By ANWAR S. RICHARDSON

arichardson@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - Tampa Bay might be under a new regime, but the fourth round of Sunday's NFL draft seemed very familiar.

The Bucs traded its fourth-round pick (120th) overall and seventh-round selection (229th overall) to Dallas to move up three spots to select University of Southern California defensive end Kyle Moore on Sunday.

Last year, Tampa Bay traded up in the fourth round with Chicago (120th to 115th) to draft Dre Moore, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle from Maryland.

"Obviously it's great to be a Buccaneer right now," Kyle Moore said. "It's just an awesome feeling I have.

"I got a call earlier in the week and the coach told me he was going to come get me. I didn't know when, but I watched the first rounds and they finally traded up to come and get me. It's all good. I'm happy."

The Bucs will be happy if this year's Moore works out better than last year's version. Dre Moore showed up out of shape and was cut from the team and signed to Tampa Bay's practice squad.

Kyle Moore (6-foot-5, 272 pounds) will compete against Jimmy Wilkerson to determine who starts at left end this season. Kevin Carter started for Tampa Bay last year, but remains an unsigned free agent and the Bucs have only shown little interest in re-signing him.

Last season, Moore was named USC's Most Inspirational Player. He recorded 30 tackles, five sacks one fumble and two deflected passes. Although his statistics are not impressive, Moore said his numbers are largely a result of USC's system.

"Guys have to remember that in the defense we play we only have 50, 60 plays in a game," Moore said. "I'm not making any excuses, but compared to the team that have has 90 we just don't have that much time, that many plays to get to the quarterback."

Getting to the quarterback often is something Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris expects from Moore.

"You get a chance to get a guy who can play left end, have a dynamic pass rush, he can move inside on third down," Morris said. "He can be a centerpiece. He possibly can get bigger. Right now he's already 6-5, 272 pounds and we're looking at a guy he might grow into a 300-pound guy and really provide some excitement around here."

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813) 259-8425.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Photo: The Bucs expect Southern Cal defensive end Kyle Moore, right, to get to the quarterback frequently.

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