Entering his 16th season with the Buccaneers overall and first as the director of player personnel, Dennis Hickey has helped lead the Buccaneers to nine winning seasons, four division titles and one Super Bowl championship during his 15-year tenure.
Hickey, who spent the last six seasons as director of college scouting has been responsible for coordinating a staff of area scouts and managing the compilation of information on college players which has proven to be invaluable during the Buccaneers draft process. In addition to these duties, he will now also oversee the Pro Personnel Department.
Hickey worked side-by-side with General Manager Mark Dominik in constructing another well regarded draft class that saw the Buccaneers select DE Adrian Clayborn, DE Da’Quan Bowers, LB Mason Foster, TE Luke Stocker and S Ahmad Black in the 2011 NFL Draft.
In 2010 Hickey was instrumental in bringing in a much lauded draft class that proved itself on the field with seven of the nine picks recording at least one start. WR Mike Williams, a fourth-round selection, started all 16 games his rookie season, leading all rookie receivers in the league in receptions (65, second on the team), yards (964, first on the team) and receiving touchdowns (11, single-season team record). Williams was a finalist for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year and finished second in voting for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. On defense, seventh-round pick Cody Grimm established himself as the team’s starting free safety, finishing the season with 61 tackles, two passes defensed and two interceptions—one returned for a touchdown—before a late-season injury ended his rookie campaign. DT Gerald McCoy and WR Arrelious Benn also made major contributions to the team before their seasons were cut short due to injury.
In addition to the draft class, Hickey helped find and bring talented rookies C/G Ted Larsen and RB LeGarrette Blount, among others, to Tampa Bay. Larsen, originally a sixth-round by New England in the 2010 draft, started all 11 games in which he played, bolstering an offensive line that featured eight different starting lineups throughout the season. Blount, an undrafted rookie free agent acquired off waivers from Tennessee, became just the second undrafted rookie running back in NFL history to record a 1,000+-yard season when he finished with 1,007 yards, despite starting only seven games, and was nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award on five occasions.
With Hickey’s assistance, the 2009 draft was highlighted by the addition of first-round selection QB Josh Freeman. Freeman led all rookie quarterbacks in completion percentage (54.5) while setting Buccaneer rookie records in touchdown passes (10) and passing yards (1,855) despite starting in just nine games. The third round of last year’s draft produced DT Roy Miller who proved to be a solid contributor along the defensive line. Miller finished the season tied for third among defensive linemen with 54 tackles while adding two sacks. Perhaps the steal of the draft came in the seventh round with the selection of WR Sammie Stroughter. Stroughter ranked third on the team with 31 receptions for 334 yards and one touchdown while adding a kickoff return for a touchdown.
The 2008 draft produced CB Aqib Talib, who tied for first in the NFL among rookies with four interceptions, OL Jeremy Zuttah, who started at both guard positions, and LB Geno Hayes, who was a big contributor on special teams and has since moved into a starting role. The Buccaneers also procured talent through the signing of undrafted rookie free agents RB/KR Clifton Smith and CB Elbert Mack. Smith was selected to the 2009 AFC/NFC Pro Bowl as the kick returner and was named AP Second-Team All-Pro kick returner while Mack appeared in 15 games in the secondary and on special teams where he ranked fourth on the team with 12 special teams stops.
In 2007, Hickey helped assemble a draft class that included two rookies that were selected to the PFW/PFWA All-Rookie team in DE Gaines Adams, who led all NFL rookies with six sacks, and G Arron Sears, as well as standout FS Tanard Jackson, who started all 16 games for the Buccaneers. The 2006 draft produced four rookies who saw starting action in their first season, including G Davin Joseph, who has since developed into one of the NFL’s best guards while earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl following the 2008 season.
Prior to his promotion to director of college scouting, Hickey was instrumental in the scouting of LB Barrett Ruud in 2005 and K Martin Gramatica in 1999 as a college scout for the Buccaneers from 2003-09. Ruud has established himself as a cornerstone of the Buccaneers defense while playing at a very high level the past three seasons (2007-09) and leading the team in tackles all three years. Gramatica, a Pro Bowl selection in 2000, ranks as the Buccaneers all-time leading scorer and his 137 field goals is tops in team history.
As a college scout for Tampa Bay, Hickey oversaw all scouting efforts in the Midwestern states for the team. Hickey was a member of the Buccaneers first Super Bowl championship in 2002, a 48-21 victory against Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Before assuming his role as a scout for Tampa Bay, Hickey spent the 1996-97 seasons as a pro personnel assistant in Tampa Bay’s scouting department. Prior to joining the Buccaneers, Hickey spent two years (1994-95) as an assistant coach at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. At Blinn, he coached the defensive backs and was responsible for recruiting in the state of Texas.
Hickey played collegiately at Coffeyville Community College and was a three-year starter and captain at the University of Tulsa, where he was also named an academic All-American. He received his bachelor’s degree from Tulsa in 1994.
He and his wife, Stephanie, have one daughter, Breanna, and one son, Barrett. They live in Tampa.
Entering his 16th season with the Buccaneers overall and first as the director of player personnel, Dennis Hickey has helped lead the Buccaneers to nine winning seasons, four division titles and one Super Bowl championship during his 15-year tenure.
Hickey, who spent the last six seasons as director of college scouting has been responsible for coordinating a staff of area scouts and managing the compilation of information on college players which has proven to be invaluable during the Buccaneers draft process. In addition to these duties, he will now also oversee the Pro Personnel Department.
Hickey worked side-by-side with General Manager Mark Dominik in constructing another well regarded draft class that saw the Buccaneers select DE Adrian Clayborn, DE Da’Quan Bowers, LB Mason Foster, TE Luke Stocker and S Ahmad Black in the 2011 NFL Draft.
In 2010 Hickey was instrumental in bringing in a much lauded draft class that proved itself on the field with seven of the nine picks recording at least one start. WR Mike Williams, a fourth-round selection, started all 16 games his rookie season, leading all rookie receivers in the league in receptions (65, second on the team), yards (964, first on the team) and receiving touchdowns (11, single-season team record). Williams was a finalist for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year and finished second in voting for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. On defense, seventh-round pick Cody Grimm established himself as the team’s starting free safety, finishing the season with 61 tackles, two passes defensed and two interceptions—one returned for a touchdown—before a late-season injury ended his rookie campaign. DT Gerald McCoy and WR Arrelious Benn also made major contributions to the team before their seasons were cut short due to injury.
In addition to the draft class, Hickey helped find and bring talented rookies C/G Ted Larsen and RB LeGarrette Blount, among others, to Tampa Bay. Larsen, originally a sixth-round by New England in the 2010 draft, started all 11 games in which he played, bolstering an offensive line that featured eight different starting lineups throughout the season. Blount, an undrafted rookie free agent acquired off waivers from Tennessee, became just the second undrafted rookie running back in NFL history to record a 1,000+-yard season when he finished with 1,007 yards, despite starting only seven games, and was nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award on five occasions.
With Hickey’s assistance, the 2009 draft was highlighted by the addition of first-round selection QB Josh Freeman. Freeman led all rookie quarterbacks in completion percentage (54.5) while setting Buccaneer rookie records in touchdown passes (10) and passing yards (1,855) despite starting in just nine games. The third round of last year’s draft produced DT Roy Miller who proved to be a solid contributor along the defensive line. Miller finished the season tied for third among defensive linemen with 54 tackles while adding two sacks. Perhaps the steal of the draft came in the seventh round with the selection of WR Sammie Stroughter. Stroughter ranked third on the team with 31 receptions for 334 yards and one touchdown while adding a kickoff return for a touchdown.
The 2008 draft produced CB Aqib Talib, who tied for first in the NFL among rookies with four interceptions, OL Jeremy Zuttah, who started at both guard positions, and LB Geno Hayes, who was a big contributor on special teams and has since moved into a starting role. The Buccaneers also procured talent through the signing of undrafted rookie free agents RB/KR Clifton Smith and CB Elbert Mack. Smith was selected to the 2009 AFC/NFC Pro Bowl as the kick returner and was named AP Second-Team All-Pro kick returner while Mack appeared in 15 games in the secondary and on special teams where he ranked fourth on the team with 12 special teams stops.
In 2007, Hickey helped assemble a draft class that included two rookies that were selected to the PFW/PFWA All-Rookie team in DE Gaines Adams, who led all NFL rookies with six sacks, and G Arron Sears, as well as standout FS Tanard Jackson, who started all 16 games for the Buccaneers. The 2006 draft produced four rookies who saw starting action in their first season, including G Davin Joseph, who has since developed into one of the NFL’s best guards while earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl following the 2008 season.
Prior to his promotion to director of college scouting, Hickey was instrumental in the scouting of LB Barrett Ruud in 2005 and K Martin Gramatica in 1999 as a college scout for the Buccaneers from 2003-09. Ruud has established himself as a cornerstone of the Buccaneers defense while playing at a very high level the past three seasons (2007-09) and leading the team in tackles all three years. Gramatica, a Pro Bowl selection in 2000, ranks as the Buccaneers all-time leading scorer and his 137 field goals is tops in team history.
As a college scout for Tampa Bay, Hickey oversaw all scouting efforts in the Midwestern states for the team. Hickey was a member of the Buccaneers first Super Bowl championship in 2002, a 48-21 victory against Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Before assuming his role as a scout for Tampa Bay, Hickey spent the 1996-97 seasons as a pro personnel assistant in Tampa Bay’s scouting department. Prior to joining the Buccaneers, Hickey spent two years (1994-95) as an assistant coach at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. At Blinn, he coached the defensive backs and was responsible for recruiting in the state of Texas.
Hickey played collegiately at Coffeyville Community College and was a three-year starter and captain at the University of Tulsa, where he was also named an academic All-American. He received his bachelor’s degree from Tulsa in 1994.
He and his wife, Stephanie, have one daughter, Breanna, and one son, Barrett. They live in Tampa.
