Is Geno Hayes The Teams Best Linebacker?

[Simms2Clayton05]

Geno Hayes is a keeper.
He keeps getting better and is the heir apparent to the great #55.

Yeah Yucc, I'm high on Geno Hayes and have noticed his outstanding progress this year. If we stick to the defense we're running now, he's perfect for the job and quite possible our best young LB, yes.

When I met Geno.. I did the butt kissing move of telling him I thought he was the reincarnation of Derrick Brooks.. He got a kick out of it.. (BTW, I realize that I probably shouldn't of told him that lol)

LOL, well it's hard to ignore the similarities between Geno and the rookie DB of year's ago. The speed, size and nose for the ball, etc.

Exactly.. The thing that reminds me the most of Derrick is when he is able to fly in the backfield and gobble up the HB's for a loss..

Take a look at DBs first couple of seasons as a buc.

YEAR   TEAM   G   TOT   SOLO   AST   PD   SACK   FF   REC   INT   YDS   TD
1995   TAM   16   78   59   19   4   1.0   2   0   0   0   0
1996   TAM   16   132   91   41   11   0.0   1   0   1   6   0

Geno Hayes

2009   TAM   14   86   68   18   6   2.0   1   0   2   21   

[ryan24]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

Hayes still has issues with being out of position and in no man's land too often. He does seem to come up with the splash play often enough.

[BucNasty24]

I think Geno is without a doubt our best LB this year, but those stats are ridiculously inflated. �Nfl.com has him at 86 tackles. �I've heard of teams inflating tackling stats, but that is ridiculous.

Perhaps the NFL.com stat is just for solo tackles and the Bucs just list all tackles.   It's the only way I can explain the huge difference.  

Nope. 68 solo, 18 assists.

Regardless, Geno is one of the few players on the Bucs D that has stood out this year.  Outside of T-Jax and Talib I can't really think of too many "splash" plays.  To compare him to Brooks is crazy but at the very least he looks like a quality starter.  I like how we've sent him in on blitzes in the past two weeks and they appear to be working.  He's really the only LB all year that can blow plays up in the backfield.  I love the kid.  I think him, Talib, and T-Jax are the only 3 building blocks on the defense right now.

[Biggs3535]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

Hayes still has issues with being out of position and in no man's land too often. He does seem to come up with the splash play often enough.

I agree.

Hayes has some coverage issues to work out before he can be compared to Brooks.

[SarasotaBuc Fan]

geno is a bright spot this year.

[Rusty]

Geno Hayes is a keeper.
He keeps getting better and is the heir apparent to the great #55.

Yeah Yucc, I'm high on Geno Hayes and have noticed his outstanding progress this year. If we stick to the defense we're running now, he's perfect for the job and quite possible our best young LB, yes.

Couldn't stay away, JG. Good to see you.

[Ft. Myers Buc Fan]

Hayes is gonna be a really good one.  Just remember how young he is and how valuable the experience this year as a full time starter will be as we move on for him and Black.  This is exactly why Morris and Dom had to let Derrick and June go as painful as it was to them and to us as fans

[GameTime]

i think geno is definitely the boom/bust LB.  he makes a ton of splash plays, but maybe some that watch the film can tell how many missed assignments he also has?  i think he is a tremendous young player, who has benefited by being allowed to play through his mistakes this year.

[Admirebucs]

Geno makes a ton of plays and has a level of athletism that no other of our linebackers has(even Quincy Black) but he does has problems with gap assignments from time to time. But because of Ruuds so-so season I have to say that Geno is the best of the Lbs right now.

[CyberDilemma]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

You're right. Brooks was still carrying his books to class at FSU at Geno's age. Geno's started his NFL career a year and a half younger than Brooks.

[Biggs3535]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

You're right. Brooks was still carrying his books to class at FSU at Geno's age. Geno's started his NFL career a year and a half younger than Brooks.

If you know the reasons why he did, that's not such a positive statement.

[swashbuccaler]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

You're right. Brooks was still carrying his books to class at FSU at Geno's age. Geno's started his NFL career a year and a half younger than Brooks.

If you know the reasons why he did, that's not such a positive statement.

True.. But those reasons are nullified, if you believe in the young man..

[CyberDilemma]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

You're right. Brooks was still carrying his books to class at FSU at Geno's age. Geno's started his NFL career a year and a half younger than Brooks.

If you know the reasons why he did, that's not such a positive statement.

Until the world all the sudden decided to become so "politically correct", it use to be a matter of pride for a college football player to sometimes get into a bar fight. Doesn't mean he's necessarily a bad kid. Times have changed.

[swashbuccaler]

Until the world all the sudden decided to become so "politically correct", it use to be a matter of pride for a college football player to sometimes get into a bar fight. Doesn't mean he's necessarily a bad kid. Times have changed.

[Biggs3535]

Let's try not to compare Hayes to Brooks.

You're right. Brooks was still carrying his books to class at FSU at Geno's age. Geno's started his NFL career a year and a half younger than Brooks.

If you know the reasons why he did, that's not such a positive statement.

Until the world all the sudden decided to become so "politically correct", it use to be a matter of pride for a college football player to sometimes get into a bar fight. Doesn't mean he's necessarily a bad kid. Times have changed.

LMAO.

There was also a cheating scandal Mr. Hayes was involved with, which I think had a bigger role in him leaving early than the bar fight.