Bucs linebacker Devin White is living his best life. White is the point man for the hottest defense in the NFL right now. And he is leading the way when it comes to splash plays. White is currently tied for third in the league in sacks through the first two weeks of the season with three.

In case you were not aware, it is incredibly hard for an inside linebacker to be among the league leaders in sacks.

Let me put it in perspective for you. White has two sacks on three pressures, while only rushing the passer a total of 21 times so far this season. That’s a pressure rate of 14.3%. That rivals the Bucs elite pass rusher Shaq Barrett for efficiency.

Bucs LB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

And how does he compare to the other players with three or more sacks on the season? Of those seven players, White ranks fourth in pressure rate behind Nick Bosa of the 49ers (22.22%) Micah Parsons of the Cowboys (21.67%), and Myles Garrett of the Browns (18.57%). White ranks ahead of such stud edge rushers as Khalil Mack (13.43%), Alex Highsmith (11.11%), and Aidan Hutchinson (10.71%).

But we knew White was a solid – if not better – pass rusher. He proved that in 2020 when he recorded nine sacks.

What we didn’t know was whether White could evolve his game and become a complete player. Could he develop a better feel for coverage and ascend to the ranks of Shaquille (formerly known as Darius) Leonard, Fred Warner, and teammate Lavonte David? This is the primary skill that is getting linebackers paid in the modern NFL.

And in case you were not aware Devin White wants to get paid.

This year figures to be an important one in White’s quest. His fifth-year option was picked up by the Bucs this past offseason, ensuring he will be on the roster next year. Beyond that, Tampa Bay could use the franchise tag on White. Although that rarely happens to inside linebackers due to the antiquated positional designations the NFL and NFLPA use for calculating franchise tag values.

But if White can ball out in 2022, all of that may not matter as it would behoove the Bucs and White to work out a long-term extension that could reduce the Bucs’ immediate salary cap charges while also ensuring White receives the payday he has long sought.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the early returns are quite positive for “Get Live 45.” Let’s take a look.

Setting The Scene

I would be remiss if I went straight to the coverage highlights. I think it’s important for this Bucs Film Room that we look at all facets of White’s game. As I stated at the jump, White’s calling card has been a unique one for his position. White has long played downhill with reckless abandon. That, combined with his elite speed, has led to sacks at a historic rate for someone playing his position. I don’t think anything illustrates that point better than this stat: White has 2/3 of David’s career sack total despite playing only 31% of the games.

This year White has ditched the reckless abandon for a more disciplined approach to his pass rush. And it has paid dividends, reducing the number of sacks he misses due to overrunning the quarterback.

You can see White check the running back to start the play. Once he identifies the back is staying in to pass protect, he pounces on the pocket. He attacks the pocket and closes on the quarterback with blinding speed. And as opposed to years past where White just ran to the quarterback with no technique, this year he’s flashing real pass rush moves like the spin move on this sack in Dallas.

This skill is something that can separate and differentiate White from his contemporaries. That will help him elevate his value when he and his representation approach the negotiating table. Think of it like Leonard’s ability to force fumbles for the Colts at a rate no one else can.

White Still Isn’t Perfect

I might need to duck after presenting this part of the argument, but even if White has improved in pass coverage, there are still areas of his game that need work. It’s just those areas aren’t as important and therefore won’t hold him back as much. That area? Surprisingly it is run defense. White can make the occasional highlight-reel play in the run game due to his ability to pursue. But he still struggles in this area due to a variety of reasons.

White’s Missed Tackles

And those troubles can lead to plays like this.

The Bucs Mike ‘backer fills his gap and reaches the running back behind the line of scrimmage. This is a possible tackle for a loss. Unfortunately, White isn’t able to fully wrap up the ball carrier and winds up taking a merry-go-round-like ride to the ground while the play continues on without him.

Or this.

This one really stings if you are a Bucs fan. Safety Mike Edwards comes off a motion-follow and diagnoses the run instantaneously. He penetrates the line of scrimmage while blowing past the tight end who was charged with blocking him. In doing so Edwards seals the widest opportunity for the running back and forces him to commit to the inside where White is waiting for him. This play is about to be blown up for no gain. But White fails to wrap and the back bounces off of him before churning up field for a decent gain.

White Still A Little Wild Stallion In Him

Did you see what I did there? You know, because White loves riding horses. Oh, you did? And it wasn’t funny? Okay I’ll get back to it and limit my dad jokes to an absolute minimum. It’s not just the missed tackles. While White is playing a much more controlled brand of football this year overall, he still gets a little wild.

Let me first say I know defending this Wildcat set with Taysom Hill is very difficult. He is a unique matchup problem that stresses defenders at just about every level of the field. However, White still overruns his gap trying to pursue the motioning tight end on a possible sweep or pop-pass. This leaves that “B” gap wide open for Hill to waltz right through on his way to a big gain.

White Struggling To Disengage From Blocks

Oof. Cesar Ruiz is able to take the Bucs linebacker’s legs right out from under him, springing the running back for a good chunk of yards. It was a tough rep for the young Bucs defender, but one he can learn and grow from.

A New Level Of Play Emerging?

So far, I have waxed poetic for over 1,000 words about what we already knew about the Bucs’ 2019 first-round pick. So, what has him leveling up? Well, he is growing in the most important part of the game. Through two games he has looked positively stellar in pass coverage.

Looking at his film, White is playing fast but in control. He appears to be instinctive and confident in his drops. He gets to his landmarks in spot drops and then reads the quarterback to allow him to get to where the ball is going or picks up a receiving option moving near him to kill a possible read or make a quick tackle. As someone who has previously criticized this area of White’s game, I will gladly announce it has been a joy to watch him thus far in 2022.

Here White is responsible for the in-line tight end running a simple, short out route. White covers the tight end up at the top of his stem and keeps in phase as he breaks for the sidelines. What’s important about this coverage is that it takes away Jameis Winston’s line-of-sight check down. This reinforces Winston’s decision to let it rip for Michael Thomas on the slot fade with Edwards on his hip. In taking away the higher-percentage success route, White is able to force Winston to commit to the more difficult play with the lower success rate.

But it’s not just his ability to completely erase routes where White has improved so much. One of the most critical areas that could have (and thus far has) improved is just being in the right spot to limit a short passing play to just that – a short passing play. By being where he is supposed to be, White is able to make quick tackles as soon as the receiver catches the ball, limiting yards after catch and forcing the offense into third-and-more.

There is nothing fancy to this. I have no nuance for you. It appears to be a Cover 3 blitz and White wisely picks up the flat defender to the strong side. Given that he knows the blitz is coming, White correctly figures Winston will be looking to get rid of the ball quickly and so he chews up yards between him and the tight end. White is able to lead the Bucs defense on this play in holding the Saints offense to a 3-yard gain.

There were heralded additions to the Bucs defensive front and backfield this past off-season. But the Bucs brass decided not to augment the middle of the defense. That was partly because David was returning to full health.

But it was also partly because the team knew White could step into the upper echelon of players at his position. They wouldn’t have drafted him with the fifth overall pick if they didn’t believe so. They wouldn’t have doubled-down by picking up his inflated fifth-year option if they didn’t. Through the first two weeks of the NFL season, White is rewarding the Bucs for their patience and faith. And the defense is much better for it.