Whether it is the inside or outside linebacker position, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are almost certain to draft on defense in the first round of the draft, and most Buccaneers fans would hope they do so in the second and third rounds, too, after how poorly the defense performed in last season's collapse. After Mike Evans's move to the San Francisco 49ers, wide receiver or even a gadget tight end like Kenyon Sadiq could sway them.
But the Buccaneers biggest needs are on that side of the ball for sure. The Bucs lack a true star edge rusher and could address that need in the first. They are also down bad at inside linebacker, as Alex Anzalone alone is simply insufficient to replace the shoes of the legendary Lavonte David, who formally announced his retirement this week.
There are a number of favorites to take over at inside linebacker, but with the depth in the class, there's an increasing sense that the Bucs could try to transform their edge rush in the first round before taking one of the top second tier linebacker prospects on Day 2.
Jacob Rodriguez misses a lot of tackles
Perhaps the most intriguing of those options for Tampa Bay is Texas Tech wrecking ball Jacob Rodriguez. The Red Raider was arguably the best defensive player in college football last season, producing some insane numbers with four interceptions and a nation leading seven forced fumbles. He had more than 120 tackles in back to back seasons, leading the Big 12 in solo tackles for the second straight season as well.
However, there has been a knock on Rodriguez that he misses too many tackles. For any Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans worried because of how many tackles their beloved defense flubbed last season, NFL analytics maven Lindsay Rhodes has some reassuring analysis from the scouts at Sumer Sports.
Rhodes notes that while Jacob Rodriguez did miss an alarming 16.5 percent of his tackles last season, many of those missed tackles are credit to him unfairly. She says that it is akin to the Budda Baker phenomenon, wherein the curent NFL star on defense was so good in college football that he would miss tackles that no other player would even be able to attempt. So that is hugely reassuring for Rodriguez, who, as Rhodes notes, plays with a high motor that creates more tackling opportunities.
Any Buccaneers fan worried about Rodriguez's missed tackles should realize that the key is having linebackers who can be there to make the plays with their athleticism, effort, and intensity. Rodriguez has all three of those things.