Projecting Buccaneers players in NFL Top 100 players
By Andrew Olson
Buccaneers likely in:
Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin would have been a sure lock for the Top 100 if a low hit against the New Orleans Saints hadn’t ended his season prematurely. At that point in week 14, Godwin had more than 1,100 receiving yards already. That would have put him on pace for over 1,300 yards total, good for the seventh highest total in the league if it had happened. The games he missed out on were against the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and Carolina again, hardly defenses that keep coordinators up at night, so the potential yardage total could be much higher even than the projected 1,300.
All this to say that Godwin was very much still the elite receiver that helped give Tampa Bay the best receiving group in the NFL the past few seasons. Though the injury may drop him down the list, Godwin is still a tremendous player that should make it into the Top 100 again.
Ranking Prediction: #52
Devin White
During the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl season, Devin White looked every bit like one of the next great young linebackers in the NFL. This year, facing a rash of defensive injuries that often left the Buccaneers playing away from his strengths, White regressed somewhat. The hoped-for leap in pass defense didn’t materialize and offenses were more prepared to beat his still-excellent pass-rush ability.
That’s not to say that White isn’t still a young star for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his talent and leadership have been crucial to the success of the team the last two years, but it does explain why White isn’t a lock for the Top 100. All in all, though, White still does have the name recognition and top-tier talent to be recognized by an inclusion of the list.