Adrian Clayborn Leads Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Youth Movement

The ink has officially dried and the lockout is over.

The NFL season has arrived, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to build off of last season's momentum, which nearly propelled them back into postseason play.

Head coach Raheem Morris and GM Mark Dominik worked diligently during 2011 NFL Draft to acquire the best talent that would fit what the organization is trying to accomplish, and what they found is a group of defenders who match exactly what made the Buccaneer’s “Tampa-2” defense famous.

Let’s take a look at the Buccaneers’ top five impact rookie defenders for the 2011-12 season.

Anthony Gaitor, FIU

The Buccaneers took cornerback Anthony Gaitor in the seventh round, and most scratched their heads at this pick.

The excuses are he's too small and not physical enough, but I tend to disagree after speaking to FIU defensive line coach Juan Navarro. 

Navarro explained to me that Gaitor is extremely intelligent and has a high football I.Q. With the complexities of the Tampa-2 system and the way Coach Morris likes to tweak and reinvent the scheme, Gaitor may come in and compete for the nickel spot right away.

Fans tend to forget that coach Morris is a former defensive backs coach and is a meticulous teacher.

Don't count Gaitor out.

Derrell Smith, Syracuse

Recently signed as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse, Derrell Smith is exactly the type of linebacker the Buccaneers covet.

Strong bodied, runs fast, hits hard, has tremendous football instincts and comes from a system similar to the Tampa-2 when he played for the Orange.

Smith will have to earn his keep as a special teamer if he's going to try and make this Buccaneer squad, but the young man's a natural leader and certainly has the skill set, as well as the want, to be a part of this young and talented defense.

There's something special about Smith. Keep an eye out.

Mason Foster, Washington

Mason Foster's a tackling machine, ranking second in the NCAA last season with 163 total tackles. 

He brings a mean streak and a tenacity that the Buccaneers have been lacking from their middle linebacker position.

Tampa Bay may have to bring a veteran in to mentor Foster because it'll be difficult for the rookie to succeed as the starting middle linebacker when there's not much time to learn a complex system on such short notice.

Remember, these young players don't have the benefit of rookie training camps and OTA's to get accustomed to a new scheme this season thanks to the lockout.

Foster will definitely see a ton of playing time and may very well be the starter by the third or fourth game of the season, and Buccaneer fans ought to expect big things from the former Huskie. 

Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson

Rated by most publications as the top talent in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers may have gotten the biggest steal ever.

Bowers fell to the second round because most organizations were fearful of a knee operation the former Tiger experienced.

According to Buccaneer GM Mark Dominik, Bowers passed all his physicals, and the training staff has him cleared to play.

That's bad news for offensive linemen and quarterbacks of the NFC South.

Bowers has a motor that doesn't stop and led the NCAA in 2010 with 15.5 sacks. He can beat you in multiple ways; he has the strength to bullrush linemen, the quickness and hand speed to get around linemen and the agility to utilize a spin move or fake a lineman to the inside. 

In other words, he's a freak.

The Buccaneers may have gotten themselves the pass rusher they've been desperately needing and got him at a bargain. 

Adrian Clayborn, Iowa

The days of the little "speed" rush defensive ends in Tampa Bay are over. Coach Morris wants defensive ends that can not only rush the passer, but stuff the run and get out into the open field on zone blitzes.

That takes serious athleticism, and first round draft pick Adrian Clayborn is up for the challenge.

Clayborn is the epitome of toughness, but the main reason why the Buccaneer organization targeted him is he accepts responsibility as a leader and welcomes the challenge.

He wants to be the guy that the younger players look to. He wants to be the one responsible for making the play that changes the complexion of a game. He wants to inflict serious punishment to the competition.

Clayborn wants to be great.

The coaching staff expects Clayborn to be an instant impact player on the defensive side of the ball, and the fans in Tampa will finally get to see why the organization thinks so highly of the former Hawkeye and why they chose him with their first pick.

The Buccaneer organization has a proud history of defensive linemen. No doubt Clayborn will continue the tradition.