I was making is Braekneck was arbitrarily excluding on the field production from the scouting process.
by Burt D on Apr 9, 2008 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Call me a handsome fool if you must
But I think this is a terrific pick for the Bucs. This team needs a wide receiver and returner, and I like Jackson's combination of speed and hands. Quality pick by JScott.
by Dave the Falconer on Apr 7, 2008 3:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Jackson...
he is overrated but is a good pick for tampa. he povides 2 Possible weapons. i said posible because i dont know how he would do as a reciver, HE IS JUST TOO TOO SMALL. i could only imagine when he gets hit by Dawkins or Roy Williams or any big hitter. at 168 lbs he will look like a baseball after being hit by a steriod feed hulk of a baseball player.
by NickPampani on Apr 7, 2008 3:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Hall of fame Sports Writer on Jackson
Rick "Goose" Gosselin recap by InmanRoshi of the Zone:
DeSean Jackson is as big of a knucklehead as there is in the draft. I think he’s a 2nd rounder. If he goes end of Round 1, it’s because a team is looking at him as a Devin Hester type of returner. He’s not a first rounder just based on WR ability. His teammate was a better polished WR in college. If you were just talking about athletic ability, I think he brings more to the table than Ginn and Ginn was overdraft at #9. On just athletic ability, he would have gone 16-24, but his character problems will knock him down to a 2nd round draft pick.
http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showth...
by Burt D on Apr 8, 2008 6:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Goose
His "character concerns" constitute missing one quarter for breaking unspecified team rules.
Mel Kiper and Scouts, Inc. each have Jackson in their top 32 last I saw. Gosselin is one heck of a writer, but no one is right all of the time.
by MattMiller on Apr 8, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Jackson has the "potential" to be a
dynamic receiver in the NFL. But I think the chances of him realizing that potential are slim. He is a big boom/bust prospect IMO.
I actually like Hawkins, who I think could be a good #2 receiver at the next level.
by Burt D on Apr 8, 2008 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
it seems
everyone is focusing on this guy heavily as a WR.. Wide Receivers dont come into this league and set it on fire.. Punt Returners with Jackson's speed have an outstanding chance of duplicating their college success at that position on the next level...
For the Bucs, Jackson makes sense. He's not being brought in to break rookie records as a wide receiver, we need his athleticism in the return game. Our offense needs electricity. A big receiver in Sweed won't give us that, the two corners with excellent returning capabilities will be gone. Devin Thomas is too raw and not fast enough (IMO) in the return game to warrant a draft pick from the Bucs in the first round...
by JScott on Apr 8, 2008 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Devin Thomas is pretty fast
he had the fastest 10 yard split out of all of the WR's at the Combine (including Desean Jackson).
And I would be pretty concerned about a 169 pounder returning kicks.
by Burt D on Apr 9, 2008 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'm not concerned about
169 lbs returning punts, he's not lining up against Urlacher, Dawkins, and Merriman
Also, again with Thomas' speed, in the video footage I've seen, he's constantly getting run down.. DeSean Jackson rarely does
by JScott on Apr 9, 2008 6:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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