Clif is a Pro Bowlin' rookie

Gotta love Clifton Smith being named to the Pro Bowl as an NFL rookie undrafted free agent. It's still just short of mind boggling how he went undrafted -- you'd think some team out there would want a surefire return specialist at least on Day 2 of the draft...?

Clif said on KSEE 24 tonight when he got a call of congratulations he thought he was being Punk'd at first and was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out of the bushes. He's one of the truly special players in Fresno State history -- the type of guy who probably would have been in the stands yelling and cheering with us if he wasn't on the team.

Sadly, a few other 'Dogs were snubbed from the Pro Bowl, namely Logan Mankins, Bernard Berrian and Lorenzo Neal.

Not to rain on the Clif parade, but Berrian has as many TDs as Roddy White on about half the number of catches and also averages about 4 yards more per reception. Oh, and Berrian is the sole bright spot of the Vikings' passing game. Not to mention he's one of the NFL's top return men.

Then you have Mankins, who should be a shoe-in for the next 12 years or so. Last year talk was Mankins was the best guard in the NFL. He still is -- but why the snub?

And the AFC's starting fullback? Leron McClain? Excuse me, but if I'm not mistaking McClain is on the Baltimore Ravens. He's their leading rusher at tailback. The fullback...that would be Lorenzo Neal, the greatest in NFL history.

I'm just gonna come out and say it...

Clifton Smith is the greatest return man in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.

There. Simple. One sentence. And I believe every word of it. After a horrifying injury at Oregon in 2005 during Smith's first real action, in his first big road game, in the first quarter, as a Fresno State up-and-comer, he suffered a horrible knee injury. It basically killed his sophomore and junior seasons -- the stuff medical redshirts should be granted for.

After a breakout senior season in '08, Smith was an undrafted free agent (mostly 'cause he's only 5-foot-8) who everyone the 'Dogs ever played knew was one of the NCAA's great return men of all time. Not because he's astonishingly fast. But because he's Batmobile quick and makes cuts that are too impressive for analogies.

The Bucs had gone more than 30 years as an NFL franchise with just one -- ONE -- kick return for a touchdown. Clifton Smith has returned a kick and a punt for TDs in his first four games as a Buc. And a smart person would not bet against him doing it another time or two before the season is over.

You know the way people say someone is almost as fast as Devin Hester? Well, get ready to hear, "almost as elusive as Clifton Smith." Just take a looksie for yourself...