Devin White Says He’s Hungry To Talk To Derrick Brooks
April 26th, 2019
Joe was stunned to learn that well over a year after Bucs cornerback Vernon Hargreaves was drafted he hadn’t spent significant time with Tampa Bay icon Ronde Barber.
It seemed unthinkable. Barber was one of the great corners of all-time and a guy who attended practices and worked for the Bucs on their preseason broadcasts.
Throw in the fact that Barber is a good friend of general manager Jason Licht, and red flags were flying everywhere.
Fast forward to last night’s draft, and already newcomer LSU linebacker Devin White, the No. 5 overall pick by Tampa Bay, knows who he wants to talk to in a hurry: the greatest linebacker in Buccaneers history, Mr. Derrick Brooks.
Christopher Dabe of Nola.com, who was at the draft last night, interviewed White and learned of his connection with Brooks via a mutual trainer and their missed connection prior to the draft, one White wants to complete.
But with White joining the team for which Brooks had his No. 55 retired, the player who wore No. 40 for LSU is eager for his first chance to speak with legendary linebacker “so I can pick his brain and get advice from him about how he became such a great pro.”
“At the end of the day, I want to help my team,” White said. “With him being a great Buc, I know he wants to help us win.”
Somewhat ironically, in recent years Brooks has been a guy Kwon Alexander has talked to about football and life. And Joe would wager quite a bit that Brooks highly recommended Kwon to his good friend John Lynch, the 49ers general manager and Buccaneers icon who dropped a fat new contract on the former Bucs middle linebacker.
Good for White. Joe hopes that Brooks-White connection happens within the next month. Joe can’t think of a good reason why it shouldn’t happen.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:00 pm
Man, it’s great to have a kid come in who appreciates Bucs history and wants to be a part of it.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:00 pm
I can’t wait for you to pick Derrick’s game brain either Devin!!!
April 26th, 2019 at 1:04 pm
Kind of hoping we trade back now in R2 if we can get another R3 pick.
Looking at mocks there are too many players that I like slipping to R3; and enough prospects left for R2 that I’d be happy with to where there isn’t some huge drop off; and we need more than just 1-2 more impact players.
Licht himself has said this is a good draft for players 20-60 or so all being very similarly rated, so why sit at your pick if you have any decent offer whatsoever?
April 26th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Trade backs don’t mean a thing when the players you grab with extra picks won’t be in a Bucs uniform in a year or 2….which has been the pattern.
More picks doesn’t equal better players.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Smart move by White. Still curious if he gets Alstott’s blessing on the #40. Curious if he has issues handing it over to a rookie who hasn’t even played a snap yet though..
April 26th, 2019 at 1:18 pm
@Tbb
Ok lol? Should we just not pick any player then under that fear of failure and sell the team?
This is our 3 day window of hope before reality crashes in don’t ruin it for me lol
April 26th, 2019 at 1:18 pm
BREAKING NEWS: BUCS DRAFTED ONE OF THE TOP PASS RUSHERS LAST NIGHT.
The Joes are obviously upset with the Devin White pick last night. They were hoping for a pass rusher.
The #1 thing that has been overlooked about this Devin White pick is that he *IS* a pass rusher. He’s was one of the top pass rushers in college football, bringing pressure up the middle.
The 3-4 Defense has a well known (and often used) play called the “Twist Blitz” they fires the inside LBers up the middle. You rest assured that Bowles is already planning to do this with White.
White may end up being one of the top 2 sack leaders on the Bucs this season.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:30 pm
I can almost guarantee when they call the name of the guy/guys in this round, it isn’t going to be a question mark or name that is a REACH.
Ford, Taylor, Williams, Murphy, Ferguson, Risner, Allen, Polite.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:34 pm
Lord Cornelius
So you trust Jason Licht to give up earlier draft slots so he can pick more players deep in the draft? Interesting. I wonder what makes you think that after 5 years of evidence.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:41 pm
Aside from coaching, have the Bucs done a single thing differently than what they’ve been doing the past 5 years that has created a soft winless football team?
Free agency bargain strategy remains the same
More undersized defensive players
Misses on pass rushers
It’s all the same and if you think coaching was the Bucs main problem you need to compare the Bucs roster to the Saints, Panthers and even the Falcons just they beat us just as bad as the others.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:41 pm
BucsBandit
“The #1 thing that has been overlooked about this Devin White pick is that he *IS* a pass rusher.”
Exactly. Joe leading the cry baby crowd about getting this guy when he’s a dominant blitzing LB that runs a 4.4. And BA and Bowels said they’re gonna be blitzing the LBs more almost right after they got to Tampa.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:44 pm
I’m curious about this Hargraeves and Barber reference about them not connecting, and further knowing why? VH3 is a local kid after all, came up when Barber was in his hay-day, so I can’t imagine as a young CB he didn’t idolize Ronde in some fashion.
If he is going to resuscitate his career, he might follow a similar path of Ronde’s who took a couple years to break out, and played a healthy amount of both nickel and outside.
Joe’s, can you elaborate on that thought?
April 26th, 2019 at 1:50 pm
What impressed me of all that has been written about Devin White was a sentence by one sports writer who said, “Opposing Quarterbacks had a 28.7 Q.B. rating when White was on the field at L.S.U. and a 63.0 rating when off the field.”
April 26th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
Bob thanks for the insight. Now that speaks volumes.
April 26th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
“So you trust Jason Licht to give up earlier draft slots so he can pick more players deep in the draft?”
I’m saying that’s what I’d lean towards doing with the available list of current prospects left. Maybe Cody Forward / Jawaan Taylor are guys you don’t move out for since they were considered top 15 type picks (assuming Taylor’s knee is good); but most everyone else has a very wide projected range of where they land.
Licht bats about 50% in the 2nd but actually has had historically better success in R3/R4
2014- Charles Sims (was at least useful for a couple years) R3
2015 – Kwon Alexander R4
2016 – Ryan Smith CB (worst pick so far and likely contributor next year) R4
2017 – Chris Godwin R3
2017 – Kendall Beckwith R3
2018 – Alex Cappa R3
2018 – Jordan Whitehead R4
So yeah actually looking at it Licht kills it in the 3rd and 4th rounds compared to round 2… so even more justification for trading back…
GO BUCS
April 26th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Cord Ford*
April 26th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Bob…This pleases me 🙂
April 26th, 2019 at 1:58 pm
Lord Cornelius Says:
April 26th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Cord Ford*
.
.
he’ll be taken by Arizona with the first pick tonight and reunited with Murray
April 26th, 2019 at 2:06 pm
LC
“2016 – Ryan Smith CB (worst pick so far and likely contributor next year)”
I’m actually a bit excited to see what Smith might be able to do this year. At least in a depth perspective if anything. Another press CB that has been playing zone his entire career.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:08 pm
For the last time everyone….. Jordan Whitehead is not good.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
@TBB
Do you even follow this team?
We have been big spenders in FA most offseasons when you compare it around the league. This was the one offseason we didn’t spend big or have a marquee signing.
“More undersized defensive players”
Who are you even talking about? Devin White is 240 lbs / ideal size at ILB
Shaq Barret is a prototypical 3-4 OLB at 250+ lbs
Deon Buccanon? I guess he’s kind of small but he plays a S/LB hybrid role where his size / speed makes sense….
This isn’t 2016 when we drafted VHIII. This is 2019 and we haven’t drafted or added an “undersized defensive player” yet…
Complain if you want but try to be accurate with your gripes at least that’s my pet peeve on here
April 26th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
@TBb3
More reading comprehension needed man. No one is saying Jordan Whitehead is awesome here.
I just laid out the round 3/4 picks by Licht. He has batted at least as well in those rounds if not BETTER than round 2. No one can blame Beckwith’s car accident on Licht. And he may be back. As of now there’s only 1 player on that list that is for sure gone/wasted pick (Sims). That’s a LOT better than the 2nd round where ASJ/ROberto/etc have been total busts. That’s my only point.
Everyone picks busts in R2/R3 at like a 50% and 60% rate. More picks = less likely busts statistically.
@SOEBuc
Ryan Smith was our top graded corner per PFF (better than both Grimes & Davis) and I have no idea why he didn’t get more play time. The secondary is the biggest experimental question mark this season and the thing I’m most interested in seeing.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Lord Cornelius
There’s a difference between being big spenders in free agency and going after already proven elite players. Yes Jason Licht is a big spender in free agency by wasting $ on bargain guys like Vinny Curry. Name 1 stud player Licht has gotten in FA (Hint- D Jacks was average in Washington)
The Bucs defense continues to lack size as White is only 6’0 and Kuechly is 6’3. Are there any great undersized defenses in the NFL? Can’t think of any. The AFC North knows defense, we do not. So where was I wrong again?
April 26th, 2019 at 2:23 pm
Great post Lord……It’s nice to hear the other side of the story once in a while. But all those players will go down as failures if they are never good enough to win……If the team can ever start winning they will all go down as successes. Fair or not that’s just the way it goes. Nobody cares about perrienal losers.
If the Bucs win this year does that mean Licht isn’t a dumbass?
April 26th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
Why would he want to talk to brooks….brooks would have been a backup if it wasn’t for sapp…the only person in bucs history more overrated than brooks is dungy the clown
April 26th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
Oh and Alex Cappa sure looked great last year as a healthy scratch every game.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
Referring to your 1:56pm comment.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Bob Says:
April 26th, 2019 at 1:50 pm
What impressed me of all that has been written about Devin White was a sentence by one sports writer who said, “Opposing Quarterbacks had a 28.7 Q.B. rating when White was on the field at L.S.U. and a 63.0 rating when off
the field.”
I’m a huge supporter of Devin White but I don’t want to burst the bubble…..when White was on the field against the opposing QBs…..so was the entire LSU defense……so you can’t necessarily give all the credit for this stat to White.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Alex Cappa was drafted as a raw developmental player. It’s the first thing Mike Mayock said about him when he was selected.
There’s nothing wrong with drafting a guy and developing him before he becomes a regular……Every team in the league does this.
It’s ridiculous to suggest every rookie needs to make a impact in year one. And it’s ridiculous to call them a bust for that reason.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
@Tbb
If you don’t view Djax as a marquee big $$ proven player signing there isn’t much to discuss as you basically are in your own universe with that opinion vs the rest of the NFL. We made Ryan Jensen the highest paid Center in football, and he was a top 5 center and top FA that year. We signed Alteran Verner when he was the top available CB in FA. It’s not hard to find these examples…
and lmao at your height comment. He’s closer to Ray Lewis / Patrick Willis build (6’1) than Keuchly is…
And I guess the Steelers are a horrible franchise that you should take over because they used a 1st/2nd/3rd to get 5’11 Devin Bush
Today I learned you need really tall inside linebackers apparently
April 26th, 2019 at 2:34 pm
“It’s ridiculous to suggest every rookie needs to make a impact in year one. And it’s ridiculous to call them a bust for that reason.”
Not on JBF lol
April 26th, 2019 at 2:40 pm
Lord……I’m just waiting for somebody to call White a bust before he even put on the uniform.
I’m waiting for it. I know there’s a fool that foolish ehough to say in on here. I can’t wait I will laugh like hell.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Kevin Minter is also a LSU linebacker…….didn’t go to school with White…..but there may be something good there with the upcoming relationship.
Would love to see us get Greedy Williams in round 2…..if not a good Olineman.
Sorry….Joe….no edge rushers……
April 26th, 2019 at 2:46 pm
TBBF……How about that CB from Temple?
Bruce talks about that school a lot. He probably still has ties. He probably has more info then the rest of the league about that player I’d be more confident if they pulled the trigger on him.
April 26th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
Tmax…learn to stand up to your wife and stop taking your frustrations as the terminally ill henpecked Walter Mitty of JBF out on my eyes ….
April 26th, 2019 at 2:56 pm
DL & OL today
April 26th, 2019 at 3:03 pm
JimmyJack
Rock Ya-sin is a very good CB prospect & is a possibility…..any Temple player has a shot……sort of like Schiano/Rutgers
I’m wondering if Rock Ya-sin is related to Kim Jong Yung
April 26th, 2019 at 3:05 pm
Joe out of all articles you have written … this one here I have to say… well done
April 26th, 2019 at 3:06 pm
Tbb, Bobby Wagner is 6’0″.
April 26th, 2019 at 3:34 pm
Why 55 only won 5 playoff games in his career and vince young is far more intelligent…. best advice is for these young guys to stay away from the underachieving has beens thst only had 1 good year….
April 26th, 2019 at 3:44 pm
Tbbucs3
Whitehead had 76 total tackles in 15 games. Second most behind LVD. That’s far from “not good” as a 4th round rookie out of Pitt.
April 26th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
In college Vita Vea had 9.5 sacks and 15 TFL in in 37 games, White had 8.5 sacks and 20 TFL in 34 games.
April 26th, 2019 at 3:56 pm
LC
“Ryan Smith was our top graded corner per PFF (better than both Grimes & Davis) and I have no idea why he didn’t get more play time.”
One word. Dirk Smitty. Most interesting to me, also. Bowels played and has coached secondary most of his coaching career. Very excited to see what he may be able to do with all these young guns back there.
April 26th, 2019 at 3:58 pm
*two words lol. But they both mean sh!t in many other languages.
April 26th, 2019 at 4:03 pm
@tbb
Please find a new team. How can you rip coach Dungy like that?
April 26th, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Ryan Smith is awful – runs around clueless without any idea of what he’s doing or where he’s supposed to be. The only game anyone could say where he wasn’t a complete abortion was against the Eagles and that performance was only due to Folk overthrowing his guys again and again – they were wide open and he just missed them.
Just more proof that PFF is fake news.
April 26th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
JimmyJack – The problem with Cappa is that he doesn’t any good measurables, go back and look at his combine and he had the results you’d expect from an UDFA. So when you’re in the bottom 1/5th of the combine and you’ve never played against anyone good and in the preseason you look bad against 3rd and 4th teamers, it doesn’t give a lot of confidence. BUT, with that said, I do agree with you in that he was always a project player – and to expect him to step in and play right away was nonsense. He wasn’t Marpet, not even close, Marpet had a special combine, special numbers, it’s why he made sense. The idea of Cappa I still don’t get because I can’t believe anyone else had him ranked nearly as high as the Bucs did since there’s nothing that stands out with him except he’s “mean”, GRRRRRR, mean against D3 players anyways.
April 26th, 2019 at 6:35 pm
Rod: totally agree about Cappa. Total waste of a pick that early. His measurables were terrible and he was clearly a projec. This would be an example of Jason trying to look like the smartest guy in the room.