In comments that Gerald McCoy’s agent will surely bring up in contract negotiations, Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik indicated that the team had McCoy at the top of its draft board.
Dominik said in a radio interview with Jim Rome that the Bucs loved both McCoy and Ndamukong Suh, but he suggested that they liked McCoy a little bit better. That means the first three teams in the draft order all got their first choice: The Rams took Sam Bradford first overall, the Lions (who wouldn’t have taken a quarterback after picking Matthew Stafford last year) took Suh second and the Bucs took McCoy third.
“Our main focus was making sure Sam Bradford went No. 1,” Dominik said, per the Tampa Tribune. “We knew we were in great shape with Gerald McCoy or Ndamukong Suh, but we were excited about McCoy because he’s the entire package. He’s a great fit for the 3-technique. We thought he was the best 3-technique on the board.”
Dominik said the Bucs stayed true to their board throughout the draft, and he said that he thinks the team found two potential starters at defensive tackle with McCoy and Brian Price, and two more at wide receiver with Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams.
“When you’re 3-13, you have to be able to draft players that can fit your system and get on the field and produce right away,” Dominik said.