The Bucs’ 10 Best Draft Picks: #2 – Lee Roy Selmon

by The Bull Gator on Feb 11, 2009 3:06 PM EST in News Comment 4 comments

2. Lee Roy Selmon – DE – 1976 – 1st Round (1st Overall)

Lee Roy Selmon was the first player drafted in Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ history and also the only Buccaneer in the Hall of Fame to play his entire career with the team.

Due to injuries, Selmon was limited to only 9 seasons in the NFL, but he will always be considered one of the best defensive ends to play the game. Unofficially, he finished his career with 78.5 sacks (sacks weren’t tracked by the NFL until 1982). Selmon was named to 6 Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro 7 times. In 1979, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Once his career was over, the Bucs retired his #63 and then in 1995 he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Selmon remained in the Tampa Bay area and as both the assistant athletic director and athletic director was instrumental in the birth of USF’s football program.

3. Warren Sapp – DT – 1995 – 1st Round (12th Overall)
4. John Lynch – S – 1993 – 3rd Round (82nd Overall)
5. Ronde Barber – CB – 1997 – 3rd Round (66th Overall)
6. Mike Alstott – RB – 1996 – 2nd Round (35th Overall)
7. Warrick Dunn – RB – 1997 – 1st Round (12th Overall)
8. Paul Gruber – T – 1988 – 1st Round (4th Overall)
9. James Wilder – RB – 1981 – 2nd Round (34th Overall)
10. Doug Williams – QB – 1979 – 1st Round (17th Overall)

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My argument for Sapp....

Both are great players and the difference between 2 and 3 isn’t substantial. With that said Sapp played 1 fewer seasons in Tampa Bay. He has 1.5 fewer sacks, however he was at the DT position. He was a Reggie White type player (on the field). He contributed 310 tackles during his tenure as a Buccaneer not to mention 3 INT’s and 15 forced fumbles. Outside of being an absolute DOMINANT force as a defensive tackle he brought a personality to the field that has been missed in Tampa since his departure. The guy was charismatic and a verbal leader. He has been one of the most exciting defensive tackles EVER to watch because of his quarterback rivalries, tendencies to disrupt the backfield, his tenacity and his uncanny ability to draw double teams.

Warren Sapp was a better draft pick than LeRoy Selmon

"I have come that you may have life, and life to the max"

by UNFNOLE on Feb 11, 2009 4:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I respectfully disagree...

…because of what each player had around him. Selmon did what he did was far less help. What many people don’t remember is that while Sapp may have been a Reggie White type player, so was Selmon. Sapp was surrounded with some other players off or nearly at his caliber. 3 other people on this list alone played with Sapp on defense for many years. I’m not trying to take away what Sapp did, because he was one the most dominant DTs in the game’s history during his prime. But the same could be said of Selmon at DE and as stated, he didn’t have much support on his own team while doing it.

An argument could really be made either way, and you make a good one, but I respectfully stand by my choice.

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by The Bull Gator on Feb 11, 2009 4:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe....

but he made his entire defensive line better. Yeah he had a great supporting cast behind him, but he did it in a defense with limited blitzes and that many sacks as a defensive tackle is just unheard of.

Like I said though…..there isn’t much difference between 2 and 3. Pretty sure everyone can agree that DB is 1 though.

"I have come that you may have life, and life to the max"

by UNFNOLE on Feb 11, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs