Devin White Living Up to High Draft Slot
It took a few games longer than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have wanted, but 2019 fifth-overall pick Devin White is starting to look like the game-changing linebacker he was drafted to be.
Over the two weeks, White has arguably been the best inside linebacker in the NFL, and it doesn't look like there's any going back for him.
White's career in Tampa Bay began inauspiciously, first with two quiet games and then a nearly month-long absence due to a knee injury. Most of the Defensive Rookie of the Year buzz faded while he was off the field.
It was not until Week 9 in Seattle that the former LSU linebacker made the kind of impact he was expected to make, collecting 13 tackles, two quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. Then there was that tackle of Chris Carson (from The Checkdown):
The past two games have been a completely different story. White has been nothing short of a human wrecking ball. Against Atlanta, he sacked Matt Bryant twice and added two more QB hits and two tackles for a loss. In the Bucs' win over Jacksonville this week, White did everything—intercepting Nick Foles, returning a fumble for a touchdown, breaking up two passes, and leading the team in tackles with seven, including a TFL.
What's changed? As far as it seems, nothing but time. A little seasoning is all White really needed to be a game-changer for the Bucs defense. Under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and fellow inside linebacker, veteran LB Lavonte David, White has effectively replaced his predecessor, fellow LSU alum Kwon Alexander.
With four games left, White's stat line is looking very similar to Alexander's rookie year after eight games:
| TACKLES | TFL | SACKS | QB HITS | PASSES DEFENDED | INT | FF | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KWON ALEXANDER | 59 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
DEVIN WHITE | 69 | 4 | 2.5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
If the Bucs were looking for a clone or an upgrade from Alexander, they could not have done much better than White. He may not end up winning DROY, but White will be the centerpiece of the Bucs defense for the foreseeable future.
