Lavonte David is Better Than Your Favorite Linebacker

Tampa Bay's defensive leader has been underrated for far too long.

The arrival of Tom Brady has done many things for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, from spiking jersey and ticket sales to giving them legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

It's also given the Bucs newfound national attention, which will continue this fall in the form of a league-high five nationally-televised games. And while the national audience may come for Brady and Gronk, they'll find out that the Bucs have had their own stars for quite a while now, none more underrated than linebacker Lavonte David.

A second-round pick out of Nebraska in the 2012 NFL Draft, David has quite simply been the best off-ball linebacker in the entire league over his eight seasons. And while it may seem preposterous that David's performance has been better than that of more recognizable names like Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner, the numbers tell a different story.

In nearly every major statistical category, David holds the advantage over those two household names, as pointed out by former Bucs beat writer Trevor Sikkema:

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— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) July 15, 2020

But thanks to the lack of national attention surrounding the Bucs for all of David's career in Tampa Bay, his recognition and accolades simply don't reflect his on-field impact or production, as Sikkema also notes:

Luke Kuechly: 7 Pro Bowls, 5 All-Pros
Bobby Wagner: 6 Pro Bowls, 5 All-Pros
Lavonte David: 1 Pro Bowl, 1 All-Pro

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— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) July 15, 2020

David has quietly been the NFL's best player at his position for nearly a decade, and the greater NFL audience will now get a chance to see that with Brady bringing the bright lights to town far more often. What may seem like a wild statement now will clearly prove itself when David gets to show of his ability on a bigger stage.

For now, the numbers speak for themselves.