Bucs take DT Gerald McCoy with No. 3 pick in NFL Draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are attempting to rebuild themselves in their own image. The image they have chosen as their model, of course, is that of their Super Bowl championship team.

That team built its defense in part around a dominant defensive tackle, and this team chose Thursday to do the same thing when it selected Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy with the third pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

"This is exactly who we wanted to pick," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said of the 6-foot-4, 300-pound McCoy, who was chosen immediately after Detroit selected Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh at No. 2.

"You're talking about the cornerstone of what you're going to do on defense, the face of your franchise. He's a perfect fit for what we do, for our system, and we're just excited to have him."

The feeling is apparently quite mutual. McCoy, who broke into tears when his name was called out by Commissioner Roger Goodell, said the Bucs were the team he had his heart set on playing for.

"I couldn't wait to be a Buccaneer," he said by phone from New York's Radio City Music Hall. "I grew up a fan of the team and know a lot of the history. I'm just glad to be able to come in and do what I can for them."

What McCoy can do, the Bucs believe, is immediately improve a defense that ranked last in the league against the run and was 28th in sacks with 28 last year.

His ability to do the latter is what made him one of the marquee players in this draft. Though he had just six sacks as a junior last season, McCoy is said to have elite-level pass-rushing skills.

He's a solid force against the run as well, but scouts and even Bucs general manager Mark Dominik say McCoy needs to work on avoiding blocks from the side that drive him out of position to make a play.

"(No one) you draft (can) walk in as a finished product," Dominik said. "All the players from Sam Bradford on down are guys who'll have to really work at their skill to become a great player.

"But what made us comfortable was the fact he loves football, has a passion for it and kept himself in great shape. We had a private workout with him two weeks ago. We scheduled it as late as possible to make sure he stayed in shape, and he did."

McCoy will need to stay in shape right on through to the start of the upcoming season, because the Bucs' plan is for him to step in right away as their starting three-technique tackle. That's McCoy's plan, too.

"They didn't bring me in not to play," said McCoy, whose job as the three-technique (or under tackle) is to occupy and shoot the gap between the guard and the tackle.

"The plan is to come in and be a starter. I did that at college, and we did the same thing in college - we played the Tampa 2 (defense), so I can't wait to get going."

Once he gets going, McCoy can expect to get some help from Warren Sapp, the defensive tackle the Bucs drafted in the first round in 1995 and built their championship team around.

"I met Warren Sapp a few weeks ago, and he said he's going to take me under his wing and help me out," McCoy said. "He's going to work with me on the field, off the field, I'm going to be his guy."

The Bucs didn't want to go there Thursday, but some scouts have compared McCoy to Sapp, saying he shares Sapp's ability to get off the ball and get into the backfield.

"His initial get-off is what stands out about him," Dominik said of McCoy. "That and he's got a great use of hands. He's also got a high motor when he's playing and attacking, both in the run and the pass game.

"He chases and pursues like Buccaneer players have done, and he's a two-time captain at Oklahoma. The coach there (Bob Stoops) said he's the greatest leader he's ever had at the University of Oklahoma.

"I think that's an unbelievable statement when you think about the players who have been through Oklahoma since Coach Stoops has been there. And then there's the makeup of the man himself.

"That's an important element that we're trying to establish here on this football team, the character of this football team, and we look forward to having that kind of energy and his kind of leadership on our defense.''