LSU linebacker Devin White selected fifth overall by Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019 draft

NASHVILLE – The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft kicked off Thursday night in Nashville. With the fifth overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to fill the void left by departed inside linebacker Kwon Alexander with another LSU Tiger – Devin White.

White comes to Tampa as the 2018 Butkus Award winner, an honor bestowed upon the top linebacker in college football. He was also a 2 year permanent team captain for LSU. In addition, White was a 2 time All-American and twice named first team All-SEC, an impressive resume for a player coming from one of the top conferences in college football. In 32 games for the Tigers, White logged 185 total tackles, including 28.5 for lost yardage. He also recorded 8.5 sacks.

Devin White will join defensive captain Lavonte David in a Bucs linebacker group looking for improvement in slowing down the high powered offenses of the NFC South. Statistically, Tampa Bay was ranked near the bottom of the league against both the pass and the run in 2018. White is a player that is expected to make an immediate impact for the Bucs defense.

As he stepped onto the stage, White was greeted and interviewed by hall-of-famer Deion Sanders. When asked what the Buccaneers can expect from him, White smiled and responded “a hard worker, great guy off the field, a guy who is passionate about the game, a three down linebacker, and a guy willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

The pick was announced by Kacey Reynolds, a 19 year old lifelong Bucs fan who is currently battling Hodgkins Lymphoma, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Getting to know the newest Buccaneer

Hometown: Springhill, LA

High School: Northwebster

Born: February 17, 1988

Height: 6′

Weight: 237

40 yard dash: 4.42