Bruce Allen Needs To Listen To Me: Part 2 (or, “I Would Have Been A First-Rounder, But Then I Got High.”)

The reason I could tolerate all the Calvin Johnson hype over the last couple months is because I knew there was a defensive tackle steal waiting in the late-second/early-third round that Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen (who henceforth shall collectively be known by this site as "Gruce") wouldn't pass up on. Marcus Thomas had first round talent. If Amobi Okoye is ranked in the top ten now, Thomas surely would have been about the same. But he had his problems... smoking pot, getting suspended by the Gators, getting re-instated only to get kicked off permanently. Kind of important stuff. But after Thomas wrote his apology and it sounded sincere, I was ready to give him another chance. Warren Sapp got another chance, right? I watch a lot of SEC football and have seen my share of Marcus Thomas. No one reminds me of Sapp the way Thomas did. First round talent at a third round price at the team's most critical position was going to be huge.

Then came the combine. All Thomas did was get measured and do the bench. I sort of understand why slam dunk top ten guys forego the combine drills because they don't think it can benefit them (although I disagree.) But Thomas really had something to prove. The largest concentration of scouts, general managers, head coaches and even owners all year were there and he didn't want to show off his talent? Then came his pro day on March 29 -- and he sucked. A 5.23 40 yard dash (teammate Jarvis Moss ran a 4.49), an 8.03 3-cone (Victor Abiamiri did it in 6.72), a 26.5" vertical (Gaines Adams jumped 41"). I'm not the kind of guy that takes these drills so seriously, especially for a lineman, but come on. I understand he was hurt (hip flexor and right quad strain) but that only leads to more questions. The guy has been out of football for months with nothing to do but stay in shape and get ready for these drills! Ugh. Youthful indiscretions I can forgive, but if you can't take care of yourself in the offseason enough to be in top shape for your job interview, I have no sympathy. And now with the new NFL code of conduct, even fewer teams will be willing to take a chance on him even on the first day. Hell, he may not be drafted at all. When Sean Payton was asked where Marcus Thomas was on his draft board, he responded, "Off, off, off. If he's a bad apple in the first round, he's just going to be a less-expensive bad apple (later)." First round talent that may go undrafted.

(The very annoying scenario has crossed my mind that Al Davis, who gives no shits about character issues, takes Thomas in a late round and he winds up doing well and actually replacing Sapp on the Raiders. Now that would suck.)

Anyway, that's why I could get behind Calvin Johnson. I thought the Bucs would take Thomas later. But now the need for a young defensive tackle is still there. Kevin Carter will be a nice plug for a year or two, but he's not the long term solution. If I were Gruce, I would either slightly reach in the first to take Amobi Okoye, or I would take Joe Thomas who has a #4 value in the first (addressing another major need) and take the best available defensive tackle with one of their second rounders (Justin Harrell, DeMarcus Tyler, Turk McBride (yes, I know they're all SEC guys, but they're really the only DTs rated in the second)) and use the other second rounder on a safety.