Lavonte David: Run Stopper
October 25th, 2012
The returns are quite early thus far, but it’s hard to argue with the top three players Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik hand-picked in April’s draft.
Running back Doug Martin may have finally turned the corner, safety Mark Barron seems to be the next coming of Ed Reed, and how can anyone be chagrin with the play of linebacker Lavonte David?
The outside linebacker has been a terror and the numbers crunchers at ProFootballFocus.com have proof, so types Nathan Jahnke.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lavonte David (2-58) is leading all 4-3 outside linebackers in Run Stop Percentage at 14.7.
Whoa, now. That’s pretty strong stuff. Outside of coaching, David may be the biggest reason the Bucs defense has improved.
(Joe still stands by his conviction that the most improved Bucs player is Mason Foster, and Joe believes he may have some pineapple in his belly in February.)
Just think of last year (provided you are sitting down). Once running backs got around the edge on the weakside, it was like an on-ramp to I-275 for running backs. The way the defense scrambled, it must have been what it looked like with the Union army retreating in the first Battle of Bull Run.
David has simply put a stop to all of that nonsense and is a major cog in the NFL’s top rush defense.
October 25th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Isn’t it funny how the draft picks actually start producing once Schiano and Butch Davis arrive…
This GM is not a good evaluator of talent. Not sure what he did to deserve the hilarious nick name of ‘Rock star’, but that nickname should be shelved until he has a few solid drafts or one of his picks goes to a Pro Bowl.
October 25th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Pick up Hargrove to help out the D line provided he isn’t suspended.
October 25th, 2012 at 8:33 am
Everyone wants to praise the GM for this draft class, but in the same breathe we all recognize this team has zero depth. That’s because, of this teams poor drafting in prior years.
October 25th, 2012 at 8:52 am
@Tbuc: Wait, I’m confused. You realize that Dominik has drafted or signed in FA the majority of our team, right?
And the fact that they didn’t produce until now is much more likely an indication of coaching rather than their ability…right?
I’ll give you the depth problem, but other than that I don’t see how our players getting better with better coaching is an indictment of Dominik.
October 25th, 2012 at 9:13 am
Dude is very aggressive and overpursues rb’s at times. As much as I’sd like to say he was a product of Dom lets get real. Schiano had a very specific prototype for the type of guys he wanted to draft and are very different from the calibur of talent and character from the members of Dom’s past draft classes. David calls the plays on D right? Depending on his performance against AP tonight in the media spotlight we could see 2 frickin Buc LBs in Hawaii.
October 25th, 2012 at 9:19 am
Bucs in the Pro Bowl? Are you people forgetting its a popularity contest?
I guess so. Teams that are 6 win teams at best don’t put players in the Pro Bowl. Especially rookie LBs.
October 25th, 2012 at 9:25 am
@ Snook,
How much longer is the “rebuild”? 9 years of financial neglect, and the owners spent finally this past offseason?
We should be contending agian by now. Dom has not done anything worthy of “rock star” moniker (I don’t care about the flash bulbs following his every move, he hasn’t done diddly).
Again, if Dom is “Rock Star”, than Butch Davis is “Rolling Stones”.
Davis’ eye for talent for surpasses that of Dom’s.
October 25th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Yeah as much fun as it is to think of players in the Pro Bowl Id prefer WINS.
October 25th, 2012 at 9:31 am
Joe i’d hold off on the Mason Foster to the pro bowl talk.. although he is having a fantastic year he might get held up because of the fan vote. if he does make it his best chance is as a replacement for someone who is injured or playing in the super bowl unfortunately
October 25th, 2012 at 9:32 am
@Tbuc
“This GM is not a good evaluator of talent” That’s what the scouting department was for hence the reason why Hickey was fired. The GM responsibility is to get the coaches the players they require for their system and negotiate contracts. People haven’t noticed that the bad drafting has been going on since Gruden was here, so I really think the scouting department was the real issue here. I think Shelton Quarles is the new head of the scouting department now, so I’m pretty sure he was a better evaluator of talent.
What is Dominik fault was hiring the wrong coach for the franchise. I guess some people just pop up just to complain about the “Rock Star” name. If you don’t know the reason why he is call Rock Star then don’t complain about it. It’s not because of his drafting abilities! It’s because he was always in front of the cameras!
October 25th, 2012 at 9:43 am
The HC has alot to with who the Rock Star drafts. Its well known Rah had everything to with Freeman getting drafted. (Not saying that was a bad pick) There is a reason this appears to be his best draft to date. The way Dom drated this year to get Shaino the Piano the type of players he wanted is nothing short of phenominal. Anyone who doesn’t see that isn’t paying attention.
October 25th, 2012 at 9:45 am
“Man I really miss Geno Hayes.”
– No Bucs Fan Ever
October 25th, 2012 at 9:47 am
@ Sneedy16
Hickey’s still on staff broski
http://www.buccaneers.com/team/staff/dennis-hickey/e4e4cdcc-0ef3-4b74-90e0-72d458694d95
October 25th, 2012 at 9:56 am
@SensibleBuc
Sorry, I’m spitting out the wrong information. Thanks he was removed from college scouting department and replaced with Eric Stokes due to the fact that Dennis Hickey was a bad evaluator.
October 25th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Fatmosh , I agree with Tbuc.
October 25th, 2012 at 10:11 am
@sensible buc Dude thts hilarious…
October 25th, 2012 at 10:50 am
My father was a rock star. One day he asked me, “How old are you, son?” I said, “I’m five.” He said, “When I was your age I was six.”
October 25th, 2012 at 11:23 am
I’m now Snook on this one. No chance in hell that any players on Bucs D get to Pro Bowl, unless its after several people have backed out.
October 25th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Didn’t read all the comments, but what I did read sounds like whining and bitching. Daft picks need to be developed. It is not the GM’s fault if the chest bumping, arm barring coach didn’t do it. Pretty sure that they are on the right path now. I am ecstatic about the defensive turnaround, the pass defense needs to be majorly improved, btu as a unit they are leaps and bounds better than anything they put forward last year. They are young, the coaching staff has no continuity, but they will get there. As a fan you should be passionate about your team, but patient at the same time.
October 25th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
What is it you marbleheads don’t get? How is it that Gerald McCoy is having his best season, Roy Miller is having his best season, Mason Foster is blowing up?
Maybe, just maybe, Dominik has a clue to what he is doing and that the Bucs finally have coaches to develop these guys instead of a chest-bumping Ebonics instructor for a defensive coordinator?
October 25th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Don’t get too carried away praising the Bucs this season, we all are comparing last years last 10 games to this years first 6, and yeah that comparison is favorable. However after 6 games last year the Bucs were 4-2, not 2-4. There is a lot more football to go this season…
October 25th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
David is a beast, he’s a bit undersized but he makes a ton of plays. David, Barron, Martin.. even though only 6 games have been played its looking like a strong draft at the moment.
October 25th, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Tbuc kinda reminds me of Thomas 2.2…just a little bit