Philadelphia moved from No. 12 to No. 7 in the 1995 draft for…
Philadelphia moved from No. 12 to No. 7 in the 1995 draft for defensive end Mike Mamula, sending Tampa Bay picks 12, 43 and 63 while also receiving pick 72. Mamula became a respectable starter and recorded 31.5 sacks, but Tampa Bay used No. 12 on Hall of Famer Warren Sapp and later used No. 63 in the move for Derrick Brooks. The Buccaneers turned the trade into the foundation of a championship defense.
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 1995 1st round pick (7th overall, Mike Mamula)
- pick 1995 3rd round pick (72nd overall, Greg Jefferson)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 1995 1st round pick (12th overall, Warren Sapp)
- pick 1995 2nd round pick (43rd overall, Melvin Johnson)
- pick 1995 2nd round pick (63rd overall subsequently traded, Shane Hannah )
Trade Analysis
The Mike Mamula trade became famous because it captures the difference between athletic projection and actual NFL value. Philadelphia wanted Mamula badly enough to move from No. 12 to No. 7, sending Tampa Bay additional second-round capital while also receiving a third-round pick. Mamula was not a total bust. He recorded 31.5 sacks in five Eagles seasons and started 64 games. That production matters, and it keeps Philadelphia’s grade above the absolute bottom.
Tampa Bay nevertheless changed the direction of its franchise with the return. Holding No. 12 after the trade down, the Buccaneers selected Warren Sapp. Sapp became a dominant interior defender, earned Hall of Fame induction, won Defensive Player of the Year, and anchored the defense that eventually won Super Bowl XXXVII. The value did not stop there. Tampa Bay also received picks 43 and 63. No. 43 became Melvin Johnson. More importantly, No. 63 was included later that same draft day in the deal with Dallas that allowed Tampa Bay to move back into the first round at No. 28 and select Derrick Brooks.
It would be misleading to credit the entire Brooks career solely to the Eagles trade, because Tampa Bay also sent Dallas another second-round pick. Still, No. 63 was a real asset acquired from Philadelphia and directly helped make that second cornerstone selection possible.
Philadelphia obtained a competent pass rusher, but the cost of moving up was enormous once the Buccaneers’ return developed. Tampa Bay moved down only five spots, selected a Hall of Fame defensive tackle, preserved extra premium capital, and used part of that capital in another franchise-altering move. Few draft-day trades have done more to establish a team’s identity. The Buccaneers win by a wide margin.