Bucs Have Two Top-10 Linebackers According to NFL Executives, Coaches, Scouts, and Players
Ask any Bucs fan what franchise has the best linebacker duo in football, and chances are you'll get the same response from most...The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
You can count me as one of those people.
With us all being stuck in the depths of despair that is the NFL offseason – like it or not – tiers, rankings, and lists serve as the primary source of football content for fans to consume. So whenever I see the Bucs' linebacker unit being ranked outside of the top-3, I feel compelled to speak my mind.
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Although they can be fun to debate, these rankings don't actually mean much. They are usually the result of one person, group, or sports network's opinion. But when the rankings come from NFL personnel, they tend to hold a little more weight.
This is why I am always interested in seeing where certain Buccaneers' players and position groups are ranked by the people who actually spend their time inside NFL buildings.
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Jeremy Fowler of ESPN has been slowly unveiling NFL player rankings at each position based on the opinions of more than 50 NFL executives, scouts, coaches, and players. So he has my attention.
He recently revealed how these opinions shook out by ranking the NFL's best linebackers.
According to the league personnel sampled for this ranking, Devin White is the fourth-best linebacker in the NFL, and Lavonte David is the ninth.
Some may be surprised – as I was – to see Devin White ranked higher than Lavonte David on this list. But as Bucs fans know all too well, the world just doesn't seem right if Lavonte David isn't being perennially under-appreciated for his exceptional play on the field. At least outside of Tampa.
I just don't see eight other linebackers in the NFL who are excelling at every duty a linebacker has on the field, as consistently and thoroughly as Lavonte David is. Regardless, let's take a look at some of the reasoning behind both players' rankings.
On Devin White, who was ranked #1 entering last season:
"There's no way around it: White disappointed some voters after a stellar 2020 season, which vaulted him to the top of last year's rankings.
"Chasing sacks and big plays, not making routine plays," an NFL scouting director said. "Had some of the same concerns last year, but he was just unreal late in the season."
In three playoff games during the Bucs' run to Super Bowl LV, White was all over the place, with 38 tackles (three for loss), two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
White's speed (4.4-second 40-yard dash) was still on display plenty in 2021. He had 128 total tackles with 3.5 sacks, plus a 34.6% run stop win rate, which ranked 24th in the league among linebackers.
Year 4 will be the time to put it all together.
"His ability to close on a ball carrier is special," an AFC coach said. "Problem is he's not always the best linebacker on his own team," the coach said, referring to veteran Lavonte David, who appears later on this list."
These are all very reasonable explanations as it relates to Devin White, and his somewhat underwhelming performance this past season – at least compared to the previous year. His physical ability is tantalizing, and his dominant 2020 post-season showed just how much of a game-wrecker he can be when he puts it all together.
White will need to play with more discipline in all aspects this season, and certainly with more awareness in coverage. But let's not forget that he won't turn 25 until 2022. The future is very bright for Devin White, and I expect him to bounce back in a big way this upcoming season.
Lavonte David on the other hand has almost no holes in his game. He's the gold standard for linebackers in pass coverage. He's a disciplined, fundamentally sound tackler who still regularly lays the lumber on ball carriers. He's a turnover machine. He's incredibly adept at identifying offensive play designs and helping Devin White ensure the defense is set pre-snap. He's highly intelligent, he leads vocally and by example, not just on the field, but in the locker room as well. Lavonte David is the total package.
Here's what the article had to say about Lavonte David being ranked as the ninth-best linebacker in the NFL:
"When tallying linebacker output over the past decade, it's had to do better than David's stat line: 1,222 tackles, 26 sacks, 26 forced fumbles, 54 pass deflections, 12 interceptions, 17 fumble recoveries. That's serious production.
"For whatever reason, I don't think he's ever gotten enough credit," a veteran AFC scout said. "Always thought he was a top guy. He's good at everything that matters: instincts, playmaking, tackles, forced fumbles, PBUs, sacks ... very consistent."
A foot injury cost David five games last season, and perhaps he's on the decline at age 32. Two years ago, David was No. 2 in these rankings. Evaluators say, however, he plays the same physical style as always with mostly the same results. He has long been one of the NFL's best coverage linebackers, and his rate stats from last season were near the top again."
So before you get too worked up over David being ranked towards the bottom of this top-10 list, it's important to acknowledge that his 5-game absence last season likely cost him several spots.
No matter how you view this ranking of the NFL's best individual linebackers if you ask me, this list makes a clear statement regarding the status of Devin White and Lavonte David as a duo. Continuity and familiarity can be equally as important as individual skill. So when you consider the fact that this will be White and David's fourth year playing together, their effectiveness as a tandem becomes that much more promising.
As the only team with two top-10 linebackers in the league, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are well-positioned for the 2022 season – where they will deploy the most dynamic linebacker unit in the entire league to anchor their defense – while attempting to obtain a third Lombardi Trophy to add to their collection in Tampa Bay.
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