2011 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 20

Our annual 2011 NFL Mock Draft, with picks made by each of SB Nation’s NFL team bloggers, is in full swing. The latest pick in to the podium: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at No. 20 overall.

Sander Philipse of BucsNation.com explains the choice, and our own Dan Kadar reacts to it, after the jump. Make sure you’re grading this pick for the Buccaneers, and checking out Bucs Nation for all of your Buccaneers needs.

Sander Philipse explains: The Buccaneers have to add a pass rusher. In 2010, Stylez G. White led the team in sacks with just 4.5, and he’s scheduled to be a free agent. The Buccaneers have no real starting-quality player at the defensive end right now, and must improve this position if they want to win in the future. Luckily the deep DE class plays to the Bucs’ biggest need, and if things turn out the way they did in this mock draft the Bucs will be very happy with their options.

With Missouri’s Aldon Smith and Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan both still on the board, they get to choose between a highly talented but raw and inexperienced prospect in Smith, and a less talented but highly productive prospect in Kerrigan. In the end, I think the Bucs will fall in love with Kerrigan’s motor and college production and pick him over the higher upside of Smith. The fact that Kerrigan was a co-captain in college will speak to the Buccaneers, as they’ve made it a point to target team captains since Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik took over the team.

Kerrigan is a safe prospect at defensive end with a very high floor, but unfortunately not the highest ceiling. The Bucs will be happy to have such a solid prospect a defensive end, though, and are more likely to take a few risks on defensive end prospects later in the draft.

Dan Kadar reacts: If there is one obvious need in the 2011 NFL Draft, it’s Tampa Bay needing a defensive end. If Tampa doesn’t take a defensive end in round one, it will be a stunner.

If they take Ryan Kerrigan over Aldon Smith it will be a stunner. Smith is one of the best players in this year’s draft and can do everything Kerrigan can do but a little better. While it’s true Kerrigan is a solid player and a proven commodity, Smith has the ability to be a superstar.