NFL Draft Mock 5.0: Two-round mock, post-free agency
By Ian Cummings
48. . Linebacker. LSU. Devin White. 5. player
The Buccaneers lost Kwon Alexander in free agency, so they’ll be in the market for linebackers early in the 2019 NFL Draft. And with the No. 5 pick, they have the opportunity to add an immediate upgrade from Kwon Alexander, with high upside to add to their resume.
That upgrade is Devin White, a standout defender from LSU who only recently started playing linebacker. White is a tremendous athlete as his position; he tested at the top of his group at the NFL Combine, with only Devin Bush sticking with him on the leaderboards.
White has some development left to realize, as his instincts in pass coverage are streaky, and play action fakes could be a problem for him in initial action. But the potential long-term rewards far outweigh any potential early snags; White is still fairly new to his position, and as he learns, he should only get better.
With White, the Buccaneers get better on defense, and they add a player who, with time and development, could help them deal with the underneath receivers that caused them so much trouble in 2018. White is just one piece to the puzzle, but he could be an important one, in due time.