Looking to throw stones for draft failures? Aim at Dennis Hickey.
by Niko Houllis on Jan 8, 2010 4:00 AM EST
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Youve been hearing about it for the last few days, since the season has ended. The Bucs will get to pick 3 of the top 42 picks, and 5 of the best 99 college players; but do we trust the Bucs to pick the right people. You look at the Bucs 3-13 record and say "Raheem Morris isnt qualified to pick them" . Well maybe he is not, since it's not really his job. While the ultimate fate of their outcome may fall upon him, the onus is on the guy who has been doing it for the last 5 years... Bucs Director of College Scouting Dennis Hickey.
Like Mark Dominik, Hickey is with the Bucs for a long time, 14 years to be exact. He has only held the director position for the last five however. Yet that is long enough to pin the blame on him for, you guessed it.
Dexter Jackson.
Of course, you cant just give the bad, you have to throw in the good. With Hickey's assistance, the 2006 draft produced four rookies who saw action in their first season, but mostly Davin Joseph is the only one to really be proud of.
We can also give him the credit for Aqib Talib, Geno Hayes, and Clifton Smith, along with Sammy Stroughter. It would seem the last year has wiped some of the stain off of Hickey's past. But that past is getting harder and harder to overlook as we examine the impact of it.
Sure Hickey found Barrett Ruud and Martin Gramatica by being a midwestern scout for the Bucs before becoming the director, but no one can deny the fact that a second round pick was wasted on Jackson, who is not even on an NFL roster at present time; and Gaines Adams, who was taken one spot below Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, and Darrell Reavis. Of course hindsight has perfect 20/20 vision, but directors of college scouting should know some of these things right?
And if not, can we trust him to do the right thing in 3 months, when the most important draft in Bucs recent history convenes?
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It Was Gruden
You have to know Gruden had total control of the War Room, there was no way possible he was going to let someone else pick HIS players. I’m sure Hickey had a lot of input, but ultimately it was Chucky’s call and he blew it more times then not. Granted he [Gruden] HIMSELF cost us more draft picks and money than anyone we ever traded for.
Buc'em if they can't take a joke.
I know we'd all like to assume we KNOW who made the decisions on each player drafted,
but unless we know someone who was in those meetings, we can only speculate. I’d be interested to see a listing of the picks from the last 6 years, and there status in the league. And we do have to realize, EVERY team has it’s hits and misses.
I’m just glad I’m not a Raiders fan, who has to look forward to each draft about as much as that rectal examine they have coming up. I loved it when the Raiders selected Mike Mitchell in R2 last year (not to mention the reach for Heyward-Bey in R1), and all the announcers covering on ESPN & NFL Network had to scramble to get info on the guy because he was projected to be a 4-5 round pick and no one had scouting reports on him handy.
It was Gruden, before that it was McKay
Do you really think anyone else in the Bucs organization had any real say about player personnel moves when Chucky was here. He hired the GM, not the other way around, it was he who decided who would be GM, he had total control. Allen was/is a Cap-man, not a talent evaluator, he’s probably better off being a VP of Salary Cap then a GM, because he really doesn’t have the skill set of a true GM. Rich McKay and Dungy built that SB team, Chucky just refined the details.
Buc'em if they can't take a joke.
by PalmBeachBucco on Jan 8, 2010 6:37 PM EST up reply actions
"Rich McKay and Dungy built that SB team, Chucky just refined the details." LOL
Oh, you’re one of those guys. Nevermind then.
I think
It goes both ways..you get some and miss some but we’ve missed some of our opening day pick in the past 5 years..besides the coach have to agree even if the report he brought was very good Gruden and Allen still were involved and they’re not so great on spotting talent..last years draft looks promising..maybe its the begining of a good era
I get it: So when Morris fails, it will be Hickey's fault. Nice!!!
I now completely understand the term "Gooberville"
There's more than one person in the War Room
The coaches and owners have say on who gets drafted, as much as the head of the scouting reports. So there’s that.
The other problem is how the players are developed. Over 6-7 seasons with the Bucs, Gruden had a lousy track record developing our rookies. He seemed better working with veterans than newbies.
Relive the shocking NOOOOOOOO of April 25 2009 at Witty's Draft Review and laugh laugh laugh...
Agree with the "many hands in the decision",
though I’m pretty sure in most organizations there is one person who makes the final call. Hard to say who that has been for the Bucs over the last 10 years. Also agree that Gruden is much more comfortable working with finished products, as opposed to developing young players. I’m thinking his dismissal will actual make him a better coach in the long run, as I think it’s caused him to take a step back and review his methods and himself.
Didnt matter who was HC
Since Sam Wyche was fired from HC and made some of the best draft picks ever in Bucs history, the front office in charge of draft talent has been horrible. Dungy made some of the worst draft picks in any organization. Gruden was not much better and so far Morris is doing ok. So for anyone to try and blame the HC solely for the choices is naive. They are relying on the info that is givin to them by the office in charge. Dominck and Hickey have been in the office the whole time that the busts began. Hopefully we can weed out some of the baggage that has cost us valuble draft picks and bring in some outside help for the office.
Isn't it Hickeys job to collect information?
Dominik and Morris are the ones to act on it. Hirings, firings and contract extentions all that stuff belong to the top 2 guys – Morris and Dominik. Blame them.
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