The 1976 Buccaneer draft review

RdSelectionPos
1Lee Roy SelmonDE
2Jimmy DuBoseRB
2traded to San Francisco for Steve Spurrier
2Dewey SelmonDE/LB
3Steve YoungT
3traded to Baltimore for Mike Washington
3Steve MaughanLB
4traded to LA Rams for Jim Peterson
4Richard ApplebyWR
4Everett LittleG
5Mishael KelsonDB
5Steve WilsonT
5traded to LA Rams for Jim Peterson
6Curtis JordanDB
7Parnell DickinsonQB
8traded to NY Jets for Steve Reese
9Bruce WelchG
10Sid SmithLB
11Melvin WashingtonDB
12George RagsdaleWR
13Brad JenkinsTE
14Carl RoachesKR
15Bob DzierzakDT
16Tom WestLB
17Jack BerryQB
Click here to review the entire 1976 NFL draft
The Bucs won a coin toss with the Seattle Seahawks for the first overall selection (they chose first in the expansion draft instead). The Bucs were given two additional picks in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds. The draft was also 17 rounds that year.

1 - DE - Lee Roy Selmon - Oklahoma - Awesome pick
What can you say about the Bucs' first-ever selection? A perennial Pro Bowler, the only Buc in the Hall of Fame, as successful off the field as on it and a real pillar of the Tampa Bay society. Now associate AD for the University of South Florida Bulls and owner of a successful restaurant in Tampa. Holds the franchise records for sacks and Pro Bowl appearances, and was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 1979. Probably the best Buccaneer draft pick ever.

2 - RB - Jimmy DuBose - Florida - Average pick
Played three seasons with the Bucs and started 15 games. Injured during 1978 when stretching for an errant Doug Williams pass and never played pro football again.

2 - traded to San Francisco for QB Steve Spurrier - Necessary trade
Played the first season with the Bucs at the end of his NFL career, starting 12 of the 14 games. Was only a stop-gap measure while the rest of the team was built around him. Now the head coach of South Carolina, having previously coached the Tampa Bay Bandits in the USFL in the mid 1980s and the Florida Gators until the end of the 2001 season and then two abortive years with the Washington Redskins. With this pick, the 49ers selected DB Eddie Lewis who had a five-year NFL career with San Francisco and Detroit.

2 - DT/LB - Dewey Selmon - Oklahoma - Good pick
Younger brother of LeeRoy who played five seasons with the Bucs, starting 65 games at both the defensive tackle and linebacker positions. Moved on to San Diego later in his career.

3 - T - Steve Young - Colorado - Average pick
Not related to the future Buc QB of the 1980s. Played just one season with the Bucs, starting 11 games in 1976. Claim to fame was when blocking on a screen pass, managed to knock down two of his own team-mates instead of the intended defender.

3 - traded to Baltimore for CB Mike Washington - Awesome trade
One of the finest cornerbacks in team history. Played 100 games for the Bucs from 1976 to 1984 and started 97 of them. A key member of the 1979 defensive unit that ranked the best in the NFL. With this pick, the Colts selected RB Ron Lee who played three NFL seasons and rushed for 940 yards and five scores.

3 - LB Steve Maughan - Utah State - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Missed his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury and then spent 1977 battling Hogkins' disease. Was given a clean bill of health to enter camp in 1978 but did not make the roster. Had been coached in college by futue Bucs' GM Phil Kreuger.

4 - traded to L.A. Rams for LB Jim Peterson - Poor trade
Played three games in the 1976 season and started two. With this pick, the Rams selected WR Gerald Taylor who never played a down in the NFL.

4 - WR - Richard Appleby - Georgia - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Had played TE during his senior year with the Georgia Bulldogs and caught 13 passes but was most known for the 80-yard option TD pass he threw to Gene Washington to beat the Florida Gators that season. Never played football in the NFL at all.

4 - G - Everett Little - Houston - Poor pick
Played 10 games in the 1976 season and started the one.

5 - DB - Mishael Kelson - W.Texas State - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Attended Phoenix Junior College before attending West Texas State. Unusual first name is correct and not a misprint. Never played football in the NFL at all.

5 - T - Steve Wilson - Georgia - Awesome pick
Played 10 seasons with the Bucs and switched to center where he remained a fixture on the Buccaneer offensive line for almost a decade. Retired after the 1985 season as the team leader in games played (126).

5 - traded to L.A. Rams (see pick 4) - Wasted pick
With this pick, the Rams selected WR Dwight Scales who played in the NFL for eight seasons with the Rams, Giants, Chargers and Seahawks but who only amassed 56 career receptions.

6 - DB - Curtis Jordan - Texas Tech - Great pick
Played five seasons with the Bucs and started 33 of the 71 games he played in the defensive secondary. Went to the Washington Redskins and won a SuperBowl ring with them in 1982.

7 - QB - Parnell Dickinson - Mississippi V.State - Average pick
Appeared in eight games during the 1976 season and started one in place of Steve Spurrier.

8 - traded to N.Y. Jets for LB Steve Reese - Good trade
Played in all bar one game in the 1976 season and started 10. With this pick, the Jets selected G Joe Davis who never played a down in the NFL.

9 - G - Bruce Welch - Texas A&M - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Bucs and not related to the Shadows' guitarist of the same name. Was an Honorable Mention All-American in 1975 and had played both guard and center during his time with the Aggies. Never played football in the NFL at all.

10 - LB - Sid Smith - BYU - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Bucs and not related to the Geordie character of the same name from Viz magazine. Only played linebacker his senior year for the Cougars having switched from center. Never played football in the NFL at all.

11 - DB - Melvin Washington - Colorado State - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Started his senior year in college and known for his track speed (5.3 in the 50-yard dash) more than his footballing skills. Never played football in the NFL at all.

12 - WR - George Ragsdale - North Carolina A&T - Average pick
Switched to RB and spent three seasons with the Bucs playing 39 games without ever starting one.

13 - TE - Brad Jenkins - Nebraska - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Didn't even turn up for camp having announced to the Bucs after being drafted, that he did not want to pursue a career in professional football.

14 - KR/WR - Carl Roaches - Texas A&M - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Went on to become a successful kick returner for the Houston Oilers however. Had recorded five return touchdowns during his college career as an indication of his potential. Played for the Oilers from 1980 to 1984 and then had a further season in New Orleans.

15 - DT - Bob Dzierzak - Utah State - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Had been a three-year starter under future Buc GM Phil Kreuger in college and was probably drafted for that sole reason. Never played football in the NFL at all.

16 - LB - Tom West - Tennessee - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Was drafted as a linebacker despite never having played there since high school. Had been a running back and then a tight end for the Volunteers in college. Never played football in the NFL at all.

17 - QB - Jack Berry - Washington State - Wasted pick
Never played a down for the Buccaneers. Had started for over two seasons in the Pac-10 but completed only 47% of his passes and threw 47 interceptions against 27 TDs. Never played football in the NFL at all.

Summing up 1976
 The whole draft is highlighted by the selection of LeeRoy Selmon with the first overall pick. Seeing how the Bucs screwed up this advantage every other time they had it, credit must be given here for doing the right thing first time round. Two good trades for Mike Washington and Steve Spurrier are positives, as are the selections of Curtis Jordan, Dewey Selmon and Jimmy DuBose. Negatives are pretty much everything from rounds 3 to 5 especially with the extra selections. Grading out above average on the whole though.