After several months of negotiation, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to a deal with rookie linebacker Devin White, the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the team announced Saturday.
As is the case with all first-round selections, White's contract will span four years with a team option in Year 5. White, the lone holdout of Tampa's five-player rookie crop, will now occupy the last spot on the 90-man roster.
Prior to quickly impressing his coaching staff during OTAs and establishing himself as a strong prospect during the NFL Scouting Combine, White showed out during his three years as a LSU Tiger. In addition to two first-team All-SEC selections and a second-team All-American spot in 2017, White was named a Consensus All-American and took home the Butkus Award as a junior in 2018.
With Buccaneers' rookies reporting to training camp July 21, avoiding any outside distraction by inking White, who's projected to start next to inside linebacker Lavonte David, bodes well for the franchise as the defense continues to retool under new coordinator Todd Bowles.
Now that White is off the board, Niners defensive end Nick Bosa, Jets defensive end Quinnen Williams, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and Panthers defensive end Brian Burns remain as the only first round draftees who are still awaiting a contract.
