Bucs' top picks get chance to make impact You never know what your draft is going to yield, but the Bucs apparently believe at least some of their 2008 class will make an immediate impact. Consider the opportunities being given to first-rounder Aqib Talib and second-round choice Dexter Jackson. Talib is taking his share of snaps with the first-team defense and will be given every chance to start at left cornerback. Jackson, meanwhile, looks to be the early choice to handle punt returns and might get a crack at kickoffs, too. Consider the effusive praise coach Jon Gruden heaped on Talib on Friday: "He's going to be the face of this franchise." While last season's top pick, emerging star Gaines Adams, was broken in slowly and was the subject of coaches' criticism in training camp, the Bucs already seem convinced Talib is the real deal. He'll be battling Phillip Buchanon and Eugene Wilson at cornerback, where the Bucs should be as deep as they've ever been. Talib won't earn the right to be called the face of the franchise by just "contributing in any way I can," as he humbly said. He will have to make game-changing plays, something the ball-hawking youngster is doing in practices against players with years of experience. Jackson has just as much chance of splashing onto the scene. "I know this is a team that has been dying for some return help and for a guy — not necessarily like me, but someone who has some of the traits that I have to make plays," he said. "I feel like if I do that, I can easily make a name for myself." The sentiment around One Buc Place is Jackson has a chance to be electrifying in the open field, and that could do wonders for field position. And don't dismiss Jackson as a receiver, either. The Bucs are giving him plenty of reps in workouts and, thus far, he hasn't disappointed. Stephen F Holder, The St.Petersburg Times 16 June 2008