Tampa Bay Buccaneers: One linebacker to target in every round
By Cory Kinnan
Round 1: Devin White, Louisiana State
This one is the obvious choice as the love affair that the Buccaneers have with Devin White from Louisiana State is the worst kept secret of all-time. To be fair, White warrants all of the attention that he has been receiving from NFL teams, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the fifth overall pick in the draft.
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White is the best linebacker in this class, followed by Devin Bush from Michigan, who the Bucs could also target if they execute a trade down with a quarterback needy team on draft day. However, as it stands, the belle of the ball in the first round is White, and if Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen are off of the board, he is most likely the pick by the Bucs.
The Butkus Award winner for the nation’s best linebacker in 2018, White has tallied two straight seasons of over 120 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. Last year, he hit 123 tackles, 12 behind the line of scrimmage, six passes defended, and three forced fumbles.
He not only has the production that is desired from a high caliber middle linebacker, but he also tested off the charts at the combine last month too. White ran a blazing 4.42 40 yard dash with elite split times, and hit nearly 40 inches on the vertical jump. It is easy to see why the Buccaneers love White and are considering taking him with the fifth overall pick in the draft.