2012 Buccaneers Draft Prediction

Good Monday morning Buccaneers fans!! It's draft week. Lies, misleads and smokescreens will consume the media air waves. For some, like myself, this is one of the most exciting times of the football season. That time of the year when your team can alter it's course or direction for many years to come. So, with that being said, here is my final 3 round mock draft of Buccaneers selections. 95% of everything after 3 rounds is a crap-shoot due to trades and who went where during the first 3. So I predict the first 3 rounds for our Buccaneers and in later post will provide a few players to keep your eye on if the Bucs get an opportunity to select them at the right value. In other words, a 4th round talent that may be on the board in the 5th and they grab that player. So here goes, my 3 round 2012 Buccaneers Draft selections:

1. Morris Claiborne
CB – LSU
5’11” – 188 lbs – 4.39

If Claiborne is on the board and Richardson is gone, Claiborne will absolutely be the Bucs' pick. If Richardson somehow makes it through the Cleveland selection, which I do not see happening, the Bucs' will select Richardson.

2. Donta Hightower
LB – Alabama
6’2” – 265 lbs – 4.56

May have surprised you here. Yes, I know how talented Hightower is at the ILB. Yes, I know a great deal of draft pundits have Hightower being selected much earlier. I personally think he may be selected by the Steelers with their 1st round selection. However, I'm going on a limb and predicting, that with the LB position carrying a lesser value in today's NFL, 1st round selections will stay true to who makes the passing game happen and who stops the passing game. Thus QBs, WRs, pass rushers and pass defenders dominate the 1st round and Hightower miraculously slides to the Bucs in the 2nd round. What a steal this would be.

If Doug Martin RB – Boise St. 5’9” – 223 lbs – 4.55 is still on the board, you may see the Bucs' solidify their ground game with his selection.

3. LaMichael James
RB- Oregon
5'9 - 185- 4.43

If Hightower slides to the 2nd round, the Bucs can not pass up his talent. This will cause the Bucs to have to wait until the 3rd round to get that 2nd running back they covet. I have Richardson, Martin, Miller and Wilson all gone by the 3rd round. So the Bucs get that change of pace back with the elusive quickness. James is extremely quick but not that fast for NFL standards. He will burst through holes and leave some defenders wondering where he went, but will also get caught from behind when he hits open field.

If the Bucs go with Martin in the 2nd, then watch for them to get that linebacker help in the 3rd with:
TANK CARDER
ILB -TCU
6’2″- 236 lbs- 4.56

There you have it. My 3 round 2012 Buccaneer Draft prediction. So let's hear it from the crowd. Agree, disagree or, if you would like, toss in your predictions. We have 4 days left to debate our thoughts . As always GO BUCS!!!!!!