Or the Bucs might take a peek at another quarterback.
By RICK STROUD
Published April 24, 2004
TAMPA - Following the direction of the Bucs in their first NFL draft run by Jon Gruden is a little like watching a butterfly in a hurricane.
Tampa Bay's 15th overall pick has been linked to Wisconsin receiver Lee Evans in numerous mock drafts, which might be the first puffs of smokescreen.
Certainly, if Oregon State running back Steven Jackson, a slashing 233-pounder, falls to the Bucs he will be an easy choice. Or they could take Jonathan Vilma or D.J. Williams, the Miami linebackers who would fill the team's biggest need with speed.
But those scenarios apparently don't satisfy Gruden.
On the eve of the draft, the Bucs reportedly were exploring the possibility of moving up to No. 10 in a trade with the Houston Texans.
The player Gruden is believed to be targeting?
A quarterback, of course: North Carolina State's Philip Rivers.
The Bucs have four quarterbacks under contract, including second-year pro Chris Simms, a third-round selection a year ago.
But Gruden has an infatuation with quarterbacks and Rivers would seem like a good fit. He started more games (51) than any passer in Division I history and completed 63.6 percent of his throws.
The Bucs haven't navigated these waters since 2001, the last time the franchise had a first-round pick.
"For the first time we're picking in broad daylight," college scouting director Ruston Webster said.
Which means everyone is left in the dark.
With no second-round selection, having lost the last of four draft choices sent to the Raiders for Gruden, the Bucs might not have enough juice to move anywhere but down. But the idea of watching 64 players come off the board until the team makes another pick at No. 79 can't appeal to Gruden or new general manager Bruce Allen.
The Patriots' trade with the Bengals for running back Corey Dillon reduces the possibility that the Bucs can move down and recoup a second-rounder.
"I think the thing about it, what player is there when you're at 15 and how important is it for you to go down and get multiple picks," Webster said. "We're open to listening to anything. We'll trade down, we'll trade up, and the draft is good enough that if you stay where you are, you can get another good player in the third round."
Gruden is believed to be pushing hard for an offensive player. The Bucs could have a difficult decision among Jackson, Vilma or Williams; or the best remaining receiver.
If Jackson is still there at No. 15, the Bucs should feel blessed. Charlie Garner, 32, is coming off knee surgery and has been unable to participate in offseason workouts. Michael Pittman faces a certain multigame suspension from the NFL for pleading guilty to felony endangerment, a charge for which he was sentenced Friday to 30 days in jail. And Jamel White and Brandon Bennett never have been featured backs.
The Bucs spent much of the offseason acquiring receivers, trading for 32-year-old Joey Galloway. And their free-agent pickups were mostly on offense.
"Don't forget about (defensive coordinator) Monte (Kiffin)," Webster said. "Monte has his opinion too. By the time we go into the draft, we'll know what we're doing by the night before and go with the plan.
"Linebacker is pretty rich throughout the draft, especially the first day. We have a certain kind of linebacker we play with. So we know who we're targeting there. We have guys down the line through the draft, in most rounds, that we like."
It's easy to see why Gruden would like Rivers, despite a three-quarter throwing motion and limited mobility. The 6-foot-5, 232-pounder is the son of a high school coach who played under three offensive coordinators and quarterback coaches at N.C. State. He still had 61 more touchdowns than interceptions in an offense featuring short throws, not unlike Gruden's. Any trade to move up or down wouldn't likely be made until today.
The Bucs go in with eight picks, one each in Rounds 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Tampa Bay has three choices in the seventh and final round, including a compensatory pick.
Which direction will the Bucs go with their first-rounder? It depends on how the wind is blowing.
