The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers closed out the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by adding youth to the defense.
The Bucs selected Washington linebacker Joe Tryon with the No. 32 overall pick.
At 6-foot-5, Tryon is a big, physical edge presence who wins with length and strength. He owns the physical traits to grow into a dominant force in the Bucs defense.
In 2019, Tryon made a massive leap for the Huskies, generating eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in his first season as a full-time starter. Per Pro Football Focus, Tryon had 40 QB pressures in 2019 (2nd-most in Pac-12). He opted out of the 2020 season.
In Tampa, Tryon will have a chance to develop into a physical, powerful edge rusher behind Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul. It was a pick that should benefit a veteran-laden Bucs team down the road while adding depth and upside in the here-and-now. With JPP a free agent in 2022, Tryon's selection is forward-looking.
Returning all 22 of his Super Bowl starters, Bucs general manager Jason Licht had the luxury of picking a talented player who could develop into a difference-maker down the road without reaching for need.
