3 Buccaneers players who are turning heads at training camp
By Brad Smith
OG Elijah Klein
Similar to Izien, Klein arrives in Tampa Bay at a position that experinced serious turnover this offseason. Between the signings of Ben Bredeson, Sua Opeta, and Justin Skule to one-year deals and drafting two-time All American Graham Barton in the first round, the Bucs' offensive line is set to improve drastically from a year ago.
Regardless, Klein, the Buccaneers' sixth-round draft pick, has made waves in team OTAs and training camp. With 55 career starts from 2018-2023, Klein is an extremely efficient zone run-blocker who plays long with good hand placement, play strength and posture to steer defenders away from the ball.
"He played guard mostly at UTEP but he did kick out and play some left tackle in a pinch and did a pretty good job there," said Bucs Director of Player Personnel Mike Biehl. "He just kind of fits the mold of a lineman that we have around here – smart, tough, dependable. He plays the game the right way."
This past season, Klein made the All-C-USA First Team for the first time, and the All-C-USA Academic Honor Roll for the fourth straight year. At 24 years old, Klein is old for a rookie, but is another developmental offensive lineman for the Buccaneers to employ in 2024 alongside fellow rookie Barton.
There's no gurantee that Klein will start away, considering that Bredeson and Opeta played considerable time on the starting lines for the Giants and Eagles last season. Of course, if the former or latter struggles early on, Klein could slot in and hold that starting job throughout the rest of the season.
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