Buccaneers land potential sleeper QB and more in latest 7-round NFL Mock Draft
By Brad Smith
Round 5, Pick 202: Fabien Lovett, DT/Florida State
As initially mentioned, the Buccaneers held one of the best rush defenses in the league last season, in large part to the talented depth and rotations in their front seven. For reference, five different Buccaneers recorded 4.0+ sacks and 7+ TFLs, a major reason for Tampa Bay's seventh-ranked defense.
Even though defensive line isn't Tampa Bay's most pressing need this offseason, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Calijah Kancey, and YaYa Diaby will all be eligible for contract extensions within the next three seasons, so adding through the draft is understandable.
With that, the Buccaneers add Lovett in the fifth round, whose impact for Missisipi State and Florida State cant' be understated. While Lovett' finished his five-year college tenure with 93 TCKLs, four PDs, and six sacks, Lovett was still one of the most integral players for the Bulldogs and Seminoles.
Standing at 6'4" and 318 pounds, Lovett was one of the best defensive linemen in the nation at disrupting the run at the line of scrimmage. To do so, Lovett used a variety of moves and displayed exceptionally good hand use to hold at the point of attack as a run defender.
Furthermore, Lovett showed a natural feel for setting up blockers and getting them off-balance in pass and rush scenarios, as he quickly disengaged with blockers and countered when his initial move stalled. Not only does Lovett's strength allow him to twist inside, but also free lanes for linebackers and safeties on blitzes to get to the QB.