2011 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 2, Pick 51

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. 51 overall.

With the 51st overall pick in the 2011 SB Nation NFL Writers Mock Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Mason Foster, outside linebacker, Washington.

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: With Tampa Bay's second round pick, I wanted to find another pass rusher or base defensive end, but with Jabaal Sheard off the board just one pick before, I wasn't willing to reach for a defensive end. I then looked at the guard and offensive tackle positions, but I felt like I'd have to reach for a player to fill a need there as well, and I don't think the Bucs are willing to do that. That left me with one big position of need the Bucs could fill here: linebacker.

Quincy Black, Barrett Ruud and Adam Hayward are scheduled to be free agents, so the Bucs could do with an infusion of talent at the linebacker position. Mason Foster seems like the perfect linebacker for the Buccaneers defense. He's always around the ball, has tremendous instincts and does a good job in coverage, which could make him an immediate three-down starter. He's a bigger linebacker for the Bucs' Tampa 2, but they've been adding size to their defense for the past two years.

The downside for the Bucs is that he's weakest against the run, and the Bucs need to add some solid run defenders. Foster's overall skills and instincts trump that, and his deficiencies against the run seem to be technique issues that can be fixed. Foster isn't the flashiest of players, and his lack of pass rushing skills diminish his value a little, but he has the ability to be a very solid, long-term starter as a linebacker in the Bucs' defense. The only problem: over the past 15 years, the Bucs have only drafted two linebackers in the top two rounds, Derrick Brooks and Ruud. Are they willing to spend a high draft pick on a linebacker again?

Dan Kadar reacts: Sander is correct thinking an offensive lineman would be a reach here, though Stefen Wisniewski would be a good fit at guard. Foster would be a perfect addition to the Tampa defense. He's not a superstar linebacker, but he's solid, dependable and a leader. It's likely the Bucs come out of this draft with at least one outside linebacker. They may as well get the best one on the board in the second round. [Mason Foster Scouting Report]

With that, the New York Giants - and our friends at Big Blue View - are now on the clock.

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2011 SB Nation NFL Writers' Mock Draft - RESULTS