Bucs Take Joseph in First Round

NORMAN, Okla. -- For the fifth consecutive year, an Oklahoma Sooner football player has been selected in the first round of the National Football League Draft. In 2006, that pick was offensive lineman Davin Joseph. The Hallandale, Fla., native was drafted by a homestate team when the Tampa Bay Bucaneers called his name with the 23rd pick overall.

It marked the second straight year that Tampa Bay drafted an OU player. Last year, the Bucs took safety Donte Nicholson in the fifth round.

Joseph became the third Sooner offensive lineman drafted over the last two seasons. Jammal Brown went in the first round to New Orleans in the 2005 draft and Wes Sims went in the sixth to San Diego. Like Brown, Joseph began his career as a defensive lineman before being moved across the line of scrimmage.

OU 2006 NFL Draft Central | 2006 OU Prospects

Joseph also became the seventh Oklahoma player to go in the first round in Bob Stoops' seven seasons as head coach.

"We're proud of Davin and happy for him," Stoops said. "He has been a model student-athlete with his athletic and academic career for us. This pick is well deserved. He is well prepared for the demands of an NFL career and life and will be successful for many years."

In his four years at Oklahoma, Joseph played three different positions. He worked at left and right guard during his first three years, then settled at left tackle for his senior campaign.

Joseph never redshired at OU and became a starter late in his freshman season. He played on teams that were a combined 44-7 with a pair of Big 12 championships and appearances in two national championship games.

Joseph was a first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior after earning second-team honors as a junior.

Davin Joseph Drafted by Tampa Bay

6-3 | 312 | Offensive Line

Hometown: Hallendale, Florida

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Buccaneers on Davin Joseph | Official Release
Expect last year's first-round pick, running back Cadillac Williams, to be thrilled. The 6-3, 311-pound Joseph is an outstanding run-blocker who should be able to open holes for the defending NFL Rookie of the Year...

NFL Expert Analysis | Draft Analyzer
Pat Kirwin: Toughness oozes out of him. You can feel his intensity. Jon Gruden will extract his personality. He's a perfect fit for Gruden and the Tampa Bay offense. His critics didn't like the amount of plays in a two-point stance. A little bit of a surprise pick, but he's a plug-in player who will start on Kickoff Weekend.

Gil Brandt: He's a solid player. He's strong and athletic. He's a multiple-position player. He can play left and right tackle, as well as guard. He's got a great work ethic and is highly competitive.

Vic Carucci: The Buccaneers needed to add some muscle to the interior of their offensive line, and Joseph can do that for them. Jon Gruden wants to build a consistent big-play offense, but he knows the foundation of whatever offensive strength the Bucs have begins with their running game. And Joseph should help make Cadillac Williams more productive.

Scouting Report on Davin Joseph
Joseph was a fun player to grade because few offensive linemen have his raw natural strength to be a dominant blocker at the point of attack. While it is always a real concern when an offensive lineman does not block aggressively and play with a sense of urgency on every snap, I believe it is mostly due to Joseph being so much more talented... NFL Draft Profile

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