It’s Vita Vea! Your Bucs’ First-Round Pick
April 26th, 2018
Defense! Defense! DEE-fence!
It’s coming back to Tampa in a big way.
Vita Vea, 6-4, 347 pounds, is a freakish athlete from the University of Washington, and his upside is almost limitless.
He wasn’t worth the No. 7 overall pick, but he damn sure is worth it at No. 12 with the Bucs now having three second-round picks courtesy of their trade down with the Bills.
Tampa Bay now has a dynamic freak at defensive tackle that they can rotate in with Gerald McCoy and develop on passing downs for Beau Allen. Depth and talent at d-line is always a beautiful thing.
Allegedly, Vea with the Bucs should be walking into a great incubator — allegedly. McCoy is a seasoned and caring pro. Will Gholston gives his all. And the new Super Bowl tandem of Allen and Vinny Curry is a great duo from which to learn.
And most important, the Bucs have new defensive line coach Brentson Buckner. They love him so much Dirk Koetter fired his friend Jay Hayes to make room while Team Glazer paid Hayes in full for 2018.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:26 pm
The Buc Realist!
Hit me with a repost, home slice!
Great pick! Get the biggest boy on the field and let him eat up the pocket.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:26 pm
Wow
April 26th, 2018 at 9:26 pm
Soooooooo happy
April 26th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
Whooooooo
April 26th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
Nice move!! Build through the trenches! Now lets go get are RB!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
Realist got his wish, good pick!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
Yeeeeeesssss!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
Where’s the beef? Win the LOS!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:28 pm
WOOOOO!!! You are on notice Mcicecream!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:28 pm
Could’ve gotten guice
April 26th, 2018 at 9:29 pm
Truly excellent pick with a sagacious amount of forethought by Jason Licht.
#TrenchWarfare
April 26th, 2018 at 9:29 pm
McCoy is crapping in his Bat shorts now. He will be exposed for being the fraud he is.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:29 pm
Rather have secondary help. He better be a beast
April 26th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
I’m in tears! I have wanted this guy all year!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
Let the record reflect that I call this last week- Licht loved this kid. We have crushed it. Plenty of ammo to move around and get CB, RB, DE or OL help. This is a great day!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
I hope they can put quick pressure on the quarterback because we still can’t cover
April 26th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
Oh I can hit with a repost if i could find it…..pretty sure i was one of the 1st to start touting about him….just never used the search feature.
WE GOT BIG V!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!
How about that ish LUV!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
If he pans out I’ll be happy, a good d-line is one of the best ways to turn the corner as an nfl team. Still Would have rather had Derwin, we’ve got to address this secondary tomorrow big time
April 26th, 2018 at 9:31 pm
Bad pick!!!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:32 pm
Lol…Joe’s server is glowing white hot right now.
Capt Kirk is screaming “Give me more power Scotty!”
April 26th, 2018 at 9:32 pm
We got tuikolovatu for the same reason. This was a dumb pick
April 26th, 2018 at 9:32 pm
Going BIG. I love it!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:32 pm
with him and Allen on the field at the same time your talking nearly 700 pounds of humanity at DT. Yeah try running up that gut.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:33 pm
Joe
Exactly.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:34 pm
That just turned out defensive line into one of the best in the league.
It ain’t Gerald McCoy whose nervous. It is Mitch Unrein and Beau Allen.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:34 pm
I called it 2 months ago!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:34 pm
I think either we trade back up into the first for a RB or we sit and get a RB, S, CB with our 2s.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Let the DEs and LBs run free Mr V!!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Rooting for the guy. I hope I’m completely wrong, but this is not a good pick. I would rather have gotten James or Davenport
April 26th, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Mccoy won’t be here next year the first time I’ve seen Licht prepare for next year
April 26th, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Trade back up into the 1st with a package of those 2nds to get DERWIN JAMES. You can’t miss out on a game changing talking like what was done with Dalvin Cook. C’mon Bucs!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Thank u
Been saying it all along
#TRENCHWARFARE
April 26th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
What a pick yes!!!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Love it!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Hope we don’t give move up
April 26th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
I wanted him at 7. Getting him at 12 AND 53 and 56 . Fantastic
April 26th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Wait till Brees looks up and sees the shadow of Mount Vea coming down on him!!!!!!!! I called this way back!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:37 pm
Love it. Nice pick.
Looking forward to seeing what they do next with those 2s.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:37 pm
Terrible pick , we’re getting eating alive thru the air !
April 26th, 2018 at 9:37 pm
JL47 Says
“We got tuikolovatu for the same reason. This was a dumb pick”
Don’t be stupid. We took Stevie Tu’ikolovatu in the 7th round. He was a high risk, depth pick. Not a potential starter.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:37 pm
I hope we get pressure out of this rebuilt D-LINE. I like the pick , now get Chubb or Michel and secondary help and we good. GO BUCS!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:37 pm
Hate this pick. He’s a run stuffer. This obviously says we wanted Minkah Over Derwin. Jeez we should have helped this secondary. How many D lineman will we carry?
April 26th, 2018 at 9:38 pm
Strengths
Uses his powerful body to bull-rush off-balanced lineman into the backfield and annihilates lighter guards; has the ability to bully offensive tackles in rotation.
Ideally sized for nose tackle with room to gain upper body strength.
Gap controller. Rarely lets a runner through his gap or a quarterback scramble past him. Can stop small-to-medium-sized running backs with arm tackles.
Weaknesses
Inconsistent. Looks dominant on some plays but gets pushed around on others against the same players.
Still learning how to use leverage and footwork to gain and keep position against blockers. Doesn’t recognize oncoming double-teams.
One-dimensional, and struggles to help much when pass-rushing against solid lines, other than keeping blockers occupied. May only be useful on early downs against the run.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:38 pm
Great pic
The secondary will never be great if we can’t get any pressure on the QB
I hope we keep all the second round picks like tampabaybucfan said
April 26th, 2018 at 9:39 pm
Would have rather had Derwin or Davenport but I don’t hate the pick…our DLine should be hard to block this year…more one on one for JPP and GMC plus teams having to keep backs and TEs in to help Pass protect will help the coverage unit.
Go bucs !
April 26th, 2018 at 9:39 pm
Wow, They got the man they wanted and 2 extra 2nd round picks!!!!!!! Now we are talking!!!!! I am so excited!!!! that its time for the “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
January 20th, 2018 at 2:29 pm
@lakelandbuc
Then you better free up the LB with Mount VEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Man among boys” Vita Vea!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:40 pm
This rocks …and tomorrow night will be even more exciting!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:40 pm
I like the pick. Good trades. Glad we didn’t pick at 7. Now Sony Michel and Chubb both
April 26th, 2018 at 9:40 pm
He’ll be great at stopping the run. But pass defense is where we are hurting.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
A two down run stopping NT playing out of position when you have Ryan Smith and Chris Conte starting… and they just gave big money to a guy from the Eagles to play the exact same spot.
Not a fan of the pick.
Still not panicking, the three 2nd rounders helps, but man, Ryan Smith and Chris Conte still have starting jobs.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
How many defensive tackles do we have?
Wasted pick ….was not a need nor best player available
Part time player
Samoan chris baker
April 26th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
I would of taken Marcus Davenport.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:42 pm
OMFG, what a trade and what a pick of Vita Vea.
We now have 3 – 2nd round picks, so let’s all hope Licht don’t give them all away, to move back up for a running back we could have got later.
IF Licht plays this right, we can get a real running back, and a pair of starting defensive backs, all in this draft!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:42 pm
This kid could help take McCoy to another level. Hope JPP works out. If he does, then maybe Noah Spence becomes relevant. All I can say about ‘What’s His Name’ is the Bucs have found their beef. This kid is huge, but that isn’t all. He has great burst and I think he will draw double and triple teams. Just teach him a couple new moves and he will be dominant.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:42 pm
Site keeps crashing….ahh! Got on my phone…I know it was me, realist, luv and bonzai touting him early on….doesn’t matter who was first, we got him….We got BIG VITA!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
I love the pick. You have to start thinking about life after GMC. Better a year early than a year late.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
bad pick,not a every down player.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Full Name: Tevita Tuliakiono Tuipuloto Mosese Va’hae Faletau Vea
April 26th, 2018 at 9:44 pm
Great pass rush equals good corner play, I like what the bucs are doing, no corner can cover a receiver if the QB has all day to throw.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:44 pm
Now what if we trade back into the first in the 20’s for Big WILL!!! TRENCH WARFARE!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
YES YES YES YES!!!!! GREAT PIC….WAAAAAAY BETTER THAN A SAFTY @#7….great D Line going into 2018 season…..
LETS GO BUCS!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Excellent.
Now get Sony michel and a DB in rd 2
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Was this a Brentson Buckner pick, maybe he see the closes thing to Campbell. Now get a RB, CB/S and Chad Thomas from the U.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
I have to wait and see on this pick, it seems like we already have this type of player on the roster.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
I’ll rely on my two nephews who live in Seattle. They think Vea is a tremendous pick.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Damn!!!!! We need secondary help not another big body,was sure hoping for James.We need playmakers
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Say what you will about Licht in FA. But Jason, you sir, know your way around the draft!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:45 pm
site is crashing on my comp for some reason, but this got through….i dont mind who was first on Vita….main thing is we got him!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:46 pm
….and James is still on the board. ..hmmm …What pick was Fitzpatrick?
April 26th, 2018 at 9:46 pm
my mind is kinda blown right now. Licht might have figured this thing out!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:46 pm
SUPER solid pick to rotate with gerald & beau. i wouldve done the same and im a huge derwin fan
April 26th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
@kobe faker
So far all your predictions have been wrong. You are continuing that trend by my estimate.
Chris Baker was 320 pounds of jiggly lazy fat.
Vita Vea is a healthy as a bull, and is very solid/ muscular for a 6’4 347 pounder.
Your comparision is incredibly lazy.
He is the next Haloti Ngata. Get used to being wrong bud.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
McCoy has no excuse now!!! He has talent and depth around him. McCoy better fill up his stat sheet this year. I wonder who they will double team on our d-line now
April 26th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
A good pass rush makes your secondary better its never the other way around.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
@JL47
You’re seriously not comparing Vea a 1st round pick to tuikolovatu a 7th rounder, are you?
April 26th, 2018 at 9:48 pm
WE BACK!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:48 pm
thats like saying haloti ngata was a bad pick for the ravens. and he IS an “every down player”…he just is.. lol!! dts with wheels are gonna get some run
April 26th, 2018 at 9:49 pm
pekkerrinne – Vita isn’t a pass rusher, he’s a two down run stopper.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:49 pm
This was a solid pick and solidifies out DL. Everyone worried about our back end needs to chill because Licht will certainly pick at least one legit corner as there is a lot of talent left in this draft for solid corners. Plus we will almost certainly get a starting caliber running back as well. I see the Bucs taking a RB, CB and either OL help or maybe find a DE.
It is possible that they try to move back up into the first depending on who they are wanting. we shall see.
Go Bucs!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:50 pm
James still on the board …he’s sliding hard
April 26th, 2018 at 9:50 pm
Hearing David Shaw’s high praise for Vita is all I need to know about our 12th pick!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:50 pm
When are people going to realize that the current NFL rules hamstring DB’S to do actually do anything anymore. They can’t bump, touch, disrupt receivers, headhunt and tackle above the shoulders. What they can do is catch “bad decision” passes when our massive defensive line rushes opposing QB’s into horrible decisions because they are scared of getting pounded and their shoulders crushed.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Love the pick and the trade down – can still get CB/RB/G in round 2- could be another 4 starter draft for JL – very nice start!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
I like the pick, know we have 3 2nds to spend on a RB, DB and OL. No kickers please.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Haha all these salty FSU fans 😂
April 26th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Could be they’re looking for Guice, Hernandez, or Josh Jackson coming up
April 26th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Bye-bye Derwin I’ll see u on the other side buddy *Tears*
April 26th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Great pick, great trade, great night
April 26th, 2018 at 9:52 pm
@VMike Evans GOAT
How stupid can you be? The Bucs were going to take him at 7 if they had to.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Well played Jason Licht. Hoping big Vea turns out to play at a high level for a long time. Stay put with the second rounders n see who falls to us.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:53 pm
Horrible pick
April 26th, 2018 at 9:53 pm
will the 17 be James?
April 26th, 2018 at 9:57 pm
finally
April 26th, 2018 at 9:59 pm
Betterbuckenbelieveit you in here? No
still no comments.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:59 pm
BobbyBucs, you and I are on the same page.
April 26th, 2018 at 9:59 pm
Well we should have a good dline and stop the run.
Our division has Brees, Ryan, and Newton.
Hope it works but skeptical.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:01 pm
I called it all offseason.
TRENCH warfare!!
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 10:02 pm
Stupid ass pick. Run stuffer at 12. At least take Davenport if you’re gonna pass on James.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:02 pm
Let the record show that I may or may not have called this earlier.
We’ll get a RB and secondary help in the 2nd round. Should be some good ones left. However, Licht may trade back up if there is a player we need that may not be there in the 2nd.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Did nobody see last year QB’s getting sucked to completion by their old ladies in the pocket right before they threw passes to wide open WR’s?
April 26th, 2018 at 10:06 pm
veni vidi vici!!!!
April 26th, 2018 at 10:06 pm
In otherwords, we now have a pass rush
April 26th, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Somebody is hanging around too many Jesuits.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:09 pm
D-Rome Says:
April 26th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
I love the pick. You have to start thinking about life after GMC. Better a year early than a year late.
^^^ He is NOT a GMC replacement.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:11 pm
we will move up, for whom I do not know.
will give up our last pick in rd 2 and our rd 5 pick.
JL has nervous impulses.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Raiders just traded for Martavis Bryant. Steelers get a 3rd round pick
April 26th, 2018 at 10:16 pm
Hey Blake
Championship teams (philly) signs the real hgata for peanuts
Looks like sheldon of the browns…plays behind the line..irrelevant
April 26th, 2018 at 10:16 pm
@bat man.
How stupid can u be? They wanted to get in front of Miami because they were going to take Minkah. They didn’t need to trade up for Vita. Miami didn’t want him. Use your brain dip$hit
April 26th, 2018 at 10:17 pm
Everyone complaining that he’s “only a 2-down player; just a run-stuffer” clearly don’t understand football in it’s totality.
Although his body type might be more suited to stopping the run, he’s likely only coming off the field if it’s 3rd & 6 or more…. aka, obvious passing downs.
If it’s 3rd & 3, you think they’d really take him off the field? He’s going to get a couple sacks this year, i guarantee it. I have no problem with them getting the best DT in the draft, even if it means that he’s coming off the field in obvious passing downs.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:21 pm
Look at our Defensive line today compared to the end of last season. Look at what the draft is gonna like like now with the addition of three early second round picks! This can be huge! Do not draft a damn kicker! 😂
April 26th, 2018 at 10:22 pm
Rod Munch Says:
April 26th, 2018 at 9:49 pm
pekkerrinne – Vita isn’t a pass rusher, he’s a two down run stopper.
^^^ He better not be or thats a wasted pick. You dont know what Buckner is going to get out of him. He may not be a pass rush specialist but hell still command double teams, collapse the pocket and make more room for JPP. Teams wont single cover a 350 pound beast on 3rd down, but I hope they do LOL
April 26th, 2018 at 10:22 pm
The only team left in the 1st that I see as a threat to take Guice is Pittsburgh. How much will it cost to move up?
April 26th, 2018 at 10:27 pm
This was a great move by our gm. Sooo f’n happy
April 26th, 2018 at 10:39 pm
I love it great move. Buckner has got some good guys to work with. This will help our secondary tremendously.
April 26th, 2018 at 10:44 pm
MadMAx
We Got “V” brotha, lol
April 26th, 2018 at 11:41 pm
@Kobe Faker
Wtf are you talking about? You mean they signed the 34 year old version of Ngata?
Again, Sheldon is another lazy comparison. Completely different builds, and Vea is the vastly superior athlete.
Go to bed Kobe, you’re drunk.
April 27th, 2018 at 1:07 am
originally I was very pissed at the pick I was like how why did they not pick derwin James I just kept saying why and my pops who’s a huge giants fan was just like calm down this guy looks like a beast and now you have 3 seconds to fix those needs and the more I think about it the more I watch and the more I see of vita and now I couldn’t be happier guys our division is the QB division vita vea is a straight wrecking ball he reminds me of Arron Donald mixed with Haloti Ngata he’s fast and strong as an ox and our dline is freaking stacked now and 3 second rounders? We’re gunna get at least one DB and a RB I think the other one will be a OG or another DB and if we do that tm plus vita today I’ll be so freaking happy I’ll cry tears of joy
April 27th, 2018 at 1:09 am
Great pick. If he can stay healthy he is gonna be nasty. Now go get Hernandez, Ronald Jones and Shaq Griffin!! Go Bucs!
April 27th, 2018 at 6:01 am
For those who think it’s a wasted pick, Geraldini is going to be 31 next year at a 13M cap hit. What do you think is happening here?
April 27th, 2018 at 6:06 am
Also, this guy can play multiple positions on the line and even standing up. With his freakish athleticism and speed, don’t think for a second that he’s only going to be a 2 down lineman. The depth ala Philly is going to give fits to opposing OL. Vita can play 3-tech and 5-tech.
Unleash the kraken!
April 27th, 2018 at 11:14 pm
Heard a news report that D. James told the Bucs he did not want to play here. No reason was given. If that is true it ruled out his being drafted. This actually looks like a week draft for DB.