National Scout
Jim Abrams enters his fifth season with the Buccaneers in 2009 as a college scout after being elevated to national scout in 2006. In 2007, Abrams helped guide the Buccaneers to the NFC South division title. He joined the Buccaneers after spending 13 years with the San Francisco 49ers. He is responsible for scouting the entire country with an emphasis on the western region.The 2006 draft produced four rookies who saw starting action in their first season: G Davin Joseph (13 games/12 starts), T Jeremy Trueblood (15/13), WR Maurice Stovall (9/2) and QB Bruce Gradkowski (13/11). In 2007, Abrams helped assemble a draft class that included two rookies that were selected to the PFW/PFWA All-Rookie team in DE Gaines Adams and G Arron Sears, as well as standout FS Tanard Jackson who started all 16 games for the Buccaneers. 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. The Buccaneers also signed undrafted rookie free agent RB Clifton Smith, who was selected to the 2009 AFC/NFC Pro Bowl as the kick returner and was named AP Second-Team All-Pro kick returner.
Abrams spent his first two seasons (1992-93) with the 49ers as a scouting assistant before spending the next seven seasons (1994-00) as a regional scout He later spent four years (2001-04) as a national scout for the 49ers.
A 1987 graduate of Kent State, Abrams served as a graduate assistant at UNLV (1988), Purdue (1989-90) and Ohio State (1991). He served as a linebackers coaching assistant at all three schools.
Born in Warren, Ohio, Abrams attended McAteer High School in San Francisco before attending City College of San Francisco (1981-82). He later transferred to Kent State (1983-87), where he played free safety and earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education.
Abrams and his wife, Penny, reside in Thousand Oaks, California, with their sons, Aleksandr James and Sedrick Jameson.
