The 2012 NFL Draft officially came to a close on Saturday evening, with teams using three days and seven rounds to bolster their squads for the upcoming season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added seven players in the draft, most notably the best safety available and the second-best running back in the draft, both in the first round.
Now comes the time for instant (over)analysis by pundits. First up to bat, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, who gave Tampa Bay the rare overall grade of "A" for this year's draft.
Summary: In terms of adding impactful talent, and working the board, it's hard to do any better than Tampa Bay did in the first two rounds. The Bucs got the best safety in the draft after moving down, then swooped in at No. 31 to get the most complete running back not named Trent Richardson. Doug Martin is a good complement to LeGarrette Blount, and has great hands. Lavonte David is an undersized tackling machine who could be a dynamic weakside linebacker; he was on my Big Board. They didn't get to add a cornerback until Keith Tandy at No. 174, but I'm not sure any other team added as much early positive impact.
After a woeful campaign last season, the Buccaneers need all they help they can get. Hopefully, this weekend set a foundation for recovery for the franchise.
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