The Buccaneers added a final ingredient to their front seven in LSU linebacker Kendell Beckwith.
Going in to the 2017 NFL draft we all knew what the focus points would be for the Buccaneers. First and foremost was “Weapons for Winston”, which was accomplished when they took O.J. Howard with the nineteen overall pick and then again in the third round with receiver Chris Godwin. Second on the pecking order was defensive back, which was solved when they took safety Justin Evans in round two. Fans debated over whether the third hole to fill should be defensive end, offensive line or running back, but everyone forgot about a position that also needed help: linebacker. Enter Kendell Beckwith.
I’ll admit, I was pretty surprised when the Bucs called Beckwith’s name in the third round. His game was unfamiliar to me and while I knew that linebacker was a team need, I expected it to be addressed later in the draft. Then I turned on some of Beckwith’s clips and quickly understood what Jason Licht saw in the LSU linebacker.
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The 6-2, 243 lb Beckwith is an old-school, down-hill thumper that punishes running backs at the line of scrimmage without many missed tackles. Though he’s not of the same lightning-quick mold that
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are, he has strong enough burst going North to South to clog up running lanes and either make the tackle himself, or scare the runner into another tackler. Beckwith isn’t going to play on third down much and won’t make much of an impact in the passing game but his physical presence will be felt elsewhere as you’ll see in the video below.
Beckwith played middle linebacker for the Tigers, but for Tampa he will step in and compete with Devante Bond for the starting strong-side linebacker role once he finishes recovering from a late season ACL tear. Beckwith’s knee may complicate the timeline for when he plays, but I expect before long we’ll be seeing him a lot of him on first and second downs. Being a strong side linebacker means Beckwith will be a part-time player, but he’ll contribute a lot to the Bucs rush defense.
Perhaps most importantly, Beckwith leaves the Bucs with some breathing room in the event of a Lavonte David or Kwon Alexander injury. The Bucs would still be in a tough spot, but Beckwith has experience as a middle linebacker and could help out in a pinch. The Bucs invited a ton of linebackers to their rookie camp next week, so they appear keen on bolstering their depth there.
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With Kendell Beckwith in place as the team’s future starting SLB, the Bucs have put the finishing touches on their starting front seven defenders – that is their four defensive linemen and three linebackers. Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, Gerald McCoy and Chris Baker will make up the line, with David, Alexander and Beckwith flanking them as linebackers. From a run defense perspective this unit should be a team strength in 2017. With Will Gholston rotating in the Bucs have a formidable combo of size and skill that should give offensive lines headaches all season.
Next: Buccaneers Draft: O.J. Howard Profile
Keep an eye on Beckwith’s recovery as the off-season continues to progress. There’s a chance that he could be placed on the PUP list and miss the first six games of the season. Whenever Beckwith does end up seeing the field, you can bet that defensive coordinator Mike Smith will get the most out of the 22-year-old LSU product.