Former Buc Gaines Adams dies of cardiac arrest To Chris Hovan, Gaines Adams was never just a teammate. From the time Adams came to the Bucs as the fourth overall pick in the 2007 draft until his sudden death from cardiac arrest today, Hovan treated his fellow defensive lineman like he was family. "When he came to Tampa I took Gaines under my wing,'' Hovan said. "I considered him my little brother, and that's how I will always remember him.'' Most football fans will remember Adams as an underachiever who never quite played up to expectations. That's what concerns Derrick Brooks. "All the time he was in Tampa it was always about him as a player and what he did and didn't do as the fourth pick in the draft,'' Brooks said. "The people didn't get to know who he really was or how connected he was with his hometown and how he was starting to work toward giving back to his community. That's some of the stuff that I talked to him about - how to go about giving back and making a mark in the community. Hopefully he was far enough along with that that he'll still have an impact.'' Adams was back home in his Greenwood, S.C., when he died. While at his family's home, he began experiencing health issues early Sunday morning, according to Greenwood County coroner Jim Coursey. His girlfriend called for an ambulance. Shortly after arriving at Self Regional Hospital, Adams was pronounced dead in the hospital's emergency room at 8:21 a.m. Adams died of cardiac arrest caused by an enlarged heart, the coroner concluded after an autopsy. Greenwood chief deputy coroner Marcia Kelley-Clark told The Associated Press that Adams' relatives didn't know about the heart condition. Toxicology tests were also conducted on Adams by the State Law Enforcement Division, but drug use is not believed to be a factor in death, according to Coursey. Adams was the Bucs first pick in the 2007 draft, but after more than two disappointing seasons he was traded to the Chicago Bears in October for a second-round pick in the 2010 draft. Adams was considered one of the best pass-rushing prospects in the game when he came to the NFL out of Clemson University, but he recorded just 13.5 sacks in 37 games with the Bucs. He played in 10 games with the Bears but failed to record a sack. Nevertheless, Brooks and others were hopeful that Adams would find his niche while working with former Bucs defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. "I was really hoping that working with Rod would be a good thing for him,'' Brooks said. "It's just such a shocking thing to learn that he's gone. He was a really good guy.'' Jon Gruden, who drafted Adams, concurred. "Today is a tragic day," Gruden said in a statement. "Gaines was an impressive kid with such a tremendous future in front of him. He was a great teammate and well-liked by our coaches and all those who had the opportunity to be around him in Tampa. My prayers and condolences go out to his family." A lot of Adams' former Bucs teammates described him in much the same was that Brooks did, as a friendly and gentle young man who worked hard at his craft tried his best to live up to fans expectations. "I will always remember Gaines as someone who was fun to be around,'' fellow defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson said. "He was definitely a people person, a very friendly guy. "He was taken far too soon from us and he will surely be missed. I know that God has a plan for everyone, and all that we can do is extend our thoughts and prayers to the Adams family during this difficult time." Ronde Barber said, "Gaines was a quiet, humble kid and is far too young to be gone. He had so much potential that had yet to be achieved and I am very sad that the full extent of his life won't be realized." News of Adams' death stunned football fans in Tampa. Patrons watching the early playoff game at the Lodge on South Howard Avenue were surprised at Adams' death, mostly because of his age and because he was a professional athlete. "Think about it – 26 years old. You're a professional athlete and probably in the best shape of your life," said Jim Sorrells, 43, of Tampa. "When he played for the Bucs I didn't really know him. Maybe he was a late bloomer," Sorrells said. David Taylor's reaction was "wow." Taylor said Adams could have been a good prospect for the Bucs. "He was one of the guys we were looking to for our future. It's a shame," said Taylor, 27, of Tampa. "You'd think he'd had to have had physicals, especially being traded. You'd think he'd be No. 1 in health," Taylor said. "In his rookie year he had some success but not so much later," said Jason Pinkham, 30, of St. Petersburg. Roy Cummings, The Tampa Tribune 18 January 2010