Tampa-St. Pete's takes on the Buccaneers drafting Adrian Clayborn

With the 20th selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select ... Adrian Clayborn, defensive end, Iowa.

Many didn't think Clayborn would go quite that high, though he was 20th to the Bucs in several mock drafts. He seemed to be in that 24th to 30th range by most. So he probably did about as well as he could do Thursday night. I'm not surprised. He took the last four months extremely seriously in training and, I'm sure, interviewing with teams.

But how do the people who cover the Bucs see this? We'll start this  excerpt from this column from Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune, who sees the Bucs copying their most glorioius era:

According to the blueprint, you start by building up the interior of the defensive line with, say, a disruptive force named Warren Sapp. That gives you push against the pass while standing firm against the run. Once that is settled you move outside.

We recall that once Sapp was in place, the Bucs complemented him with other elite pieces. It didn't take long until opponents didn't know whether to block Sapp up the middle or deal with Simeon Rice roaring off right end, and never mind Derrick Brooks blowing them up from his linebacker spot.

Living in the present, we watched Thursday night as the Bucs spent their No. 1 draft selection on a defensive lineman for the second consecutive year. Adrian Clayborn earned a reputation at the University of Iowa as a disruptive pass rusher, but the Bucs see him as another piece in a unit that is being shaped in the image of their defense of yore.

"These guys get to grow together," head coach Raheem Morris said.

By these guys, of course, he means tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price – last year's top two selections. Anyone who watched the Bucs last year realized there was still some building to do along the defensive front, at least when it comes to rushing the passer.

The Bucs were tied for 30th in sacks in 2010 and their leader, Stylez G. White, had just 4.5 Someday soon that will be a good afternoon for Ndamukong Suh.

Taking a more-cautious approach, Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg Times notes in this column that Tampa Bay has not done particularly well in drafting defensive linemen.

At a time like this, it is recommended you attempt to dispel doubts by remembering how the Bucs have drafted and developed over the past two seasons. There is not a lot of tarnish there.

That said, every organization has missed on defensive linemen over the years None, however, have missed more than the Bucs. It's odd, because the distance between defensive end and the quarterback he is pursuing isn't that far, and the directions to him aren't that hard. Yet, the Bucs keep trying, and they keep whiffing.

Time after time the Bucs have tried, and time after time they have failed. They have drafted players who weren't strong enough (Gaines Adams) and players who weren't swift enough (Ron Holmes) and players who weren't athletic enough (Eric Curry) and players who weren't vicious enough (Regan Upshaw) and players who weren't polished enough (Booker Reese) and players who weren't driven enough (Keith McCants).

It has been a conga line of underachievement, one stiff after another taking turns doing very little. Left tackles in this league have bought yachts from the bonuses they achieved as they blocked Bucs defensive ends.

Shelton added:

So why are we to believe that Clayborn will succeed where so many have failed?

For one thing, the Bucs talk first about Clayborn's motor, his relentlessness. By its nature, defensive end is a relentless position, where a player has to be strong enough to take on the opposing offensive tackle, sturdy enough to play against the run, strong enough to shed a blocker's hands and fast enough to chase down a quarterback. Average one sack a game - just one - and a player is a star. Play the run as well, and a player is a difference maker.

For the Bucs, the choice was always a pass-rusher. Given the 20th pick, the choice was always Clayborn,.

This time we'll see if they have picked the right guy.

Bucs General Manager Mark Dominik, of course, said it was Clayborn and Clayborn only for his team. From the Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

Dominik said that he felt fortunate not to have to trade up to draft Clayborn.

"It was a unanimous choice within our building," he said. "He was absolutely the highest rated player on our board at the 20th selection. He was the right pick for our football team."