College Scout
Seth Turner enters his 10th season in 2009 with the Buccaneers and fifth year as a college scout. Turner is responsible for scouting the Midwest region of the United States after spending four seasons as Tampa Bay’s national combine scout. 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, Turner 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. He also helped guide the Buccaneers to the NFC South division title.
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.
Prior to scouting the Midwest, Turner spent four years as Tampa Bay’s scout for the annual NFL combine as well as a scout for the southeastern United States. In 2002, Turner was a part of the Buccaneers first Super Bowl championship, a 48-21 victory against Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Turner joined the Buccaneers in July of 2000 as an intern in the college and pro scouting department. In that role, he assisted in the evaluation of professional free agents and draft-eligible college players. He also served as one of Tampa Bay’s representatives at the 2001 NFL Draft.
Prior to joining the Buccaneers, Turner was an intern for the NFL’s player personnel department, as well as a summer intern for the Buffalo Bills’ player personnel staff in 1999.
Turner graduated with a B.S. in physical education from Baker University in Kansas in 1997 and then earned a master’s in sport management in 1999 from Indiana State. He was a four-year letterman at linebacker and defensive end at Baker, garnering third-team all-conference honors in 1996 as a senior.
Turner, a native of Lansing, Kansas, lives in Columbia, Missouri with his wife, Ariana, son, Graham and daughter Belen.
