THE NFL Draft is here, and we can finally get the answer to the question, "Which defensive end will the Bucs take in the first round of the draft?" We've seen almost every first round DE prospect go to the Bucs in various Mocks. SB Nation just came out with the latest edition of their 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and they have the Bucs taking a sliding Da'Quan Bowers. Here is their rationale.
No player's stock has fallen further since January than Bowers'. Tampa's need at end is too strong to justify his sliding further than No. 20.
Bowers was once seen as a very legitimate candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, but concerns over a knee injury have forced him to fall down draft boards. But if he is still on the board when the Bucs pick, and the team is comfortable with the state of his injured knee, then I think he is a no-brainer.
The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28, and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare: NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it out at SB Nation's NFL Draft page and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking the Draft.