Long wait for Bowers ends with pick by Tampa Bay |
It finally happened for former Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers,
and he is going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bowers was selected by the Bucs with 51st overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Once projected as a top five pick – and perhaps even the number one overall pick – concerns over his injured right knee led to the drop in his stock, but he finally found a home in Tampa Bay. Moments after the pick, Bowers tweeted - "Proud to be a Tampa bay buc." The Buccaneers also drafted Bowers' good friend and former Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams in the 2007 NFL draft. Bowers led the nation in sacks with 15.5 and was second in tackles for loss with 26 in 2010. He was the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Award as the National Defensive Player of the Year by the Football Writers Association, and winner of the Ted Hendricks Award as the top defensive end in college football. He was also a finalist for the Lombardi Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award. Junior defensive end who was among the best in Clemson history in terms of tackles for loss (45) and sacks (19.5)...tied for eighth in school history in tackles for loss and ninth in sacks...had 179 tackles, 47 quarterback pressures, and six pass breakups in 38 games (30 starts) in his career...first Clemson signee to be the #1 prospect in the nation...declared to forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft on Jan. 5, 2011. In 2010, he was a unanimous first-team All-American who won the Nagurski Award as the nation's top defensive player and the Hendricks Award as the top defensive end, and he was a finalist for the Lombardi Award and the Bednarik Award. He became the first Tiger to win more than one national award in the same year. He was also a first-team All-American by AFCA, AP, Football Writers Association, Phil Steele, Rivals.com, Scout.com, SI.com, Sporting News, and Walter Camp Foundation. He won the national defensive player-of-the-year by Scout.com.
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