From The Mailbag: Wide Receivers In The Draft

I normally get one or two letters a day that qualify as homework assignments, and I usually ignore them because I despise work and resent the fact that they don't contain free money. But Mark has been a reader for a long time and this was a topic I was going to cover next week anyway. So, from Mark...

Here are some receivers that may be available to the Bucs in the first round. Malcolm Kelly (Okla), Limas Sweed (Tx), Devin Thomas (Mich St), DeSean Jackson (Cal). Do you think any of them are worth our first round pick? Will you share what you know about them?

Limas Sweed: A lot of mocks have Sweed as the top WR in the draft. I like him, but the Bucs don't have a shot at him. He's also not ideal for what the Bucs need right now. He makes tough catches, runs good routes and is said to be a team leader with a good work ethic. All that is great, but he doesn't have the breakaway speed or elusiveness in the open field that the Bucs are missing. He was also banged up during his senior year. I wouldn't turn him away, but I'm not particular upset that he won't be available at #20.

Malcolm Kelly: He's got great hands and is probably the best overall receiver in the draft. Last year his quarterback made life hard on him but he still made some great catches. Kelly didn't participate in the combine and then he didn't run the 40 at his pro day on Tuesday. It makes me think he knows he's going to run slow. He won't get past Buffalo, though.

Devin Thomas: Buzz is building on Thomas and I think he'll be one of the better receivers from this draft with some added experience. He's smart, but sometimes makes bad decisions. I'm also a little concerned about his hands. He dropped several catchable balls last year. But he can run all the routes and isn't afraid to be physical.

DeSean Jackson: Jackson is my pick for the Bucs if he falls that far. He is the most elusive receiver in the draft and a stellar return man. He has great hands and can catch balls that aren't thrown perfectly. He is also the only legitimate deep threat on this list. I'm not concerned about his height. Steve Smith in Carolina is about the same size. The 170 pound weight is a little concerning because he may not be able to recover from a significant jam at the line. He'll have to be a motion man. I've also heard he's kind of an asshole and may not be the best practice player. I'm counting on Jon Gruden to beat that attitude out of him, though.

I am not counting on Antonio Bryant for anything. As far as I'm concerned, the Bucs have the same need at WR they did at the end of the season. If they miss out on Jackson in the first, they should wait until a later round and take Donnie Avery or Dexter Jackson.