Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Tampa Bay's new explosive defensive line

Tampa Bay's two major picks have gone through hard times before they reached the NFL espcially their new defensive end, Adrian Clayborn.

Adrian Clayborn has been going against the odds since birth. Clayborn was born with Erb's Palsy in his right shoulder and underwent therapy in his younger years to manage the condition. To make matters worse, his older brother Anthony, was robbed and killed by two of his "friends" at the age of 21. Clayborn's father spent his son's whole childhood in jail.

Clayborn, with one shorter arm and despite that teams still have to double team to keep him from getting a sack or a tackle. He was a powerhouse in the Big Ten and was voted to the All-Big Ten first team. He is so good on defense that in 2009, he received the Defensive Performer of the Year award. He fits perfectly into the Bucs' new defensive outlook and will be a key part in Tampa's new line.

Tampa Bay also picked one of the best defensive ends in the whole draft, Da'Qaun Bowers. Bowers was expected to be a very early pick, but due to a torn meniscus, teams decided to lay off until later in the draft. Bowers had a excellent career in college and when his injury subsides, he is expected to be a defensive force. Tampa Bay has upgraded their defense and if these two contribute as expected, they can be a contender next year in the playoffs.

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