Fake Draft 2010

Using the NFLDraftScout overall player rankings I assumed that all players prior to the overall position of the Buccaneers pick were already selected.  For example, when it was time to make the second pick of the second round, I could only pick from the players listed from Position 42 on (i.e. 1-41 were already off the board).  I tried to find good value at each pick (talent on par with the selection) as well as meet the prioritized needs I have laid out in prior posts this week.

Here is how my Fake Draft played out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Round 1, #3 (3rd overall) - Gerald McCoy, DL (6'4", 295lbs), Oklahoma (#3 player overall by NFLDraftScout)
Round 2, #3 (35th overall) - Patrick Robinson, CB (5'11", 190 lbs), Florida State (#37)
Round 2, #10 (42nd overall) - Nate Allen, FS (6'1", 207 lbs), South Florida (#48)
Round 3, #3 (67th overall) - Brandon LaFell, WR (6'3", 211 lbs), LSU (#76)
Round 4, #3 (101st overall) - Darrell Stucky, SS (6'0", 205 lbs), Kansas (#104)
Round 5, #22 (153rd overall) - Phillip Dillard, ILB (6'0", 245 lbs), Nebraska (#155)
Round 6, #3 (172nd overall) - Ted Larson, C (6'3", 304 lbs), North Carolina State (#177)
Round 7, #3 (210th overall) - David Reed, WR (6'0", 191 lbs), Utah (#212)
Round 7, #10 (217th overall) - Adrian Tracy, OLB (6'3", 248 lbs), William & Mary (#220)
Round 7, #25 (232nd overall) - Colin Peek, TE (6'5", 252 lbs), Alabama (#232)
Round 7, #46 (253rd overall) - Keith Toston, RB (6'0", 213 lbs), Oklahoma State (#256)

There is a very important element here which cannot be factored in: face to face knowledge of the players.  And there is no guarantee that the Buccaneers rate these players in anywhere near the same overall order.

But, on the whole, it's a very interesting exercise.  There are players available at or near what I consider the top positional needs for the Buccaneers going into the 2010 season.  The first four selections dropped into place very nicely and I will be bouncing off the walls if the first part of the draft plays out this way for Tampa Bay.

Then things got horribly tricky.

Starting with the #5 pick the overall talent board was filled with players at positions the Buccaneers do not have a pressing need for (running backs, defensive ends, offensive linemen, quarterbacks, etc).  While I would rather have had a wide receiver I opted for another safety with the 4th round pick.  I did not find a value pick for another wide receiver until the 7th round.  And at all points a value pick for a tight end or a center is hard to find.

But man was that fun!

So I make the following offer:  If anyone else would like to go through the same process and then write a short paragraph about why you made the selections you made (and you aren't silly, like picking eight wide receivers because you're really worried about replacing Antonio Bryant), I'll post as many as I get all the way until the start of the draft on April 22nd!  Interested?  Open your favorite word processor, notepad, or text program, grab the draft order and check out the NFLDraftScout rankings and have at it.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME/NICKNAME AND YOUR CITY and STATE (or country if you're outside the US).   Put your draft in the comments with this information and submit it.

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If you're a real diehard, give yourself 10 minutes to make your first round pick, seven minutes to make each of your second round picks, and just five minutes to make each pick after that.

Best of Luck!!

Update:  Another Fake Draft using Scout.com player rankings