Tag: Devin White

Bucs LB Devin White named Defensive Rookie of the Month

For the second-straight month, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White has been named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.

For a brief time, it seemed as though the 2019 NFL season would be a nightmare rookie campaign for Bucs linebacker Devin White. The fifth pick in last April’s NFL draft had the perhaps the roughest start to his career you could imagine (minus a season-ending injury, of course). In the week leading up to Week 1’s opener against the San Francisco 49ers, White dealt with tonsillitis, losing up to 10 pounds. Then, in Week 2, he suffered a knee sprain that sidelined him for several games and saw his odds of winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award drop.

But, since returning to the field, White has been one of the most dominant defenders in the league, and not just among rookies. He capped off his stellar finish to the 2019 season by returning a fumble 91 yards for a touchdown in Week 17’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. It was the longest fumble return touchdown in franchise history.

Now, White can add another big achievement to his ever-growing resume as he’s just been named Defensive Rookie of the Month for December.

White was named Defensive Rookie of the Month for November, as well, so it’s an impressive way for the former LSU star to finish the season.

The Buccaneers defense finished 15th in the league this year, a far cry from 2018 when they were ranked 27th. The team holds the No. 14 pick in April’s draft, and, if CBS Sports is right, White could soon be joined by his former LSU teammate.

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This stat further proves just how great Bucs LB Devin White was this season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White had a tough start to his NFL career, but finished strong.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have finished just 7-9 — once again missing the postseason — but there are several reasons to be excited about this team heading into the offseason, something you haven’t really been able to say in years past about this franchise.

One of the biggest bright spots of the season was the emergence of rookie linebacker Devin White, who the team selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. White, the former LSU star, got off to a rough start to his NFL career, dealing with tonsillitis in the week leading up to the season opener and then suffering a knee sprain in Week 2 that sidelined him for several games.

But, once White got back on the field and found his groove, he showed exactly why draft experts had him pegged as the best linebacker in last year’s draft class. From body-slamming punters to chasing down running backs, White is ready to take the league by storm and be a cornerstone of this defense for years to come.

And, if you want further proof of just how great he was this season, this stat says it all.

The Bucs defense came a long way in 2019 under first-year defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. After ranking 27th overall last year, the Bucs defense finished 2019 as the league’s 15th-best defense. If the Bucs can find a way to keep the franchise’s new single-season sack leader Shaq Barrett, they could make an even bigger jump in 2020.

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Devin White’s 91-yard fumble return, longest in franchise history

The second quarter is turning out to be quite a history making event for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White and returned 91 yards for a …

The second quarter is turning out to be quite a history making event for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White and returned 91 yards for a touchdown.

The previous record was 80 yards which was held by Cedric Brown and set October 19, 1980 against the Houston Oilers.

Prior to White’s record breaking fumble return, the Buccaneers have already seen quarterback Jameis Winston break 5,000 yards and linebacker Shaq Barrett break Warren Sapp’s franchise record in sacks. Following White’s return, the Buccaneers are the top scoring defense in the league this season, despite allowing 28.1 points per game.

Devin White makes NFL.com’s 2019 Defensive All-Rookie Team

See why NFL writer Chris Wesseling selected Bucs rookie linebacker Devin White for his 2019 Defensive All-Rookie Team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White had perhaps one of the worst starts to a regular season in recent memory for a rookie. The fifth overall pick in April’s NFL draft dealt with tonsillitis in the days leading up to Week 1, causing him to lose nearly 10 pounds. Then, early in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, White went down with a sprained knee, which sidelined him for several games.

But, over the past month, White has been showing the Bucs and the rest of the league why he was considered the prize linebacker in the 2019 draft class. While White likely saw his chances of winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors slip away due to his knee injury, he still found a spot on NFL.com’s 2019 Defensive All-Rookie Team. White joined Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush and Washington Redskins linebacker Cole Holcomb on the list.

Here’s what NFL writer Chris Wesseling had to say about White’s selection:

“After an early-season disappearing act, White began to play with confidence and impressive closing speed as a sideline-to-sideline, seek-and-destroy menace versus the Cardinals in Week 10. He went on to capture NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for November, following a five-game stretch that featured 46 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five QB hits, one interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.”

White and the streaking Buccaneers head to Detroit in Week 15 to take on the Lions. Tampa Bay will be looking for their fourth-straight win, while Detroit is looking to halt a six-game skid.

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Bucs LB Devin White named NFC Rookie of the Month

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White has been having a strong second half and has earned accolades for his play.

It’s good to be Devin White right now.

After a rough start to his rookie year, the former LSU product and number five overall pick in April’s draft has begun to show the league why many people had him pegged as the best linebacker in the 2019 draft class.

In Sunday’s Week 13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, White had an interception, fumble recovery and defensive touchdown all in the first quarter. Head coach Bruce Arians said that White is finally coming into his own.

And it seems the rest of the NFL is starting to buy into the White hype, as the rook has just been named NFC Rookie of the Month for his solid play over the past several weeks.

White is the cornerstone of this Buccaneers defense. He was the first linebacker taken by Tampa Bay in the first round since Derrick Brooks in 1995.

The Bucs sure know how to pick ’em.

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Devin White cracks the top 10 in NFL.com’s rookie rankings

See where Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White lands on NFL.com’s latest rookie rankings.

The good news just keeps on rolling in for Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White, who had his most dominant performance to date in Sunday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

White, the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, had an interception on Jacksonville’s opening drive and then scooped up a fumble and took it to the house on the next Jags possession, helping Tampa Bay take a commanding 15-0 lead, which they’d never surrender.

White was viewed by many as a favorite to take home the NFL’s Defensive Rookie Player of the Year Award before the season started, but a sprained knee suffered in Week 2’s win over the Carolina Panther sidelined him for several weeks and saw his odds of winning drop.

Well, people might want to start thinking about White as a viable candidate again based on how he’s looked the past two weeks. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has certainly taken notice, and moved White to No. 8 on his list of rookie rankings.

Here’s what Jeremiah had to say about the former LSU star.

“White has really come alive the past few weeks. He collected 2 sacks against Atlanta in Week 12 and followed that up with an interception against the Jaguars in Week 13.”

White and the Buccaneers we look to make it three-straight wins on Sunday when they welcome the Indianapolis Colts to town. At 5-7, the Bucs have a shot at avoiding their third-straight 5-11 season with a win.

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A closer look at Devin White’s touchdown shows just how great he is

Devin White’s instincts on his fumble recovery touchdown against the Jaguars shows why the Bucs took him with the fifth overall pick.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won two-straight games for the first time this season, after convincing wins over the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars, both on the road.

While the offense has usually been the reason for getting this team a W, it’s the defense that has been coming on strong of late. They’ve allowed just 33 points over the past two games, and the emergence of rookie linebacker Devin White has been a big reason why.

In Sunday’s win over the Jags, White had a monster first quarter, becoming the first Bucs rookie in franchise history to record an interception, fumble recovery and defensive touchdown in the same game.

White delivered the postgame speech in the locker room after the win, and head coach Bruce Arians sung the rookie’s praises for his big performance. And, when you go back and look at the replay of White’s fumble recovery and touchdown, you get an idea of why the Bucs saw him as the future cornerstone of this defense.

Take a look at this tweet, courtesy of Bucs staff writer Carmen Vitali.

(Note: White is the Bucs player behind part of the goal line.)

Tampa Bay took the former LSU linebacker with the fifth overall pick in April’s draft, and after a rough start to the year in which he dealt with tonsillitis and a sprained knee, White has started to come into his own.

Or, as he put, he’s “a big boy now.”

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Red-hot Buccaneers open as favorites in Week 14 against the Colts

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are riding a two-game winning streak and opened as early favorites against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. (Yes, you read that sentence correctly.)

After starting the season just 3-7, including a five-game road stretch where they went just 1-4, the Bucs have won their past two games by outscoring their opponents 63-33.

While their offense has usually been the focus given the number of playmakers they have, it was the defense who stole the show in the team’s Week 13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, namely, rookie linebacker Devin White.

White made history for the Bucs yesterday as he became the first rookie in franchise history to have an interception, fumble recovery and defensive touchdown in the same game. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he did it all in the first quarter, helping the team jump out to an early 15-0 lead.

With the defense beginning to click, and Jameis Winston playing solid football the past two weeks, the Bucs find themselves as early -3.5 point favorites at home to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14.

Indy is coming off a home loss to the Titans in Week 13, and their postseason hopes are beginning to slip away. Tampa Bay would love nothing more than to add to the Colts’ woes by handing them another loss.

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Bucs LB Devin White: ‘I’m a big boy now’

See what Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie linebacker Devin White had to say after his big performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday could very well be labeled as the coming out party for rookie linebacker Devin White.

The fifth overall pick in April’s draft had perhaps his best game of the season, kicking things off in the first quarter by intercepting quarterback Nick Foles on Jacksonville’s opening drive and then scooping up a fumble and taking it to the house on the Jags’ next possession.

White was a beast all day long, even body-slamming former LSU teammate and current Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette. After the game, White spoke about his big day and going up against the imposing back.

(Via the Tampa Bay Times):

“I was just trying to let him know I’m in the league, I’m a big boy now. I’m not the same freshman from LSU. My game done rose to another level… It’s my time, I guess. I’ve been set back this year, but I never complained, and I also kept my head down and kept working. It’s time for me to show out. It’s time for me to show the world what I can do, and it’s time for me to keep building on it.”

White’s season got off to a rough start as he dealt with tonsillitis leading up to Week 1 and then suffered a knee sprain in Week 2 that sidelined him several weeks. Now, however, he is showing the Bucs and the rest of the league why he was considered the best linebacker in his draft class.

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Arians on Devin White: ‘He’s really come into his own’

See what Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians had to say about rookie linebacker Devin White following the team’s win over the Jags.

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted LSU linebacker Devin White with the fifth overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, the team had big expectations for the collegiate star. After all, White was the first linebacker Tampa Bay had selected in round one since Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks in 1995.

The hype surrounding White built up in training camp and the preseason, when some experts picked him as the favorite for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.

But, White’s season got off to a bumpy start. In the week leading up to the home opener against the 49ers, White lost nearly 10 pounds while dealing with tonsillitis. Then, in Week 2 he suffered a knee sprain early in the game that ended up sidelining him for several weeks, leading many to wonder if White’s rookie year was going to be a bust.

Fortunately, since the rookie’s return to the lineup he’s been a force to be reckoned with, and he has Bucs fans and coaches excited about the future of this young defense.

In Week 13’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, White made history by becoming the first rookie in franchise history to have an interception, fumble recovery and defensive touchdown in the same game. Did I mention he did all that in the first quarter?

White’s big day helped the Buccaneers secure the 28-11 win, and head coach Bruce Arians sung the rookie’s praises after the game.

Take a look.

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