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Tampa Bay is enjoying its prospects right now. The two sorest positions of need, cornerback and wide receiver, are among the BPA remaining on the board.
The absolute BPA on Tampa's board right now, by quite a few slots, is Jon Stewart. They ponder taking him as a feature back with Graham and Pittman backing him up. They understand the desperate holes they are trying to fill at WR and CB aren't going to go away by drafting the powerful stud from Oregon, but it's almost too much value to pass up.
Almost, of course, being the key term. Tampa Bay, in case you haven't noticed their activity the past couple offseasons and the fact that Jeff Garcia starts for them, are a win-now team. They believe they are just a couple winning pieces away from the Super Bowl. And considering the weak NFC, they are.
Arizona CB Antoine Cason therefore, looks like the surest best right now. He's a battle tested warrior out of the WR-stacked Pac 10, and about as intelligent and savvy as corners come. There are criticisms that he's not the fastest kid on the block, but mark my words, watching Cason play this year, you won't even know he's a rookie, which is exactly what Tampa Bay wants.
In addition to that, Cason is a gifted kick returner. Tampa Bay had their first return for a TD in their history last year, but Cason virtually promises more. Two serious needs filled with one pick, one who's virtually the best player left on the board.
Tampa considers two other players, OT Chris Williams (who'd start at LT right away) and WR DeSean Jackson (Joey Galloways' heir apparent), but with Cason the Bucs will get a first rounder that won't play like a rookie, something you can't say for either Williams or Jackson, since LT and WR historically have needed a learning curve. There's no time for a learning curve on a win-now squad.
With the 20th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select cornerback Antoine Cason from the University of Arizona.
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