The ‘sky is the limit’ for Buccaneers rookie LB Devin White
By Bryan Perez
Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White is already taking a leadership role in Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense is in the midst of a pretty significant change. Gone is the team’s leader and the defense’s most recognizable player, Gerald McCoy, and in his place steps rookie first-round pick Devin White, the dynamic linebacker who dominated SEC competition as an LSU Tiger.
White isn’t waiting until his regular-season play elevates his status in the locker room. Instead, he’s already taken on a leadership role during offseason team activities.
The veterans have been put on notice.
“For a rookie to come in and be talking like that, it’s really amazing to see,” fellow inside linebacker Lavonte David said, via ESPN.com. “The sky is the limit for him most definitely.”
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White was long considered an elite prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft, but his performance at the NFL Combine really put him over the top. It moved him from a likely top-10 pick as a guy who could really come off the board in the top five.
Tampa Bay picked him fifth overall.
White (6-0, 237 pounds) ran a jaw-dropping 4.42 40-yard dash and had a 39.5-inch vertical jump. His explosive results matched his explosive tape.
He ended the 2018 season as an All-American, All-SEC and Butkus Award-winning linebacker after totaling 123 tackles, three sacks, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles. White simply did it all during his time at LSU.
The Buccaneers are expecting him to bring that kind of dynamic impact to Tampa Bay in 2019. He’ll start alongside David and, in theory, will be the team’s most relied-upon defensive starter. He’ll have to make plays against the run, in coverage and even as a pass-rusher.
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His college resume is proof he’s more than capable of delivering, and his effort and approach to OTAs are a great sign that he “gets it” off the field, too.