Last year the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought in a record number of rookies to training camp, many of whom were undrafted free agents the tteam added. It didn't take long for one of them to stand out, and it seems the team has once again identified a diamond in the rough.
Kalen DeLoach was an undrafted linebacker out of Florida State who has already impressed at every turn since joining the Bucs. He was name-checked by The Athletic earlier this offseason and is once again gaining some national attention in all the right ways.
Pro Football Network's Ian Cummings called out Kalen DeLoach as not only the Buccaneers UDFA most likely to make the roster but also a player who could have a big impact moving forward.
“DeLoach was an incredibly productive linebacker at the college level, but his lack of size could make it difficult for him to remain at that position in the NFL. His short-area quickness and hip fluidity may limit his upside, but he flashed the coverage skills to succeed as a safety at the next level," Cummings said.
Buccaneers might have picked up another UDFA star
This is becoming somewhat of a tradition for the Buccaneers, who are a year removed from finding a hidden gem in safety Christian Izien.
Like DeLoach, Izien was an undrafted rookie out of Rutgers who burst onto the scene in training camp and earned a starting job before the final roster had been set. He wasted no time in making an impact, ripping a ball away at the goal line during the Bucs Week 1 win over Minnesota, a play that ended up being a game-changer.
With Devin White gone, the linebacking corps for the Buccaneers is going to be tested this season. It's not that White was a hinge on which everything swung, rather his exit means that a new path forward needs to be charted when it comes to figuring out what things look like in a post-Lavonte David world.
David is still around and making an impact, and the rise of Yaya Diaby has given most fans confidence that the right succession plan has been found. There's a lot of room for growth, though, and someone like DeLoach can come in and seize the opportunity to become a valuable piece of the puzzle.
He was a big part of a Seminoles defense that many thought should have been spotlighted in the College Football Playoffs, and it seems he's already winning folks over in his short time in Tampa Bay. The more of that, the better off everyone will be.