Derrick Brooks: David Is Ahead Of Me
April 1st, 2013
Bucs icon Derrick Brooks is perhaps the only guy who should/could say Lavonte David is a more impressive young weakside linebacker than he was.
And that’s exactly what Brooks said late last week on WDAE-AM 620.
“I’m very surprised that he stepped up as early as he did,” Brooks said of David. “And I shared with him in numerous conversations last season about how far ahead at this point in his career that he is than where I was. He was calling signals. He didn’t come off the field. My rookie year I didn’t call the signals. I didn’t say anything, and I didn’t play on third down as much. But he played every snap of defense and that was a lot put on him.”
Brooks went on to say he expects David to continue as the Bucs’ premier playmaker on the Bucs’ front seven.
The Bucs hit a triple in the draft last year, with David, Mark Barron and Doug Martin. Joe would settle for a double this year. A new pair of hardcore rookie talents on the Bucs would make them downright scary.
April 1st, 2013 at 4:08 pm
I was hoping the Bucs would have selected David when they traded back into the 1st round during the draft and I was as high on David as I was Doug Martin, who I thought the Bucs would snatch in the 2nd round.
It turns out I had the two players flip flopped in terms of when they were actually picked and I couldn’t be happier. To top it all off, we were still able to grab Mark Barron to fill a huge need, so in my opinion Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano managed to acquire three first round talents in last years draft. Let’s see what they do in a few weeks.
April 1st, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Lavonte David is all over the field….he very rarely misses a tackle. Great instincts…If we have another draft like last year, we wouldn’t need Revis. I like the idea of giving up a couple of 4th round picks to move up and get the best cornerbacks we can get.
April 1st, 2013 at 4:49 pm
he is a keeper. its going to be fun watching him over the years.
April 1st, 2013 at 4:54 pm
He doesn’t have the bubble butt that Brooks has ( 😉 ). Seriously, he may not last as long as Brooks. DB was one of a kind.
April 1st, 2013 at 5:04 pm
@238
I really hope your are of the female gender. . Then again to each its own!
April 1st, 2013 at 5:09 pm
That is a term used for explosive athletes with natural lower body strength.
Brooks used to make open field tackles that most line backers can’t do.
April 1st, 2013 at 5:13 pm
@238
You are correct, touche
April 1st, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Martin and David were real finds in the draft. Barron has potential, but at this point he cannot be put in the success category due to his terrible year in pass coverage last year.
April 1st, 2013 at 6:09 pm
AmbushBuc, from what I saw, Barron’s play in coverage got better the last 2-3 games; whether this was due to getting some game experience or getting more solid coaching out of Schiano or whomever, I dunno.
Rookies rarely play like polished veterans; I have notice that tendency over the years….
April 1st, 2013 at 6:32 pm
More like a double, jury is out on Barron. Let’s hope the pops tar doesn’t draft anymore injury prone players. His rebuilding is taking almost as long as the Browns.
April 1st, 2013 at 8:48 pm
Bama grad that would have drafted keackly over baron
April 1st, 2013 at 10:48 pm
What if the bucs could sneak and get author brown in the second round to go in the middle somehow. That’s like almost having twins out there.
April 1st, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Mike, it is one thing for a rookie to struggle. Understandable. But it is entirely another for that rookie to be a key part of the second worst pass defense in the entire history of the NFL. That ain’t good no matter how you squint at it.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:12 am
Y take mason out the middle he had a good year and only continues to get better what they need to do is try to get back in the second and get khaseem Greene this kid is another stud at the linebacker position former safety that could tackle and play the pass
July 26th, 2013 at 5:11 pm
[…] Brooks even says David is ahead of the pace he set en route to a Hall of Fame […]