Could Buccaneers Logan Hall Make Defensive All-Rookie Team?

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded out of the first round of the NFL Draft this year they gave up the chance to draft one of several players expected to make an early impact in their professional careers.

With the first pick of the second round, however, they still landed a guy who could be a first-year contributor in Houston defensive end, Logan Hall.

The question now is whether or not Hall will be immediately impactful, making him one of the best in this year’s rookie class.

According to Chad Reuter of NFL.com, Hall is not one of the young players he projects to land on the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie Team.

Instead, Reuter has edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), George Karlaftis (Chiefs), and Kayvon Thibodeaux (Giants) making the team over Hall.

All three of those guys are outside linebackers, and were first-round draft picks.

But Reuter isn’t just showing bias towards Day 1 picks here. In fact, fourth-rounder Perrion Winfrey of the Cleveland Browns is on the list as the lone defensive tackle.

Last year, seven second-round picks made the All-Rookie Team at the end of their first seasons.

The honest truth is that Hall is unlikely to unseat those three edge rushers but not because of talent.

As Bucs fans witnessed for years with linebacker Lavonte David, Hall simply plays a position that doesn’t tend to produce as much as his outside-aligned counterparts.

But there are also the contributing factors of Akiem Hicks who should at least earn a rotational role, the fact coach Todd Bowles’ defense accentuates his own outside and off-ball linebackers, and that the Tampa Bay defense loves mixing personnel packages.

However, the Bucs did emphasize getting a better pass rush from their organic front this off-season and playing next to defensive tackle Vita Vea while tight ends and running backs have to account for those linebacker rushes could open Hall to some favorable matchups early on.

No matter the result, it should be entertainment at its finest watching Hall get incorporated into an already talented pass-rushing and run-stopping unit.

Even if he doesn’t get PFWA accolades at the end of it all.

For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!