NFL Draft 2011: Tampa Bay Buccaneer War Room Has Been Beyond Excellent

In Dominik We Trust.

He's earned it.

With the 2011 NFL draft hours away, you have to take great comfort in what the Buccaneers have done in the last two drafts.

If they can be nearly as good as they were last year, well, tonight could be the start of something really good.

Here are the simple, delightful facts as they stand in regards to what Mark Dominik and his staff have been able to accomplish.

In two drafts, they have had 15 selections. Thirteen of those players are currently on the roster and there are an amazing 12 starters on the depth chart.

Let's take a moment to refresh your memories of the last two drafts.

First Round (17):  Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State.

Third Round (81): Roy Miller, DT, Texas.

Fourth Round (117): Kyle Moore, DE, Southern Cal.

Fifth Round (155): Xavier Fulton, OT, Illinois.

Seventh Round (217): E.J. Biggers, CB, Western Michigan

Seventh Round (233): Sammie Stroughter, WR, Oregon State.

Comment:  Josh Freeman was no doubt the crown jewel of the 2009 draft. Answer this question: What player in the NFL today would you trade him for? Easy answer: none. This season will be a make or break year for Kyle Moore to determine if he's going to pan out.

Of this bunch, Fulton is the only one they had to give up on. The experiment of trying to make a defensive lineman into an offensive lineman simply did not work. Even Mark Dominik can make a mistake.

NFL.com gave this class a grade of "B" after the draft. So much for that. Freeman alone makes it an "A" two years later.

First Round (3): Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma.

Second Round (35): Brian Price, DT, UCLA.

Second Round (39): Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois. 

Third Round (67): Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt.

Fourth Round (101): Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse.

Sixth Round (172): Brent Bowden, P, Virginia Tech.

Seventh Round (210): Cody Grimm, LB, Virginia Tech.

Seventh Round (217): Dekoda Watson, LB, Florida State.

Seventh Round (253): Erik Lorig, DE, Stanford.

Comment: This could go down in Buccaneer history as their best draft ever, depending on how McCoy and Price develop. Top to bottom, this was a SUPER draft. Mike Williams was probably the best value in the entire draft, all teams included. Incredible job with three seventh round picks.

Alas, even Dominik got a stinker in this group. Brent Bowden became the posterboy for why you should NEVER draft a punter.

NFL.com gave this draft a "B" after it was over. Looking back, just a year afterward, it's an A-Plus.

So gander a look at these selections and now you know why the Buccaneers are committed to their plan to build through the draft. Only two mistakes in two drafts. Incredible.

It will be interesting to see if the Buccaneers surprise everyone in the first round. The best scenario for them is that teams ahead of them make a run on quarterbacks. That would be the key for them getting a better value if they go defensive end.

You may remember Dominik's warning:  "don't pigeon-hole us" meaning don't bet the house, the farm and the ranch that he'll take a defensive end.

Whoever they take, you have to know that good decisions will be made.

These Buccaneers are good and getting better.

One more draft, some more nice players and who knows.

After the draft, hopefully the teams will be able to pick up free agents if this CBA haggling will resolve itself.

And that begs the question:

Who IS the next LeGarrette Blount?